> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On > Behalf Of John D. Giorgis > Sent: Wednesday, January 29, 2003 8:36 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: RE: I Think I'm Going to Cry...... > > At 11:37 PM 1/28/2003 -0500 Jon Gabriel wrote: > >Well as long as *somebody* was touched. I've heard him be much more > >inspiring. Every single other State of the Union address my wife and I > >(and the twelve friends I spoke with afterwards) had ever heard was, in > >fact, more inspirational than the one we sat through tonight. > > I agree that this certainly was not his best speech - but that would have > been quite difficult given the high standards that he has already set for > himself. > > Plus, a lot of observers have noted that Bush looked quite tired > yesterday. > I think that the war is definitely taking its toll on him, which > definitely hurt his delivery. >
It wasn't just the delivery, although that did bother me. I didn't find the speech itself inspiring. With regards to his delivery, yes, he showed very little charisma or personal fire in what he was saying for the first 30-35 minutes. But, in that time, what I and my wife heard was "Our downtrodden people need our help and this is what we need to do for them." I think that's an admirable and important sentiment. It's also depressing as hell. In years past, we've watched presidents from both parties give state of the union speeches that told the world things like 'the United States of America was forged on the blood, fire, sweat, tears and dreams of her people and that our vision and determination would carry us forward to form a future brighter than even we could imagine.' It may be rhetoric. It may even be meaningless, but it would have been appropriate. Because Bush is working to make people support and believe in him and his administration at a time when consumer and political confidence has dropped through the floor. Since Erik posted it, I've been thinking about that quote from Nancy Kress. Perhaps I'm personally less interested in the nitty gritty than I am in being inspired by the leaders of my country. It's definitely something for me to think about. (Thanks for posting it, Erik.) > Nevertheless, the scope of the speech is simply amazing - Reform of > Medicare, Tax Cuts, Treatment of AIDS in Africa, and a detailed case for > war in Iraq. I thought that he did a very good job of laying out the > challeneges ahead for America, and rallying our country towards meeting > those challenges. Laying out the challenges, yes, absolutely. Rallying them, except in the case of Iraq.... I disagree. Also, iirc, Pres. Bush covered Medicare Reform, Tax Cuts and 'ridding the world of the terrorist evildoers' in the 2002 state of the union speech. AFAIK, the differences weren't drastic, comparing this year to last year and the only new thing he did is urge that tax cuts set for several years from now be thrown to the public as quickly as possible. No explanation on whether or not the country can afford to do so. Despite assurances, trickle-down economics hasn't been effective in the past. As for AIDS in Africa and feeding the hungry of the world.... I personally would have preferred to see him spend more time on how we can help the victims of both right here at home. A single line in which we say 'we have confronted and will continue to confront aids in our own country' isn't enough by a long shot. What I did like hearing was support for the environmental reforms. I was happy to hear him endorse hydrogen based cars and about volunteer work through the USA Freedom corps (although his reference was so vague that i think most Americans came away wondering what the heck it was. But at least it was mentioned!) > >Oh yeah, what the %$#@! Is "Hitlerism"? Could that not have been > >handled with a more elegant turn of phrase? > > Would you have preferred Nazism? This bothers me a lot less this morning. Last night, I would have preferred that if he were to compare Saddam Hussein to Hitler and the Iraqi regime to the Nazis, he be clearer about it. 'Hitlerism' sounds uneducated. Jon "We need feedback from outside ourselves. Life consists of interacting pieces, free to jiggle and rearrange themselves. That's how you make a working system, like an organism, or a culture, or a biosphere. Or a mind." ~David Brin~ 'Earth' _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
