Bush Makes State Of Union Address
Posted January 23, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
President George W. Bush used his state of the union address Tuesday to not only defend his war-time decisions, but attempt to ease tensions amongst angry Congress-controlling Democrats intent on illuminating his many perceived gaffes.
Bush pleaded for time for his troop increase in Iraq to work and prevent the “nightmare scenario” of an epic regional battle.
“We went into this largely united,” Bush reminded an audience rife with war-weary Democrats and Republicans.
“Whatever you voted for, you did not vote for failure.”
“On this day, at this hour, it is still within our power to shape the outcome of this battle. So let us find our resolve and turn events toward victory.”
It was just two weeks ago that Bush announced plans to send 21,500 more U.S. soldiers to Baghdad in an attempt to gain control over the increasingly instable area.
Most Americans don’t support the move and Democrats have made it clear they don’t think Bush is in control of Iraq policy.
“The president took us into this war recklessly,” said new Senator Jim Webb of Virginia, who gave the official Democratic response to Bush’s speech.
“(Our leaders) owed us sound judgment, clear thinking, concern for our welfare, a guarantee that the threat to our country was equal to the price we might be called upon to pay in defending it,” said Webb.
“The majority of the nation no longer supports the way this war is being fought, nor does the majority of our military,” he said in a televised address.
“We need a new direction…An immediate shift toward strong regionally based diplomacy, a policy that takes our soldiers off the streets of Iraq’s cities and a formula that will in short order allow our combat forces to leave Iraq.”
Much of the president’s efforts seemed aimed at appeasing the Democrats, to which he received polite applause.
“I congratulate the Democratic majority,” he said.
“Congress has changed but our responsibilities have not.”
“We can work through our differences.
“Our citizens don’t much care which side of the aisle we sit on, as long as we are willing to cross that aisle when there is work to be done.”
