Profs vary on State of the Union speech

Tuesday night, President George Bush delivered the State of the Union address that many Americans hoped would help pull the country out of a recession and the President hoped would pull his popularity out of the dumps. But History professor Bruce Kuklick said Bush's advisors placed too much emphasis on the speech and were unsuccessful in kicking off the President's campaign. "Reality is the breaker of myth, and people are not going to put up with this type of empty rhetoric," he said. "I don't think [the speech] will carry Bush." But Political Science Chairperson Oliver Williams said Bush had no choice but to place a lot of emphasis on the speech because he had to begin his campaign somewhere. However, Williams said he was surprised the President laid out his entire platform so early in the campaign. "It is a long time between now and elections, and it gives the opposition time to go over his platform with a fine tooth comb," he said. And Kuklick said he thought people are "sick" of the President's tactics and were probably not impressed by the speech. "It was completely unsubstantial," Kuklick said. "He did not say anything very important." Some professors felt Bush "played up" his strong foreign policy and glossed over his domestic policy without citing concrete plans. "I think [the speech] was a classsic case of smoke and mirrors," said History professor Thomas Sugrue. Also, Bush tried to use the success of the War in the Persian Gulf in an emotional appeal for support, Kuklick said. "If the American can beat up on the little guy, it is bound to get a lot of applause," Kuklick said. Sugrue added that Bush relied on Desert Storm because it is his one tangible accomplishment that he can point to in his administration. "[Bush] is looking back to a period when his popularity was at its peak," Sugrue said. Sugrue also expects to see references to Desert Storm in Bush's political commercials and stump speeches this fall. Bush's attempt to use optimism and no concrete domestic policy like President Ronald Reagan did during his presidency will not be successful, Kuklick said. "Reagan could do it during a period when people were employed," Kuklick said. "It is difficult to do it when things aren't OK, and [Bush is not the charismatic leader Reagan was." But Sugrue said the speech was likely more effective than the President's recent addresses, and his trip to Japan in raising his popularity. The President also tried to address all the major issues his opponents, Republicans and Democrats alike, have raised so far in the campaign. Sugrue said that by laying out a plan for reforming the health care system, an issue the Democrats have exploited so far in the campaign, and making a compromise with Congress for an extension on unemployment insurance, Bush was "taking the wind out of [his opponents] sails." He added that by taking a moderate stand on revising health care, and not nationalizing it, Bush could "take the fire out of the Democrats sweeping proposals." In addition, Sugrue said, Bush "threw mud" in Republican opponent Pat Buchanon's face by raising the issue of isolationism and its dangers. "The speech really was a very clever attack on major opponents, Democratic and Republican alike," Sugrue said. Bush's plan for economic recovery will probably have little effect in the long run though, Sugrue added. He added that by lowering the capital gains tax, Bush will only be helping upper-income citizens.

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