ABC and NBC pivoted almost immediately from President Bush's State of the Union address to the 2008 presidential campaign, but CBS stuck to Bush's speech in its post-coverage in which Katie Couric complained “a lot of it was Bush redux,” Bob Schieffer kvetched that Bush “did not say what his assessment of the state of the union was until the next to the last sentence” and historian Douglas Brinkley declared: “It's not looking good for his legacy. I mean it's hard to point to any big accomplishments.” Schieffer, however, cautioned it's too soon to assess Bush, noting: “We're only beginning now to understand completely the impact of Ronald Reagan. When he left office, we didn't know that the Soviet Union was going to collapse.”
Meanwhile, on CNN between Bush's address and the Democratic response, Jeffrey Toobin used Bush to condemn all the Republican candidates for lacking “humanity” in their approach to immigration. The MRC's Rich Noyes alerted me to this from Toobin at 10:12 PM EST:
The rhetoric that George Bush uses on immigration is still so different from the Republican candidates for President. He talks about being humane. You never hear Romney or, talking about McCain, talking about humanity these days.
A flavor of the post-speech analysis on CBS, following Schieffer describing the address as “flat” and historian Douglas Brinkley calling it “boilerplate,” picking up at about 10:07 PM EST:
KATIE COURIC: I was going to say a lot of it was Bush redux too wasn't it? We heard many of these sentiments before -- whether it came to warning Iran to suspend its nuclear weapons program, or talking about the importance of FISA and basically monitoring terrorist communications in this country and renewing that act.BOB SCHIEFFER: You know what I thought was interesting, Katie, this was the State of the Union speech. The President traditionally gives the State of the Union. He did not mention the phrase there. He did not say what his assessment of the state of the union was until the next to the last sentence when he said if we do this and that, the nation will remain strong. I guess you can't start out a speach saying the State of the Union is good when you're, you know, in the kind of economic situation that we seem to be in now and while the war still goes on. It's been a long time since I have heard a President wait until the second-to-the-last sentence of a speech to say that it remains strong if we do certain things.
COURIC: Doug, so many historians and political observers are already calculating how President Bush will be remembered, where he will stand in the line of Presidents who have preceded him. It's really too early to say, isn't it? But as a historian, can you predict how he might be remembered?
DOUGLAS BRINKLEY: Well, it's not looking good for his legacy. I mean it's hard to point to any big accomplishments. I think as Bob said, all the chips were put on Iraq. Most of the country is opposed to what's gone on over there. And you know, you're going to get probably a Democratic response saying that, right now, today five soldiers were killed over there. And he has to keep hitting that note over and over again. His legacy will be determined just like James K. Polk, the Mexican American war was Mr. Polk's war and William McKinley's Spanish American war, was Mr. McKinley's war. This has been Mr. Bush's war and I think whether democracy blooms in Iraq will be what people judge him on.
SCHIEFFER: When the President is there it is too early. You simply can't make a judgement. We couldn't make a judgment, we're only beginning now to understand completely the impact of Ronald Reagan. When he left office, we didn't know that the Soviet Union was going to collapse. And he certainly deserves some of the credit for that. I think it just -- you got to wait a little while before you can make a judgement. But again, I go back to, he put all the chips on the line for Iraq. And I think for right now, how that comes out will determine what his legacy is.
—Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center
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Comments Policy
Cowboy Bob Rides Again
Tue, 01/29/2008 - 01:10 ET by Lame CherryOnly a cowpie from Texas in Bob could not see the vision of Ronald Reagan in it just dawning on him now lol.
As for Romney and the GOP, I hear a great deal of compassion involved in their speeches. They care about Americans being safe and not having their cities over run with border busters, so their families can be raised without the crime the border busters are bringing in.
Of course when one lives like Bob and Katie in million dollar homes........they never have to deal with border busters.
I found President Bush in his speech tonight to be thee best he has ever been as he can do what he pleases, tell Washington, the GOP and liberals to buzz off. This President is going to set the stage for whoever wins the nomination to hammer the dickens out of whoever the globalists get into the race.
As far as Bush redux..............winning in Iraq, America with no terror attacks by al Qaeda, winning in Afghanistan, Bush now has Conservatives elected in Scotland, Gordo on board in England, Sarko and the Frau in Europe, all of east Europe in the American sphere, Oz's liberal sounding like Gordo in being Conservative, a Conservative in Mexico and Canada.
That kind of redux America can handle. Bush handled a worldwide depression, set America up to more oil drilling and bio fuels to safegaurd our supplies and now Putin is acting the booger he is scaring Europe and the world back into the Bush camp.
No I don't agree with George on economic policy, spending I understand as he spent what the Democrats would have.........but that is all what looks like winning because it is.
Al Gore has been exposed as a global warming huckster as is Mike Bloomberg..........Hillary has sex tapes and an indictment.........Obama is about get a Fitzgerald subpeona.......that is running rings around the liberals.
That is what winning looks like and if America survives long enough they will see that George Bush is the reason America in God's grace is going to survive the Eurasian world war which is coming.
*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS
It's good to know that Mr.
Tue, 01/29/2008 - 01:18 ET by SchnikeysIt's good to know that Mr. Baker is up this late over there in NoVA. :)
I don't really support Giuliani, but I think he nailed it when he said that history will determine whether or not Bush's actions in Iraq were the right ones to take.
7 years
Tue, 01/29/2008 - 01:33 ET by Wesen7 years of Bush bashing, obfuscation and foot dragging on the part of the Libs. I doubt anyone's been hated as much since Lincoln. May God bless W and give him the vision he needs to stick the landing.
please
Tue, 01/29/2008 - 01:36 ET by gordonIf any of those fatuous blowhards at CBS ever had anything good to say about President Bush, I'd drop dead.
That being said, have we ever really required anyone from the news media with an iq of 3 translate what we just heard the President say? I for one speak and understand the English language quite well. Bob and Katie can both goe submerge their heads in the bathtub until they quit wiggling.
Oh the "humanity"!..
Tue, 01/29/2008 - 02:34 ET by mastersofdeceitof the Democrats. They didn't seem to play very nice with that group of people did they? (By "that group of people" I'm talking about freed slaves that voted or might even gasp! think about voting Republican and how the vote could be bought i.e. vote Democrat & I'll give you a job )
I'm still wondering, weeks later...
Tue, 01/29/2008 - 02:44 ET by sarcasmoWhether CNN's Jeffrey Toobin ever managed to track-down CNN's Lou Dobbs on a certain issue. One would think the same network's distor...er...reporters would be able to stick to one story on issues like the NAU.
JMR
Rally online with fans of Dr. Ron Paul. (All purpose anti-slander-link, sadly-needed these days...)
I posted a comparison of
Tue, 01/29/2008 - 03:12 ET by Gary P JacksonI posted a comparison of the Bush family against the Kennedy family in the "Audacity of Hope" thread. Puts it all in perspective.
The dive-bys, and all of the useful idiots, will do all they can to convince the buying public that Bush, and all Republicans, are evil.
Look at Reagan. Just a mere mention of his name sent Obama, Clinton, and Silky Pony into a tail spin!
History is kind to Reagan though, and we may not live to see it, but history will will be kind to W too!
To show what an ass
Tue, 01/29/2008 - 03:28 ET by lumpysome Dem senators are, check this out. After the state of the union address, Sen. Durbin blogged on DailyKos and asked what the kossacks thought of the Prez's speech. I wonder if he was expecting the comments that followed. Unbelievable. Why is Durbin playing footsies with these brats?
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/1/28/234927/201/300/445164
With Roughly 11 months left
Tue, 01/29/2008 - 03:51 ET by Gary P JacksonWith Roughly 11 months left in President Bush's term, you'd think these nimrods would take a breath! They act like spoiled brats when they don't get their way.
I think Dick Durbin is one of the most despicable human beings out there. His over the top rant comparing our brave men to Pol Pot and other mass murders made my blood boil. But he is a sitting U S Senator, and while the man doesn't deserve one iota of respect, the office does.
With the Kossacks it is just anarchy. Why these degenerate Senators feel they must bow to the slimiest of slime, I'll never understand.
Just wait until they have to say President Romney! Jim Jones' deal will look like a family reunion!
I've been watching MSNBC's
Tue, 01/29/2008 - 05:11 ET by lumpypost State of the Union address--and this is just so egregious. Who is anchoring the SOTU address? You guessed it--Keith Olberman.
The same guy who blogs at DailyKos and claims to be an impartial 'newscaster' while during his Countdown show calls Bush a fascist.
This MSNBC post-SOTU show so far has mostly Bush-bashing Dems on, including Rachel Maddow, the Air America gal.
Okay now--here's my challenge. I want the Republican candidates to boycott any debate hosted by NBC or MSNBC just like the Dems are boycotting Fox News.
I also would like to see the Republican Party and their spokespeople to start making hay out of MSNBC's outrageous bias.
I would also like to see Republican and libertarian and conservative people to start blogging about this on their various websites. (This has to get out in cyberspace and not just here. NB doesn't have all that many members.)
I would also challenge the Republican Party and its spokespeople to start pointing out those Dem politicians and newcasters who blog at DailyKos.
The Dems and their supporters are handing ammunition to the Republicans and the Republicans are not using it. The Republicans are the party of wusses. I expect better. If they don't use these weapons that are being handed to them, they deserve to lose the general election.
I also implore all NBers to contact NBC news and voice their outrage. I'm wondering how Tim Russert feels about Olberman tarnishing the supposed neutrality of NBC News and its brand.
I've been hanging out at Kos for a couple months now to see what kind of shenanigans are going on there. And let me tell you, that is one ugly hate-filled site. That an MSNBC anchor like Olberman can feel free to blog there and that his NBC news bosses then allow him to host political roundtables and debates is beyond shameful.
And people accuse Fox News of being biased! They do not allow Bill O'Reilly to anchor news segments and debates.
This is a plea for bloggers to get the word out and to contact the Republican Party and NBC News about this situation. DailyKos motivates its membership to become activists. It's time that Republicans, conservatives, and libertarians engage in some activism.
Russert's one of 'them'
Tue, 01/29/2008 - 05:58 ET by ArchConservativeHate to tell you, but Tim Russert's in the tank with the uber-progressives too.
Watch FoxNewsBusiness and you wont go crazy
Tue, 01/29/2008 - 06:32 ET by ArchConservativeI have taken CNNMsNBCCNBC and HeadlineNews off of my DirectTV channel guide so I won't have to accidentally run into their leftist agendas.
By the way, did any one else notice that when permanent tax cuts were offered by President Bush, ALL the (d)ems sat down and didn't rise and applaud? Did any one notice that when President Bush said that the troops should have everything they need in the field, ALL the (d)ems sat down and didn't rise and applaud? Did anyone notice that when he said he would veto any earmarked bill and didn't rise and applaud, ALL the (d)ems sat down and didn't rise and applaud?
THAT is the (d)emocrat party. They were stonefaced, they were sour, they were looking with daggers at President Bush. Party of 'tolerance' my ass! They are FOR rasing taxes and against our troops in the field. Last night should have convinced anyone of that. If not, read the DailyKook and you will see for yourself.
And for all you DKers out there who troll this blog, I have read some of your responses to the SoTU last night and you all gave me a good laugh. Especially your dig at Larry Craig. I thought all of you were supposed to defend gay rights not make fun of them or denigrate them. If you were to actually stand by what you believe, you would make him a tragic figure and cut him slack. You would say that he needs to be left alone and that his personal sexual experiences are just that....personal. Now if he were to suborn perjury or perjure himself in front of a federal court, that's a different story. But, you use him and his misery to try to kick sand in the face of the GOP.
And for all you DKers who think that tax cuts should sunset, send back your checks you are going to recieive. Calculate what the total tax relief you have recieved since 2001 is (with interest) and send that in too. While you're at it, tell your senators and congresspeople the same thing. For all their bluster, they will NEVER give back that money. What's theirs is theirs and what's yours is theirs.
You support the troops by supporting the mission! If you don't support the mission, have the guts to say you don't support the troops.
You've missed my point.
Tue, 01/29/2008 - 06:49 ET by lumpyIt's not a matter of my watching other channels so I don't "go crazy." I'm monitoring the bias and the way that Republicans, including the hosts of this site, don't DO anything or call them out on it.
I give up.
Are any of you people capable of motivation and activism? Okay, a few people come here and kvetch and have a circle jerk but is any action taken?
Why not at least post on other conservative blogs about this MSNBC bias? Why not spread the word about those anchors and politicians who are blogging at DailyKos?
I understand
Tue, 01/29/2008 - 07:40 ET by ArchConservativeI understand. The bias at the these networks is so thick you can taste it. I try to let everyone I know that watches news to look at these people objectively. If they do that, they will see what we do. I try and 'vote' with my viewing choices. I know that's naive and throwing spit against the ocean but I like to think that it matters somehow.
MsNBC is getting crushed in the ratings so maybe we are making a difference.
Conservative Activism
Tue, 01/29/2008 - 07:59 ET by AgnosticI watched an interview one time with Clint Eastwood about his political stance, politics in Hollywood and why he believes that conservative issues do not get recognized. His answer was simple and from a common sense stand point, he said it is because it is the nature of the conservative to be conservative. Progressive policies are pushed by radical people and that makes them neither right nor wrong but it does correlate to the idea of liberal ideas making better stories.
Socialism sells. The plight of the common man and the evils of the rich and powerful have been a trademark in entertainment since it became available to common man. Few want to read about a high profit company creating 2000 jobs but would read with great interest about the struggle of one poor immigrant who battled back against the 'evil' corporation and won his law suit.
On my way to work there are four new office buildings currently under construction and an expansion of two state roads. Every evening the news tells me the local economy is in the tank with federal economy because good news doesn't sell either.
Basically don't blame conservatives for being conservative in nature as well, as long as most of the public want to hear Marxist based stories you are going to get liberal news and don't believe the news media has anything to with reporting news but are an institution which creates a product they are trying to sell.
Agnostic... I was watching
Tue, 01/29/2008 - 08:11 ET by Jack BauerAgnostic... I was watching The Rainmaker the other night.
It's based on a John Grisham novel, and the basic premise is this... nasty, evil Health Insurance company would rather let people die than allow them to receive the medical care they paid for.
The hero is a newly minted "trial lawyer," of course. Apparently, as routine they first deny every claim that is submitted.
Sure, and no one would ever notice that decades old practise.
Of course, our hero win the lawsuit plus $50 million punative damages.
But the big win is that the insurance company goes bust, out of business.
It never seemed to occur to the liberal dopes who made this -- well, okay you bankrupted a company... so what happens to the thousands of mainly poor people who also had their health insurance with them?
No humanity? How about the
Tue, 01/29/2008 - 08:35 ET by msh1973No humanity? How about the fact that every illegal that comes to America gets free healthcare and an education for their children. My husband works for an area hospital, they are required to treat everyone who comes through the doors reguardless of their status or ability to pay. It is so maddening.
No Big Accomplishments?!?
Tue, 01/29/2008 - 08:42 ET by Edfromva~ historian Douglas Brinkley declared: “It's not looking good for his legacy. I mean it's hard to point to any big accomplishments.” ~
Really?
Cleaning up the 8 year Clinton mess (or attempting to)? Check.
Restoring honor, respect, pride, and dignity to our military after 8 years of Clinton's downsizing? Check.
Leading the country after 9-11? Check.
No terrorist attack on US soil in 6 1/2 years? Check.
No Child Left Behind (which finally put some standards to school systems which were previously held unaccountable)? Check.
Liberating TWO countries? Check.
Deposing a murderous dictator? Check.
Rebuilding a nation and putting Al-Qaeda on defense? Check.
Great economy (despite the drive-by assessments)? Check.
Lower unemployment rate than ANY Clinton year? Check.
Other than that...he didn't do anything.
And
Tue, 01/29/2008 - 11:31 ET by mattmAnd he did it while being the recipient of the most hateful attacks ever endured by any president.
Bush Legacy Don't forget Judges
Tue, 01/29/2008 - 11:14 ET by ShaftBigScorePlease check the Bush record on Judicial appointments on the Federal Level and the Supreme Court. I would give him a high score on those also. That is the MOST important measuring stick in my opinion, next to handling The Global War on Terror.
I favor the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and it must be enforced at gunpoint if necessary. President Ronald Reagan