Bush to Convey Optimism in Speech
Positive Focus Comes Despite Concern About Iraq, Energy Prices, and The Country's Direction

By William Branigin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, January 31, 2006 8:06 PM

President Bush, offering the nation stark choices in what he calls a "decisive year," intends to say in tonight's State of the Union address that the United States will continue to advance freedom around the world and lead the global economy, rejecting an isolationist road that leads to "danger and decline."

According to excerpts of the speech released by the White House, Bush will stress the need to maintain America's economic competitiveness, reduce an "addiction" to foreign oil and provide more affordable health care at home.

Looking to invigorate his party and his presidency, Bush prepared a State of the Union address that aides said would convey an optimistic vision for America despite widespread concern over the war in Iraq, high energy prices and the overall direction of the country.

Starting at 9 p.m. EST, Bush will deliver his fifth State of the Union speech before a joint session of Congress on the heels of a significant victory -- the Senate's confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Samuel A. Alito Jr. -- but against the backdrop of flagging job approval ratings and simmering scandals as his Republican Party heads toward mid-term elections later this year.

The excerpts released by the White House mentioned no specific new initiatives, but dealt with general themes of U.S. leadership in the world and Bush's stewardship of the nation.

"In this decisive year, you and I will make choices that determine both the future and the character of our country," Bush will tell Congress, according to the excerpts. "We will choose to act confidently in pursuing the enemies of freedom -- or retreat from our duties in the hope of an easier life. We will choose to build our prosperity by leading the world economy -- or shut ourselves off from trade and opportunity. In a complex and challenging time, the road of isolationism and protectionism may seem broad and inviting -- yet it ends in danger and decline."

The only way to protect Americans, secure peace and "control our destiny," Bush says, "is by our leadership -- so the United States of America will continue to lead."

Reiterating a long-term goal of ending "tyranny in our world," Bush warns that "we cannot find security by abandoning our commitments and retreating within our borders." Referring to radical Islamic terrorists, he says, "If we were to leave these vicious attackers alone, they would not leave us alone. They would simply move the battlefield to our own shores."

The United States "must also take the offensive by encouraging economic progress, fighting disease, and spreading hope in hopeless lands," Bush says.

Emphasizing a long-held aim of reducing dependence on foreign sources of energy, Bush says, "America is addicted to oil, which is often imported from unstable parts of the world. . . . The best way to break this addiction is through technology."

The government is meeting its responsibility to provide health care for the poor and elderly, Bush says in the speech. "For all Americans, we must confront the rising cost of care," strengthen doctor-patient relationships and "help people afford the insurance coverage they need," he says.

Democrats, emboldened by Bush's troubles and sharpening their criticism of his leadership, are countering tonight with newly elected Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, who has been tapped to deliver the Democratic response to Bush's speech.

One key focus of the State of the Union address -- timed at less than 40 minutes in practice sessions without interruptions for applause -- is expected to be a proposal to expand health care savings accounts, a favorite theme of past Bush speeches.

After the address, Bush plans to hit the road for a campaign-style series of appearances to promote four initiatives, as yet unspecified. White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the "four major policy speeches" planned for February will begin with appearances in Nashville tomorrow and Maplewood, Minn., on Thursday. Tennessee and Minnesota are expected to have hotly contested races for open Senate seats in the November elections.

The latest opinion polls offer the administration little comfort, with most showing that majorities of Americans disapprove of the way Bush is doing his job. A Washington Post-ABC News poll conducted last week put Bush's approval rating at 42 percent, with 56 percent disapproving of his performance. Several polls conducted this month also showed that only about a third of Americans believe the country is headed in the right direction under Bush's leadership.

Making the rounds of the morning television news programs, presidential counselor Dan Bartlett acknowledged public anxiety about various "challenges" facing the nation. But he said Bush would put forward an "optimistic" agenda that would demonstrate leadership in dealing with the problems.

"No question there are challenges, and he'll address those challenges," Bartlett said on CBS. "But I think what the public wants to see in their president is not somebody who looks at the challenges and becomes pessimistic but sees the opportunities and the potential that we have."

Interviewed on MSNBC, Bartlett said, "Americans are anxious about the fact that the rising gas prices and rising health care costs and the rising competition of global competitors like China and India can lead to anxious times." In Iraq, "there are real accomplishments being made," despite "very difficult fighting," he said. "Some of the best that America has to offer have paid the ultimate sacrifice in this war. But it is necessary."

Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), the Senate majority leader, said on NBC's "Today" show that he disagrees with one aspect of the budget-cutting plans that are expected to figure in Bush's speech: proposals to trim the National Guard and Army Reserves by a total of about 34,000 soldiers.

"I am opposed to cutting the Guard," Frist said, although "I do want to look at the overall spending plan."

Bush said yesterday that he was "upbeat" about America's future and would tell the nation tonight that "we've got a lot to be proud of." He also said he would call for "a good, honest dialogue" between Congress and the executive branch, adding, "I'll do my best to elevate the tone here in Washington, D.C. so we can work together to achieve big things for the American people."

That drew a skeptical response today from the Senate minority leader, Sen. Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), who noted that Bush came into office promising to improve the tone of political discourse.

"I hope the president, in his State of the Union, will really try to do what he said he's going to do for five years," Reid said on CNN. "That is, be a uniter, not a divider. It's almost Orwellian. Everything that he's done is just the opposite of what he has said."

Reid said later in a statement that Bush's "call for greater bipartisanship and civility would be more credible if his previous words on the subject had been followed by action." Despite Bush's "talk of bipartisan good government," Reid said, "he and his administration have kept up a permanent campaign of partisan attacks."

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) criticized Bush's approach to one of his State of the Union themes: health care reform.

"This president hasn't really paid attention to the health care crisis for the last five years," Kennedy said on CBS, citing high numbers of uninsured people. "We don't want gimmicks, we want something of substance. And if we're just going to talk about health savings accounts, if we're just going to talk about association plans and increasing deductibility, those are gimmicks."

Kaine, the new Virginia governor, said on MSNBC that Bush has talked about health care reform before, "and what we've seen is the number of uninsured people grow by 6 million" since he took office. "We've seen health care costs skyrocket. We've seen energy prices skyrocket."

The designated Democratic responder charged that "what we see with the administration is too much partisanship, too much negativity and poor management."