ThinkProgress Fact-Checks the State of the Union

By Eric on January 29, 2008

Those of you who watched the State of the Union address on Monday night may be wondering, “Wow, are all of those things that the president said really true?” By now, of course, you should have already realized that the answer to that question is a resounding No.

If you’re having trouble discerning fact from fiction, the fine folks over at ThinkProgress have been fact-checking the State of the Union sentence-by-sentence. Some examples:

Bush said: “Over the past 7 years, we have increased funding for veterans by more than 95 percent. As we increase funding, we must also reform our veterans system to meet the needs of a new war and a new generation.”

FACT — 1.8 MILLION VETERANS LACK HEALTH INSURANCE: “The new study, published in the American Journal of Public Health, estimated that in 2004 nearly 1.8 million veterans were uninsured and unable to get care in veterans’ facilities.” [New York Times, 11/9/07]
…
Bush said: ” The Congress must pass liability protection for companies believed to have assisted in the efforts to defend America. We have had ample time for debate. The time to act is now.”

FACT — IMMUNITY ABSOLVES TELECOM COMPANIES OF VIOLATING THE LAW: Immunity “would wipe out a series of pending lawsuits alleging violations of privacy rights by telecommunications companies that provided telephone records, summaries of e-mail traffic and other information to the government after Sept. 11, 2001, without receiving court warrants.” [Washington Post 10/18/07]
…
Bush said: “American troops are shifting from leading operations, to partnering with Iraqi forces, and, eventually, to a protective overwatch mission.”

FACT — IRAQIS ANTICIPATE TAKING CONTROL OF SECURITY BY 2018:
Iraqi defense minister Abdul Qadir “that his nation would not be able to take full responsibility for its internal security until 2012, nor be able on its own to defend Iraq’s borders from external threat until at least 2018.” [New York Times, 1/15/08]

FACT — CORRUPTION AND SECTARIANISM PLAGUE SECURITY FORCES: “Rampant corruption and lingering sectarianism” within Iraqi security forces are “major hurdles that Iraqi defense and police leaders must overcome in order to take responsibility for Iraq’s security,” according to Gen. James Dubik, head of the Multi-National Security Transition Command in Iraq. “[S]hortages of key personnel, equipment, weaponry and logistical capabilities mean that Iraq’s security forces will probably require U.S. military support for as long as a decade.” [Washington Post, 1/18/08]

Now, healthcare, FISA, and Iraq are some of Bush’s big-ticket political issues, so he’s obviously not going to stray very far from Republican talking points on any of those, so let’s take a look at what ThinkProgress has found on some less divisive issues:

Bush said: “Tonight the armies of compassion continue the march to a new day in the Gulf Coast. America honors the strength and resilience of the people of this region. We reaffirm our pledge to help them build stronger and better than before. And tonight I am pleased to announce that in April we will host this year’s North American Summit of Canada, Mexico, and the United States in the great city of New Orleans.”

FACT — KATRINA HAS SLIPPED FROM BUSH’S RADAR: In the 2007 State of the Union, there wasn’t a single mention of Hurricane Katrina or the ongoing Gulf Coast reconstruction effort. [SOTU, 1/23/07]
…
Bush said: “I have submitted judicial nominees who will rule by the letter of the law, not the whim of the gavel. Many of these nominees are being unfairly delayed. They are worthy of confirmation, and the Senate should give each of them a prompt up-or-down vote.”

FACT — DEMOCRATIC-LED CONGRESS HAS CONFIRMED MORE OF BUSH’S JUDGES THAN DURING GOP CONGRESS: Despite the Republicans’ loss of control of the Senate, 40 of Bush’s judges won confirmation this year, more than in the previous three years when Republicans held the majority. [LA Times, 1/2/08]

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Much more can be found at ThinkProgress.

Tags: George W. Bush, lies, State of the Union, ThinkProgress

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Bush Speaks. Will Anyone Listen?

By Eric on January 28, 2008

President Bush will give his final State of the Union address on Monday night, but we already know what he’s going to say.

He’s going to talk about his War in Iraq. He’s going to tell us how much the security situation in Iraq has improved, but he probably won’t mention that the chief of police in Iraq’s Nineveh province was killed last week by a suicide bomber wearing an Iraqi police uniform. And, of course, he’ll remind us that The Surge Is Working.™

He’ll also say a few things about the economy. He’ll try to tell us that we’re not in a recession. He’ll tell us that we have nothing to worry about as long as Congress passes his economic stimulus package–a package that some say is too little, too late.

So we know what he’s going to say. The real question is, will anyone be listening?

The economy has supplanted Iraq as the top public concern, and with voters shifting their focus toward the presidential primaries, Bush faces a steep challenge in persuading Americans to heed his words on the war, economic policy or any other issue, according to administration officials, lawmakers and outside observers.

“Very large segments of the American people have written him off already and have moved on to the next chapter,” said Jeremy Rosner, a Clinton White House aide and Democratic pollster.

Even if they do listen to President Bush, most Americans won’t like what they hear. Most Americans don’t approve of the job Bush is doing. Over half of Americans want to bring our soldiers home from Iraq within a year; they don’t want to hear his plan for keeping them there for the next year–if not longer. As for the economy, Americans trust Democrats to fix the failing economy, not Bush.

Americans don’t trust George W. Bush on the issues. Americans won’t listen to George W. Bush on the issues. And it’s not just Democrats who won’t be listening. Even John McCain won’t be listening, and we know how he feels about George Bush.

So tonight, George W. Bush will address the American people. But will the American people care about what he has to say?

Tags: economy, George W. Bush, Iraq, State of the Union

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