State of the Union

Yesterday one of my American friends emailed to remind a few of us that The State of the Union address was coming up - "I can't help but watch the things, no matter how much it hurts me to hear the president even speak". Seems like I'm in good company.

I'm watching it now. It's quite an event, the lead-up makes it seem more like a sporting event. Apparently every channel shows it but I only get two channels clearly so for me it was a choice between Fox or Jim Lehrer on PBS; tough decision! As all the dignitaries walk in the TV commentators talk about them all. What surprised me is that Jim joked about what some would be thinking to themselves! Nothing much, but it makes me wish we had something similarly formal in Australia just so Roy and HG could do a simulcast!

The content was rather scary. I expected Bush to claim that things are going as planned in Iraq (though he really should stop mentioning WMD!) but what is really worrying is his threats to Iran. At first he just listed a few countries that aren't democratic: Syria, Burma, Zimbabwe, North Korea, Iran. (Why mention Burma and Zimbabwe? He's never going to invade them!) But he dwelt on Iran's desire for nuclear weapons for quite a while. He ended by telling Iranis that he wants to be a friend of a democratic Iran, saying things that sound like they should rise up. I give it another 6 months before he invades. (I wonder if Centrebet has odds on this...)

He did say some good things about the environment, particularly ending dependence on oil. Working on new technology for electric, hydrogen and ethanol vehicles. I just wonder how it will be implemented.

I think the low point was when he cited "our creator" as the reason for banning human cloning etc. I agree with him that genes shouldn't be patented but he's argument is one of the worst I've ever heard. He also made oblique references to "redefining marriage".

Oh, and apparently Cindy Sheehan was detained when she tried to unfurl a banner in the gallery. Reminicent of Bush's address to the Australian parliament...