Obligatory SOTU comment

Apparently, Mr. Bush gave a State of the Union address last night. (I didn’t tune in.) And according to some:

“Chastened. Deferential. Modest.

“These are not words that have typically described President Bush’s agenda or his approach to advancing his ideas, at home or abroad.

“But they capture the distinctive elements of the State of the Union address Bush delivered Tuesday after a grueling 2005 that sent his public approval ratings plummeting to the lowest levels of his presidency.”

Sounds about right. In fact, the biggest leaks ahead of the State of the Union was an expansion of health savings accounts (not exactly a big goal), and a soundbite about America being addicted to oil (very Carter-esque and his response provided no short-term solutions).

That’s pretty weak from a President in his second-term whose entire Presidency has been about over-reaching and stretching the limits of normal governance. Maybe his 42% approval rating, and the GOP lobbying scandals make him worried about losing both houses of Congress to the Democrats?