State of the Union by the Numbers
Jeff Alworth
In an annual tradition (see 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007), perhaps the last of its kind, I offer you George W. Bush's 2008 State of the Union speech by the numbers.
Length: 5700 words
Applause lines: 71
Portion devoted to ...
Domestic policy - 42%
Economic problems - 5%
Taxes, tax cuts – 3%
Earmarks and spending – 6%
Health Care – 3%
Education – 5%
Trade policy – 5%
Energy independence – 4%
Science policy – 4%
Immigration – 3%Iraq - 21%
Terrorism - 14%
Foreign policy initiatives - 7%
Middle East issues - 6%
Times Bush used the following words...
Iraq, Iraqi, Iraqis - 39
Afghan(i) (stan) - 8
Iran - 7
War - 10
Peace - 9
Free, freedom - 22
Victory - 0
Defeat - 5
Hope - 13Terror, terrorism, terrorists - 23
Osama bin Laden - 1
al Qaida - 10Tax(es) - 16
Job(s) - 6
Health care - 2
Earmark(s) - 4
Number of times "earmarks" has appeared in six SOTUs prior to Democrats taking control of Congress: 1 (2006)
Full text of the speech here.
 |
More Recent Posts | |
Albert Kaufman |
|
Guest Column |
|
Kari Chisholm |
|
Kari Chisholm |
Final pre-census estimate: Oregon's getting a sixth congressional seat |
Albert Kaufman |
Polluted by Money - How corporate cash corrupted one of the greenest states in America |
Guest Column |
|
Albert Kaufman |
Our Democrat Representatives in Action - What's on your wish list? |
Kari Chisholm |
|
Guest Column |
|
Kari Chisholm |
|
connect with blueoregon
Jan 28, '08
Glad to see he finally mentioned treatment of veterans as well as military families, and recognized co-chairs of the Wounded Warrior Comm. Bob Dole and Donna Shalala.
9:44 p.m.
Jan 28, '08
Thank goodness that's the last one of those.
Jan 28, '08
My wife wanted to watch it, I didn't throw anything at the TV, I put up the short version on my site, it is much shorter and it is inclusive. (over 5650 words shorter)
thanks for the laugh Jeff, 35% on the wur on terr'r, I'd have guessed more.
Jan 29, '08
In his final State of the Union address, George Bush actually reminded me quite a bit of Jimmy Fallon.
Bear with me here.
Jimmy Fallon, whose jokes aren't funny to begin with, always laughs at his own one-liners. Notice what happened during Bush's speech tonight? Frequently he would say something like "No Child Left Behind has been super effective," and the Republicans would all stand up and cheer. Then the camera would pan back to Bush who was, inevitably, smirking and chuckling as if to say "Ha! They bought it!"
Still, this would be much funnier if his bad jokes didn't cost us trillions of dollars.
Jan 29, '08
Zoe, I didn't throw anything at the TV, if I'd known those were supposed to be jokes I'd have shot it out.
Jan 29, '08
I stayed sober throughout because my drinking game was to take a belt whenever a Dem jeered or booed.
LT, Speaking of Wounded Warrior, NPR has a report from Ft. Drum titled: Army Blocks Disability Paperwork Aid at Fort Drum FTA
9:26 a.m.
Jan 29, '08
The best statistic... number of SOTU addresses from Bush we still have to endure: 0
Jan 29, '08
... it started with a lie - ok, a factual inaccuracy - and went downhill from there:
His first sentence:
His first SOTU was 2002. Six years ago.Hello [hello, hello, hello], is there anybody in there? tb
Bonus update, let 'em eat cake:
9:42 a.m.
Jan 29, '08
Nice catch, Ten Bears!!
2:29 p.m.
Jan 29, '08
Jeff, since your overall %s add up to 90%, can we assume that it was 10% no identifiable substance at all?
Ten Bears, I find this link which gives text for a GW Bush SOTU address on Feb 27, 2001.
Interesting effect of the switch from March to Jan inauguration -- first time elected president gives SOTU after merely weeks in office.
2:30 p.m.
Jan 29, '08
Not sure what I did, link is here.
2:44 p.m.
Jan 29, '08
Ah, good work, Chris.
Regardless of how many of them Bush has given I think it's useful to pause long enough to read through the beginning of his first one and see just how incredibly ironic most of it is. He was clearly trying to get a dig in at the Clinton years. But history will judge his tenure every bit as divisive as Clinton's if not moreso.
I'd love to see one of the White House beat reporters quote some of that back to him in the waning days of his administration and ask him to comment on why his walk did't match his talk.
3:48 p.m.
Jan 29, '08
Chris, there was about 5% of introductory blather, and another 5% of conclusory blather.
Interestingly, the president may choose to give another SotU before he leaves. It's been done both ways, with incoming prezes giving it right off the bat, our outgoing prezes doing it sort of as and adieu as they head out the door.
4:34 p.m.
Jan 29, '08
RANDOM THOUGHTS ON THE CHAINSAW PRESIDENT
NEGATIVE LEGISLATING Bush's promise to veto any tax increase leaves Congress no alternative other than to allow the tax cuts to expire.
Bush and the Republicans are forcing Congress into an essentially negative role. In other words, the only way for the majority (as slim as it is) to have its effect on the presidency is to not act. It can only not appropriate money; it can only not confirm any appointees; it can only not pass legislation demanded by the Republicans.
EARMARKS IN LEGISLATION Bush's promise to refuse implementation of earmarks not subjected to the hearing proces is a quixotic adventure into lawless unreality. The unrealit lies in the fact that the earmarks only describe the projects on which the money is to be spent. The lawless aspect is that Bush fails to comprehend that the money must be spent. So in the long run it's the law he's bucking -- but laws never really bothered Bush.
HYPOCRISY RAMPANT Bush finally recognizes that there is a greenhouse gas problem -- or so he says. But the Bush administration and his Republican co-conspirators despise the science of global warming. He's a liar and a hypocrite.
Bush calls for a conference to take place in New Orleans after having refused to do anything about the mess in the low lying areas of the city. He's a liar and a hypocrite.
Bush blathers on and on about the troops yet he vetoes a pay raise for them. Ditto about the Veterans Administration. He's a liar and a hypocrite.
MORE Bush's last SoU speech is full of inconsistencies, lies, distortions, and hypocrisy. I'm sure there's more to say about this RFB but the above will do for starters. Tennis anyone?
8:32 p.m.
Jan 29, '08
I noticed he never invoked those magical words "9-11", probably because former NY Mayor Rudolph William Louis Giuliani has a trademark on that one. Bush would be sued for even thinking it. Oh, and maybe because everyone knows Bush's sloth and incompetence made the attacks possible in the first place, and he just hopes America will forget about it. He already has.
6:24 p.m.
Jan 30, '08
Newsflash: the phrase "9-11" has just entered the public domain. Seems former NY Mayor Rudolph William Louis Giuliani no longer needs to keep that one to himself, as it really never did any good. I wonder if he will console himself with a nice new mistress, the current wife is probably getting a little long in the tooth for his taste.
<hr/>