So, What's the Verdict? (SOTU)

[Beetwasher]

Who's been watching the talking heads and the news channels and the reports and pundits? I haven't. Didn't think I could stomach it. What's the overall impression? From what I've read here, it seems to have been almost universally panned. Is this a correct impression? I've read the newspapers, which all pretty muched panned it, but what's the all-important TV reaction?

[greyl]

1. On MacNeil Lehrer, Shields and Brooks were BOTH somewhat

underwhelmed. David Brooks tends to mouth for the bush admin, but if I remember correctly, his first comment was that the speech "gave him the willies", because it didn't tackle the domestic issues that the Dems own.

Shields didn't buy the rhetoric and 35 mins on terrorism either - he basically panned it.

(wish I could be more specific for ya, man ;) )

[lovedems]

3. Brooks was on The News Hour tonight and he said after 24 hours

to ponder the speech, he was really disappointed. If you were ask me to cite the specific reasons, my mind has drawn a blank. I was cooking supper with all 4 of my kids in the kitchen.

I THINK he was concerned with the political tone in a highly divided nation. It was a stump speech and not a real SOTU. Don't quote me on it.

[Th1onein]

2. I'm in Texas

In Galveston County, near Houston, and I didn't watch the speech, but my local news covered it and they showed the protesters, shouting "No More Bush!" They also said that Bush told about his jobs program but didn't answer the questions about WHAT JOBS?