State of the Union

Reactions

Bush needs to do more, Democrats say

In the official Democratic response to President Bush's State of the Union speech, the top two Democrats on Capitol Hill said Bush wasn't doing enough to protect America from terrorists or to improve the economy. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California criticized Bush's "go-it-alone foreign policy that leaves us isolated abroad and that steals the resources we need for education and health care here at home." Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota said, "Instead of borrowing even more money to give more tax breaks to companies so that they can export even more jobs, we propose tax cuts and policies that will strengthen our manufacturing sector and create good jobs at good wages here at home."

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson delivered a Democratic response in Spanish on the Univision television network. Richardson said Bush used "very optimistic and positive words to describe" many of the nation's problems, "but unfortunately, he has failed to give us solutions."

"President Bush is the right man to lead our nation in this time of trouble, and he has the right strategy to stop those terrorists before they hit America again." - House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill.

"As adamant as he is about victory over terrorism, President Bush is even more engaged about completing our economic recovery by making permanent the tax cuts enacted since 2001 and by creating a job for every single American who seeks one." - Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss.

"The U.S. president clearly sent a message that North Korea should come out to negotiate and not ignore the nuclear issue," - Shin Bong-kil, spokesman for South Korea's Foreign Ministry.

"The State of the Union may look rosy from the White House balcony or the suites of George Bush's wealthiest donors. But hardworking Americans will see through this president's efforts to wrap his radical agenda with a compassionate ribbon." - Howard Dean.

"After four years in office, this president still doesn't understand what's happening in living rooms across this country. ... Because this president only hears the special interests and lobbyists, he doesn't see what's happening in our economy, in the workplace and to families everywhere." - Sen. John Kerry, D.-Mass.

"When the president says, "The state of our union is strong,' you need to ask, "Which union, Mr. President?' Because the state of George Bush's union - the America of the Washington lobbyists, special interests and his CEO friends - is doing just fine." - Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C.

"It's all just smoke and mirrors designed to hide the stark fact that (President Bush) has no real plan for our future. It's nothing but special effects designed to hide the sad truth that for these three long years, George W. Bush has helped those who have most, hurt those who have least, and ignored everyone in between." - Wesley Clark.

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