# W's SOTU address tonight **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 23, 2007, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128 "2007-01-23T18:42:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/1 "2007-01-23T18:42:49Z")
Does anyone have any guesses on what he’ll say? Any surprises in store? ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/2 "2007-01-23T19:37:15Z")
Let’s hope not. We know perfectly well where he stands on the big issues, but I fear he may pull up some side issue as a distraction. For instance, in '04 he decided to throw in a two-minute rant against steroid-using baseball players. It might have seemed minor at the time, but the end result was a massive smear campaign against some of the world’s greatest athletes and federal legislation that invaded sports organizations even down to the high school level. On the other hand, now that the midterm elections are over, maybe he’ll go nuts. “I intend to invest the entire Social Security Trust Fund in emu futures. My accountability moment is past; nobody can stop me now!” ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/3 "2007-01-23T19:42:56Z")
Yawn. There are few speeches more boring than a SotU address. It’s 99% boilerplate with the president talking about all these bold new things he’s going to do but that are not in his power to implement. Other than the speech leading up to the Iraq war, I don’t think they amount to a hill of beans. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/4 "2007-01-23T19:43:33Z")
Emu Phillips? I was wondering what happened to him… Personally, I will be very disappointed if he doesn’t underline and emphasize his previously stated opposition to human-animal hybrid research. Two bits says he takes a swipe at stem-cell research referencing his deep and abiding belief in the sanctity of human life. If a lightning bolt smites him at that moment, I am prepared to rejoin the church, singing hosannah and halelujah! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/5 "2007-01-23T19:52:43Z")
Feh. The very sound of his voice and the appearance of his face now angers me. If he said the Sun rose in the east, I’d have to check the almanac. I’ll catch the written summary on [CNN.com](http://CNN.com) tomorrow morning. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/6 "2007-01-23T20:29:22Z")
Bush’s [stunning new rhetorical gambit will set the opposition fleeing to the hills:](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2007/01/23/BL2007012300715_2.html) > [@](#): > > in private briefings for administration allies yesterday, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove said Bush will challenge Congress to put up its own plan if it does not like his ‘new way forward,’ according to people who were briefed." Or not. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/7 "2007-01-23T20:33:47Z")
His numbers are in the toilet. History is shitting on him. He has nothing to lose. I expect more of the same and a reneewed emphasis on getting those shiftless Iraq ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/8 "2007-01-23T20:37:24Z")
His numbers are in the toilet and history is shitting on him and his policies. He has nothing to lose. I expect more of the same, more troops committed, and a renewed emphasis on getting those damn shiftless Iraqis to carry their share of the nation building load. He also promise no new taxes. ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/9 "2007-01-23T20:43:11Z")
[QUOTE=Squink] Bush’s [stunning new rhetorical gambit will set the opposition fleeing to the hills:](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2007/01/23/BL2007012300715_2.html) > [@](#): > > in private briefings for administration allies yesterday, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove said Bush will challenge Congress to put up its own plan if it does not like his ‘new way forward,’ according to people who were briefed." [/QUOTE] That would be a much more convinving gambit if a congressionally appointed comission hadn’t just release a plan for Iraq that Bush ignored. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/10 "2007-01-23T21:14:45Z")
[QUOTE=elucidator] Emu Phillips? [/QUOTE] I for one look forward to seeing Bush in his half-mohawk and eyeliner. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/11 "2007-01-23T21:19:10Z")
[QUOTE=astro] He also promise no new taxes. [/QUOTE] Unlikely, since he is reportedly about to propose a new tax. ---
**Author:** ![Ol\_Gaffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Ol\_Gaffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ol_Gaffer)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/12 "2007-01-23T21:42:30Z")
Does anyone know what the Over/Under on September 11th references is? ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/13 "2007-01-23T21:43:11Z")
Any guesses on the over and under for number of times he is interrupted by applause? I’ll offer 53. Personally, no way I could make myself watch it. ---
**Author:** ![Molly\_Polly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ea5d25/32.png) [@Molly\_Polly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Molly_Polly)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/14 "2007-01-23T21:45:27Z")
I always wish for the speaker at these long-planned speeches to arrive drunk. Happens at award shows, but never seems to happen in politics, despite a fair number of tipplers. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/15 "2007-01-23T22:36:03Z")
[QUOTE=Dinsdale] Personally, no way I could make myself watch it. [/QUOTE] No way I’ll watch it - if I did, I’d probably have to buy me a new TV to watch the Super Bowl on. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/16 "2007-01-23T22:39:37Z")
I have to watch. I assigned it to my Government students, so it would be more than a tad hypocritical for me to skip it. I think the call for the reduction of gasoline usage by 20% is laudable, but will be totally un-workable under the Repub plan. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/17 "2007-01-23T22:57:34Z")
[QUOTE=RTFirefly] No way I’ll watch it - if I did, I’d probably have to buy me a new TV to watch the Super Bowl on. [/QUOTE] That makes for an amusing mental picture . . . I have to work at the library until 9:00 tonight, so I’ll be watching this thread for summaries, etc., of the speech. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/18 "2007-01-23T23:15:36Z")
But are we going to see posts from the Usuals complaining about Hillary’s golf clapping? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/19 "2007-01-23T23:45:04Z")
[QUOTE=Dinsdale] Any guesses on the over and under for number of times he is interrupted by applause? I’ll offer 53. [/QUOTE] What’s the average figure? Does anybody know? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/20 "2007-01-24T01:34:23Z")
Related [Pit thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=405299) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128.md?page=2)