AZ Central asks: "S.O.T.U...What Will He Say?" ("Upbeat" on Economy)

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

State of Union: What'll he say?
'06 races, ethics issues leave many guessing

Billy House
Republic Washington Bureau
Jan. 29, 2006 12:00 AM

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0129stateofunion0129.html

WASHINGTON - He's in the middle of a difficult second term, beset by low approval ratings, scandals involving his Republican Party, a need to hold to a tight budget, and public anxiousness about the war in Iraq.

Don't expect many radical or lofty initiatives when President Bush delivers his fifth State of the Union address Tuesday night, some analysts warn. And with the GOP pressed to maintain control of Congress in elections this fall, he'll probably keep mum on the ethics issues on which Democrats hope to capitalize.

Others are not so sure. They agree there may not be many large or ambitious new proposals on Bush's agenda, certainly not costly ones. But some believe the White House has been playing coy about what could be several bombshells Bush will deliver as he seeks to reinvigorate his presidency, including maybe trying to seize a lead role in cleaning up corruption in Washington. "I think they would like some element of surprise," said Marshall Wittmann, a former aide to Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and now an analyst at the centrist Democratic Leadership Council.

On the domestic side, he will be upbeat on the economy and touch on such topics as reducing health care costs and making permanent the tax cuts scheduled to expire between now and 2010.

[Skidmore]

1. The Axis of Evil in the flesh.