Who said what about the state of the union?

CNN had to get a jab in the lead of it’s story, before analyzing what the president actually said.

Most striking to me about President Bush’s final State of the Union address Monday night was how unsurprising it was. Before the speech, White House officials set low expectations — and Bush met them.

That’s cynical. And once this writer gets it out of his system, he gets honest with himself and the reader.

In fairness to the president, his hands are fairly well tied as he begins his final year in office. With a Democratic Congress, he’s unlikely to get to very much of his agenda enacted. And truth be told, if he had walked up to the rostrum and outlined 10 complicated new initiatives, I’d be writing today about how unrealistic Bush was being.

A moment of honesty.

Now here’s a more realistic review.

The bottom line is that the bully pulpit certainly seems smaller for Bush, but you have to give him this: On the two issues that are likely to define how his final year in office goes — the economy and Iraq — he is still setting the agenda.

On the economy, the president tried to make the case he can work with Democrats to prevent America from sliding into recession. “In this election year, let us show our fellow Americans that we recognize our responsibilities and are determined to meet them,” he said…

On Iraq, Bush had some good news to tout, especially compared to last year’s State of the Union. Then he was defending a controversial surge initiative and Democrats were lining up to schedule votes to change his policy. Since then, Democrats have failed on vote after vote, while security on the ground in Iraq has gotten better and about 20,000 U.S. troops have started heading home.

And then some messages about the state of the union came from places and people other than the president at the podium. 

Leading up to the address, I noticed the reactions of different members of Congress to the president’s entry into the chamber of the House of Representatives, where it took place. Specifically, all stood and applauded. Sen. Barack Obama applauded. Sen Hillary Clinton stood with her hands at her side and a dour expression on her face. Earlier in the day, she told her supporters at a campaign rally that ‘the heaven’s are smiling on us today, because tonight, George Bush will deliver his last state of the union address.’

These words and gestures are beneath the dignity of the office. If anyone should know that, it’s the former First Lady. No matter what a member’s party affiliation or regard for George Bush, he is the president of the United States. The office holds a certain – and historic – nobility and dignity. A senator unwilling to behave with manners and decorum at so stately an event seems unfit to presume she should one day lead it.