As President Bush prepares to deliver his State of the Union address Tuesday, a new Democratic strategy has emerged to question the president’s credibility–even his honesty–on everything from his handling of the economy to his management of foreign policy.
The message can be summed up this way: Watch what he does, not what he says.
In back-to-back speeches Monday, Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said the president has a “credibility gap” because he is given to “bait-and-switch” policies.
“This is a White House that promises one thing, knowing full well it is delivering another,” Daschle (D-S.D.) said.
Daschle and Pelosi (D-Calif.) cited presidential promises they said were at odds with administration actions on homeland security, economic stimulus legislation, education funding and prescription drug coverage for seniors, among other issues. Daschle also accused Bush of sending “confused signals” on foreign policy regarding Iraq and North Korea.
The newly aggressive approach reflects in part a Democratic reorientation following the party’s defeats in November’s elections. The comments by Daschle and Pelosi came during an unusual “prebuttal” Monday to counter the sweeping rhetoric they expect from Bush as he addresses Congress and the nation shortly after 8 p.m. Chicago time Tuesday.
The accusation that Bush says one thing and does another echoes assaults that Bush himself leveled during his 2000 campaign against his opponents, most notably Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and former Vice President Al Gore. It is a powerful line of political attack, but one that rarely has been leveled against Bush with any success.
“What we’re asking the American people to do is hold this president to the same standard as any other president,” said Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). “Since Sept. 11, he has been in a different position with the American people, including the Democratic Party,” with his policies going largely unchallenged.
At the White House, spokesman Ari Fleischer brushed off Democratic criticisms. Contrasted with the Democratic description of a president lacking consistency, Fleischer described Bush as a leader unswayed by political winds, for example in deciding whether to invade Iraq.
“The president is not going to be guided by a decision about whether or not to go to war based on polls,” Fleischer said. “The president will be guided by what he views, as commander in chief, as necessary to do to protect the American people.”
And while Democrats blasted the president on a range of domestic matters, Fleischer said Bush would ease voters’ concerns Tuesday night.
“Most of the State of the Union will be about improving America’s economy and providing greater access to health care for millions of American people, including senior citizens,” he said. “I think the American people have domestic concerns as a No. 1 priority, and they’re going to hear an awful, awful lot about that.”
The terrorist attacks on New York and Washington resulted in astronomical approval ratings for Bush and an opposition party that often seemed unwilling or unable to challenge the president on matters of homeland security and foreign policy.
Sixteen months later, however, Daschle and Pelosi questioned Bush’s handling of Iraq and North Korea and accused him of blocking billions of dollars for homeland security while promising to protect the nation.
Daschle said the decision to go to war against Iraq requires “a clear, complete and definitive explanation.” Instead, he said, the White House has provided “so many rotating reasons” that “it makes people doubt there is a guiding principle.”
Daschle also said that Bush remains focused on Iraq, even though the threat of nuclear attack from North Korea seems the greater danger.
This is not the first time Democrats have tried a first-strike policy, providing their positions and critiques of Bush before he lays out his plans. Pelosi unveiled the Democratic alternative to Bush’s tax-cut proposal a day before the president announced the plan.
And Democrats have spent the past several days going after Bush’s anticipated State of the Union and budget proposals, well before the president gave his speech or sent his budget to Congress. The president’s budget is scheduled for release next Monday.
In her speech, Pelosi focused on the economy, saying the state of the union is anxious and that Bush’s stimulus plan serves wealthy special interests.
“Over and over again, the president’s rhetoric is a far cry from reality,” Pelosi added. “We hear the administration’s appealing promises on critical issues, but rarely do they translate into making life better for everyday Americans.”
On education, Pelosi said that Bush showcased his No Child Left Behind Act during his equivalent of the State of the Union address two years ago, but that last year’s budget left education programs underfunded by more than $7 billion.
“We will be watching next week when the president submits his new budget to see if he lives up to his promise to provide the resources needed to improve our schools,” Pelosi said.
Republican lawmakers presented a very different view. Senate Finance Chairman Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), for example, expressed faith in what Bush will say Tuesday night.
“I think it makes sense that his speech won’t be just one laundry list of priorities, because the war against terrorism and our national security, the economy and health care demand focus,” Grassley said. “President Bush has that focus. He sees the forest, not the trees.”
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Live coverage
Television and radio plan live coverage of President Bush’s State of the Union address Tuesday, which is scheduled to begin shortly after 8 p.m., with the Democratic response to follow.
ABC, CBS, NBC and PBS affiliates plan coverage from 8 to 10 p.m. MSNBC, CNN, C-SPAN and Fox News Channel plan to begin their coverage at 7 p.m.
CLTV’s coverage begins at 8 p.m.
Radio listeners will find coverage of the address, the Democratic response and in some cases local reaction on WGN-AM 720, WBBM-AM 780, WLS-AM 890 and WBEZ-FM 91.5.
Follow the story all day on chicagotribune.com.
