Bush to deliver final State of the Union; will anyone care?

When President Bush takes to the rostrum Monday night, it will be for his last State of the Union address. Will anyone care?

We put that question to Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA).

WARRE: “DOES THIS SPEECH REALLY MATTER?”

WEBB: “Well, there are a lot of people are saying that.”

But it matters to Webb who gave the Democratic response to President Bush’s address last year. He is hoping to hear a strong message on Iraq.

“I would expect the president to come back and say that he has just been in the region and that he can now announce that there will be a reduction in the number of people in Iraq and that he will listen to the advice of his commanders,” Webb said.

WSLS Political Analyst Dr. Bob Denton says Bush’s speech is likely to be a mix of Iraq and the economy. It will be enough to keep Bush in the news for at least a little while.

WARREN: “IS THIS A WAY FOR HIM TO SAY LOOK AT ME, I’M STILL RELEVANT?

DENTON: “Well he would certainly hope so because with one year left he would think that there are some minor things, administratively that he would like to do. What he’ll call tonight some unfinished business.”

Still, Dr. Denton says the speech will be “easily forgotten. There are certainly not going to be any surprises, no calling for big legislation.”

In fact, it may be remembered more for two people in the audience than for what Bush says. Both Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama are taking a break from the campaign trail to attend the speech.

WARREN: “WILL THE CAMERAS BE TRAINED ON THEM AS MUCH AS THEY ARE ON BUSH?”

DENTON: “Yes, and they will be practicing their reaction shots to certain things that are said. And see when they applaud and not applaud. There is going to be a little gamesmanship going on.”

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) will skip the State of the Union Address as he spends the last few hours on the campaign trail before the Florida primary.