Bush State of the Union Speech Silent on Environment
In a State of the Union speech that found time to discuss the evils of steroid use among athletes — an issue entirely outside the purview of the federal government — President Bush did not mention the environment, or the environmental challenges facing the country, a single time. Foreign policy loomed large, dominating the first half of the speech. The latter half, which focused on domestic policy, was bereft of new proposals and any mention of clean air, clean water, threatened species, or public lands. (In contrast, in his 2003 SOTU address, Bush lauded his “Healthy Forests” and “Clear Skies” initiatives, as well as his support for hydrogen-fueled cars.) The Democratic response to the speech, delivered by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (S.D.), addressed Bush’s conspicuous omission by … also failing to mention the environment.
