ADA President Responds

ADA President Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA)

Response to the President's State of the Union Address from Rep. McDermott's Congressional Office

January 23, 2007

"The single most important issue facing America is the Iraq War, but the President felt it was more important to talk first in his State of the Union speech about earmarks and judges. The President tried to divert the attention of the American people, but the speech, like his Iraq policy, cannot succeed.

"Early on in his speech, the President announced he was staying with his conviction; that is code for staying the course, even after the American people demanded a change of course in the November election. The President ignores the American people, the Iraq Study Group and retired military leaders. He said he'll stay the course no matter how far off course he remains.

"America is mired in a bloody civil war in Iraq and all the President can offer the American people is military escalation, an approach that failed in
Vietnam and is doomed to fail in Iraq.

"America faces real problems in health care, energy resources and global warming, but the President offered the American people warmed over platitudes and old ideas that his own political party avoided during all the years they controlled Congress and the White House.

"Tonight, we did not hear the State of the Union; instead, the President offered us a State of Denial. It is clear that the executive branch thinks it is accountable to no one, in the Iraq War, or any other serious issue facing America.

"The American people spoke loud and clear in November, but the President said tonight he wasn't listening then, and doesn't intend to listen now."

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