In the last State of the Union Address of President Bush’s administration, the eyes of the nation turned toward Washington as the president discussed the economy, the war in Iraq and worked to sum up his legacy. Democrat and Republican students gathered in Raleigh and the Technician talked to them about their reactions to Bush’s speech.

Andrew Bates, Director of Communication for the College Democrats

Technician: Portions of the first half of the speech focused on the troubles the economy has faced in the past few weeks. Bush mentioned some of the problems, but should there have been a stronger focus?Bates: People tend to get caught up in the 24-hour news cycle, but the speech needs to be looked at in the broader historical context of his administration. You have to be mindful of the fact that his original tax cut plan at the beginning of his tenure was intended to be an economic stimulus. But right now it hasn’t been as advantageous as he thought it would be. Now you’re seeing a corollary of that and what has turned into a myopic and unproductive policy.

Technician: He mentioned Pell Grants for students entering college and education benefits for military families as part of his higher education plan. How do you think he handled this aspect?Bates: It seems like there has been a very belated focus on education. The 2006 budget, made by the Republican led Congress, cut $12.7 billion in Pell Grants. So tonight’s speech was contradictory to the past. He now seems to want Pell Grant’s to increase, but it’s late in the game and seems oxymoronic.

Technician:There were predictably mixed reactions by those in attendance to the President’s talk of the War in Iraq and the violence in the Middle East. What are your thoughts on his long focus on this?Bates: We need to be aware that last year when the benchmarks for troop withdrawal were proposed it was for reconciliation between the parties. I think our troops have performed magnificently and they deserve praise. But there has been a dearth of political progress. Our obligation is to place a new emphasis on diplomatic initiatives between the badly fractured sects. Americans are sick of the war and a sensible withdrawal is needed.

Technician: How do you think this speech summed up Bush’s legacy?Bates: Ted Sorensen, John F. Kennedy’s speech writer, wrote a biography on JFK and about how he refrained from speaking in banalities. I was really disappointed with the lack of specificity in this speech. It summed up his administration by having good intentions but ultimately being detrimental to the U.S. people.

Steve Cosolito, Vice-Chair of the College Republicans

Technician: Portions of the first half of the speech focused on the troubles the economy has faced in the past few weeks. Bush mentioned some of the problems, but should there have been a stronger focus?Cosolito: The whole first half of his speech focused on the economy and I think the President laid out a good plan for the future. He talked about tax cuts he has made throughout his presidency and urged Congress to make the tax cuts permanent.

Technician: He mentioned Pell Grants for students entering college and education benefits for military families as part of his higher education plan. How do you think he handled this aspect?Cosolito: He mentioned No Child Left Behind and the work that has been done on it, along with the education benefits going to those serving in the military. He is pointing the country in the right direction for a focus on education. It needs to be a primary focus in the upcoming elections, and that’s what he’s pushing for.

Technician:There were predictably mixed reactions by those in attendance to the President’s talk of the War in Iraq and the violence in the Middle East. What are your thoughts on his long focus on this?Cosolito: A large portion of the speech focused on how the recent troop surges in Iraq are working and how the Iraqi people are adapting to a new way of life. He talked about how around 80,000 Iraqis are joining new police groups and forces to set up and defend against insurgents.

Technician: How do you think this speech summed up Bush’s legacy?Cosolito: He focused more on the issues of the time rather than summing up the last eight years. The economy wasn’t a main issue in the 2000 election, but now it has risen to the forefront. He did a good job with Iraq, but also focused on newer issues, such as oil dependency.