Tabs, I think you've nailed it, but I don't care how it's packaged just so long as we "bring our troops home" and end this fiasco (realistically, drastically reduce our presence to the perimeter, etc.).

I predict he'll say "embolden the purveyors or false populism in our hemisphere."

Okay, I didn't see the entire SOTU address but I didn't hear any "stay the course" stuff on the highlights So do I owe P-O-P the $5 bucks or am I now financially secure? ;)

Seemed like more of a stump speech than a SOTU speech.

Did anybody actually watch it?

I watched, he did a pretty good job and came across very well...not that it matters anymore.

watched it on cnn.com live.

I don't think he ever really said, "and I say to you, pause, the state of our nation is strong" or anything like that. the intro was artfully woven to avoid that phrase. I'm guessing he couldn't keep a straight face with the standard intro used for decades.

As close as he got [at the end]

"By trusting the people, succeeding generations transformed our fragile young democracy into the most powerful nation on Earth and a beacon of hope for millions. And so long as we continue to trust the people, our nation will prosper, our liberty will be secure, and the state of our Union will remain strong."

I didn't see it either (went to go see "Sweeney Todd" last night - well worth it if you like a good Shakespearean-style tragedy occasionally). It should be on TIVO but I don't know when/if I'll have time to watch it. If someone impartial here can tell me whether or not Bush said "stay the course" during his speech, I'll either collect or pay my $5. :)

Text of the SOTU here http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation/politics/bal-bushtext0128,0,1236279.story?page=1

I'm surprised he didn't bring a few baskets of freshly printed paper money, and toss them out to all the pols sitting in the seats.

I ran a search for "stay" and I didn't find him say it once.

Bummer. I guess I'm out five bucks. I guess WI widebody can go stimulate the economy or summin.

I watched. He mentioned several new plans, a few hundred million for this, a few hundred million for that, no mention of how to pay for it, but he has never worried that detail for the previous 7 years. Oh, and finally, after spending like a fool for 7 years while cutting taxes, he wants to cut out earmarks. Where was that in 2001? Of course his Repub buddies were the earmarkers for those several years.

He's gotten better at pretending to be confident. It is harder now to see the frightened look in his eye. I half expected him to slide his necktie up around his head like Rambo's sweatband. Pretty tough guy, that Dubya. I'll bet he's a Rugby legend, back at Yale.

I think he's honestly still hoping his longshot gamble will pay off. Hard to imagine that much naivete' and arrogance. I just wish it were his personal fortune and the lives of his family that are being spent. Sadly, he is using our money and our children.

I didn't see it. I was watching the Science Channel. I am pretty sure innocent people will die on the way to Mars though...

Yep. Probably so.