Some Conservatives Give Bush's State of the Union Address Mixed Ratings
by Bill Fancher
February 1, 2006
(AgapePress) - - In his State of the Union address last night, George W. Bush touched on a number of pro-family issues of great importance to pro-family "values voters." However, some conservative listeners felt the president's speech did not go far enough and that it was conspicuously marked by things he left unsaid. Mr. Bush spoke strongly on the war on terror, vowing that the U.S. will not stand by and let "the violent inherit the Earth" and that the nation will never surrender to evil by "allowing radical Islam to work its will." Of the American people, he noted, "We love our freedom, and we will fight to keep it." However, the president also picked up a theme that has garnered him criticism from Christian conservatives in the past when he referred to Islam as "a noble faith" that had been turned by terrorists into "an ideology of terror and death."
On the other hand, the chief executive renewed his call for expanded faith-based involvement in the effort to fight the global AIDS crisis. He said his administration would work with African-American churches and other faith-based groups to deliver rapid HIV tests to millions of people, and to "end the stigma of AIDS and stop its spread."
The U.S. will continue to "show compassion abroad," Bush declared, "because Americans believe in the God-given dignity and worth" of people everywhere. He also called for limits on medical research involving human embryos, stating that "human life is a gift from our Creator."
But while some conservatives were pleased with the president's words, at least one pro-family advocate is giving his State of the Union speech a mixed review. Gary Bauer of the Campaign for Working Families acknowledges that the address was filled with several positive notes and he believes it was effective for pro-family interests, but he feels it could have been more thorough.
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Gary Bauer |
Bush "gave a strong statement on cloning and experimentation on human embryos, and he very pointedly remarked about the fact that the American people are fed up with activist judges who want to redefine marriage," Bauer says. "I wish he would have elaborated on that. He did not." The president's failure to elaborate on abortion and marriage protection bothered many pro-family and Christian leaders, Bauer among them. However, the points Bush made "are important markers," the conservative pundit insists. "I'm glad he set them down again."
But Michael Peroutka of the Constitution Party is hesitant to join other conservatives even in qualified applause of the President's speech. He feels Bush's State of the Union address was simply not that good.
What Bush's speech showed, Peroutka says, "is that he does have some minds to change. He's in a bit of political turmoil. He came out very strongly, and that seemed rather desperate to me." Meanwhile, the third-party political leader adds, the president avoided many of the "hot" issues of concern to Christian conservatives.
"He tried to do what was necessary to recover," Peroutka asserts, "and he seemed like somebody who's behind in the score, trying to recover." The Constitution Party spokesman says many of Bush's Christian supporters were left wondering why he only briefly mentioned issues like marriage and abortion.
Bill Fancher, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
