During the 103rd Edition of America's Debate Radio, we had some fun making predictions for the President's upcoming State of the Union Address, which is scheduled for Monday, January 28th. I thought it would be fun to do that here too.

Post your predictions on what you think the President will focus on, what will be the buzz words, and what you know he will avoid.

On Monday, January 28th, America's Debate Radio will simulcast the President's address. Immediately after the speech, we will open our phone lines and take your calls. We'd love to hear your thoughts on the President's speech and we can see if your predictions came true. You can also join us in the chatroom any time throughout the evening to judge the speech and have some fun.

I don't have many predictions yet, but I will wager that he will say one or a combination of these words: woodchips, grasses, or switchgrass. He's done so in the last two SotU's, why not this one too?

So what are your predictions?

I'm afraid I have no original thought on this one. What's he going to say? Well a couple of old tried and true I figure.

1. Cut taxes and stimulate job creation.

2. Stay the course in Iraq and the surge is cutting down deaths and the Iraqi government is getting its political act together.

Bush is stubborn. Like Reagan I don't think he entertains seriously more than a handful of ideas and he sticks to them apparently partly because he doesn't have any fresh ones to replace them with.

What won't he mention?

1. Global warming.

2. The deficit.

Bush will say that the economy is basically sound, but will tout the proposed stimulus package as a way to insure that it stays that way. Double talk?

So what are your predictions?

General Petraeus will be mentioned in context with how well Bush wants us to believe the surge is going. A sufficiantly, but not too gruesomely, wounded Iraq vet will be in the balcony near Laura.

The ovations will become tedious and forced, and the cameras will pan to who's not applauding.

Good observation.

I predict a more sober, less pep rally like atmosphere than we've had in the last few State of the Union Addresses.

I have listened to Dubya's State of the Union address exactly one--count 'em--ONE--time since he slimed his way into office. Watching this lamest of lame ducks talk about all the wonderful things he's done for the past seven years and the wonderful things he's going to do before he's evicted from The Oval Office strikes me as an incredible waste of time. I could be cutting my toenails or rearranging my CD collection alphabetically or something far more worthwhile.

What I would suggest for those who bother to listen to the State of the Union is to make it a drinking game. Every time Dubya says "freedom," "terrorism," "The American people" or "September 11" take a drink. If he says "hard work" make it a double.

Bet you'll be sloshed to the gills within the hour.

Way to kill the topic, nighttimer (now if you could only figure out how to do that when the President opens his mouth )



Anyone planning on making this a drinking game? This site Drinking Game US has some rules but it looks WAY too complicated (especially if you're drinking). Join us in the chatroom tonight if you are going to down a drink or two. It's bad form to drink alone. We will also accept your drunk dials on the after-speech show. It's toll free, so you just need the liquor!

Any more predictions?

My predictions:

1. He will ask that the tax cuts for the wealthy be made permanent to stimulate the economy.

2. He won't mention health care.

3. He won't mention Katrina.

4. He'll mention the success of the surge has resulted in a safer environment for our troops but will not mention the numerous recent Iraqi deaths, because as we all know, brown-skinned people's deaths don't really count.

5. He will mispronounce the word "nuclear."

6. He will cause me to throw a heavy object or two at my TV, which is fine, because we need to switch to digital anyway.

==Coaster

Somewhere in there, he will again make the unfounded claim that tax cuts increase tax revenues.

Oh, the laughs I get from some of you!

In my opinion, it will be the same ol', same ol': we're making progress in Iraq, the economy is doing just fine, and a bunch of other meaningless blather. Meanwhile, he'll look like he's got a major wedgie, and will have that deer in the headlights stare that's so creepy. Yuck, I'm not sure I even want to tune in.

Normally, I'd be all for a drinking game, but I'm on heavy-duty painkillers (wheeeee!), so alcohol isn't for me right now.

Oh, wait! I forgot - he'll also say what a threat Iran is.