For your edification and amusement, I have condensed W's State of the Union addresses by selecting a single word or phrase from every paragraph ... a fast-forward thematic tour of a non-performing presidency, including a feature or two we'll highlight in diaries to come.
The 2001 Budget Message (which functions as a post-inaugural SOTU) is included.
For the curious, UCSB provides a comprehensive SOTU archive. (Paragraph breakage -- and transcript text -- may vary by source.)
Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress (Budget Message), February 27, 2001:... could have been a close vote ... off to a good start ... setting a tone of civility ... we will be judged ... two very different pictures ... solve the problems of our people ... an old, tired argument ... government crowds out initiative ... money is still left over ... Education is not my top priority -- education is my top priority ... learn to read ... sound teaching practices ... accountability ... refuse to leave any child behind ... more flexibility ... reasonable chance to improve ... double the Medicare budget ... protects all $2.6 trillion of the Social Security surplus ... access to health care ... patients' bill of rights ... frivolous lawsuits ... medical research ... Americans with Disabilities ... military pay ... veterans ... national parks ... faith-based and community groups ... charitable contributions ... children with a parent in prison ... faith-based programs ... a finger of suspicion at groups ... end racial profiling ... still money left over ... pay down our national debt ... contingency fund for emergencies ... And we still have money left over ... two choices ... dangerous road to deficits ... government is charging more than it needs ... throw darts at the board to come up with a number ... lowered the top rate ... small business ... marriage penalty ... income taxes ... American families ... save them more than $2,000 ... the surplus is the people's money ... tax rules punish hard work ... tax relief ... get this country moving ... making tax relief retroactive ... act now because we have other things to do ... a distinctly American internationalism ... defense vision will drive our defense budget ... missile defenses ... transform our military ... trade promotion authority ... major energy shortage ... become more energy-independent ... Medicare and Social Security ... prescription drugs ... fully fund their retirement ... reform Social Security ... higher rate of return ... fair and balanced ... bridge old divides ... conscience of our country. ... public service is noble ... Juntos podemos -- together we can ... good and faithful servants ... God bless.
Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress on the State of the Union, January 29, 2002:
... our nation is at war, our economy is in recession ... rid the world of thousands of terrorists ... Terrorists ... allies against terror. ... Afghanistan's new government ... we are winning ... Ground Zero ... "Semper Fi ... our cause is just ... loss of innocent life ... outlaw regimes ... terrorists ... terrorists ... terrorist underworld ... terrorists ... terrorist parasites ... the face of terror ... weapons of mass destruction ... these weapons ... poison gas ... axis of evil ... weapons of mass destruction ... will not wait ... war on terror ... terror states ... win this war ... problems here at home ... not as Republicans, not as Democrats, but as Americans ... It costs a lot ... Whatever it costs ... vigilance at home ... improve intelligence ... alert citizens ... people on that plane ... a deficit that will be small and short-term ... one word: jobs ... good schools ... teacher training ... affordable energy ... trade promotion authority ... tax relief ... stimulus package ... the dignity of a job ...health security ... accounting standards ... personal retirement accounts ... faith-based groups ... fear and selfishness ... faces of rescuers ... our First Lady ... we are citizens ... "Let's roll." ... join the new USA Freedom Corps ... homeland security ... children whose parents are in prison ...compassion ... values that will bring lasting peace ... the midnight knock of the secret police ... liberty and justice ... no intention of imposing our culture ... around the world ... with friends and allies ... God is near ... unique role ... choose freedom ... freedom's power ... God bless.
Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress on the State of the Union, January 28, 2003 :
... deeply aware of decisive days ... danger ... our union is strong ... not pass along our problems ... largest tax relief in a generation ... call it a good start ... economy is recovering ... make sure Americans have that money ... income tax reductions ... 23 million small businesses ... double taxation ... economic growth ... spending should not rise any faster ... retirement accounts ... affordable health care ... bureaucrats and trial lawyers and HMOs ... Medicare ... prescription drugs ... strengthen Medicare ... excessive litigation ... energy plan ... protect our environment in ways that generations before us could not have imagined ... hydrogen-powered automobiles ... from laboratory to showroom ... sources of energy ... wonder-working power ... compassion ... faith-based initiative ... new volunteers ... children of prisoners ... illegal drugs ... God does miracles ... human cloning ... designs of evil men ... feeding the hungry ... the AIDS virus ... South Africa ... cost of those drugs ... AIDS Relief ... $10 billion in new money ... terrorism ... network of killers ... no longer a problem ... Qaeda cells ... terrorists on the run ... intensified security ... Project Bioshield ... Terrorist Threat Integration Center ... perseverance ... outlaw regimes ... Hitlerism ... world of chaos ... working with other governments ... not depend on the decisions of others ... different strategies ... North Korean regime ... peaceful solution ... lessons of the Korean Peninsula ... Saddam Hussein ... Saddam Hussein ... anthrax ... botulinum toxin ... sarin, mustard and VX ... chemical agents ...mobile biological weapons labs ... Saddam Hussein ... documents and materials ... Saddam Hussein ... Saddam Hussein ... Saddam Hussein ... Saddam Hussein ... Saddam Hussein ... torturing children ... your enemy is ruling your country ... Powell will present information ... lead a coalition ... crucial hours ... reluctantly ... if war is forced upon us ...we will bring to the Iraqi people food and medicines ... unity in great causes ... power without conquest ... God's gift to humanity ... loving God ... bless the United States of America.
Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress on the State of the Union, January 20, 2004:
... fellow citizens: ... great responsibilities ... war on terror ... terrorist threats ... tax relief ... compassion ... terrorists ... tragedy, and trial, and war ... terrorists ... renew the PATRIOT Act ... terrorists ... terrorists ... Afghanistan ... Iraq ... a hole ... thugs ... Iraqi Governing Council ... Libya ... North Korea ... defeating our enemies ... from the deck of a carrier in the Pacific to a mess hall in Baghdad ... terrorists ... weapons of mass destruction-related program activities ... coalition ... greater Middle East ... hateful propaganda ... no ambitions of empire ... this economy is strong ... lowered taxes ... growth ... people are using their money ... technology ... testing every child ... Testing ... shuffling children ... Jobs for the 21st Century ... pro-growth ... the tax cuts you passed should be permanent ... personal retirement account ... cut wasteful spending ... new temporary worker program ... rising costs of medical care ... prescription drug benefit ... discount card ... drug coverage ... drug coverage ... health savings accounts ... preserve the system of private medicine ... families, and schools, and religious congregations ... healthy, responsible children ... Drug testing ... steroids ... abstinence ... marriage ... marriage ... faith-based charities ... newly released prisoners ... tests we did not ask for ... toughness ... troops ... freedom ... God bless the United States States of America. Thank you.