In his State of the Union address, President Bush is expected to seek support from Congress for his buildup of U.S. forces in Baghdad. So far, the plan has attracted resistance from Democrats and even some key Republicans. The president will also seek support for lowering the cost of health insurance and decreasing U.S. dependence on foreign oil.
The address will be President Bush's first State of the Union speech to a Congress under full Democratic control. And he does so at a time when his own standing in the polls is at its lowest point. Battered by reversals in the war in Iraq, the president will try to persuade members of his own party not to desert his plan for a troop buildup there.
The president is expected to emphasize the importance of Iraq to national security — and to suggest that it would be disastrous for Iraq if U.S. troops withdrew.
In looking for common ground to share with the new Democrat-controlled Congress, President Bush is expected to float new proposals for improving health care, energy and education in the United States.
President Bush's prepared remarks are not believed to contain any mention of the rebuilding effort that has followed the flooding and destruction brought by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Reportedly, the White House thinks there isn't enough positive to report on that effort.
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