President George W Bush struck out for the United States’s industrial heartland this week, seeking to drum up support for the economic measures unveiled in his state of the union address and his campaign for re-election in November.
A day after unveiling his vision for 2004, Bush’s two-day trip through Ohio and Arizona was intended to reinforce his message that a presidency that had so far focused on the war on terror was now centred on economic concerns.
Most commentators said the switch in emphasis was clearly dictated by the Democratic primary contest, which had highlighted healthcare, education and jobs.
In New Hampshire, where Democrats hold a primary next week to decide who will take on Bush, the contenders rounded on the Republican president for being out of touch with the hardships facing ordinary Americans. Joe Lieberman, the Connecticut senator, said Bush was in a ”state of denial”.
Newspaper comments were almost universal in describing the speech as an attempt to show off Bush as a strong leader. But Bush unveiled no major policy initiatives. The New York Times said it was a ”cruel hoax” to pretend that Washington had the funds to undertake policy changes.
Bush’s speech, which he rehearsed for two weeks, underwent several changes before delivery. Gone were the lofty futuristic visions — the missions to Mars and the settlements on the moon — that had failed to inspire Americans when details were revealed last week. Instead Bush’s horizons were decidedly down-to-earth: a series of initiatives on job training, prescription drugs, and the hot button issues for conservative Christians such as gay marriage. — Â