Obama Response to the President's State of the Union Address
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Printable FormatFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington Contact: Robert Gibbs or Tommy Vietor, (202) 228-5511
Illinois Contact: Julian Green (312) 886-3506
Date: January 31, 2006
Obama Response to the President's State of the Union Address
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today released the following statement in response to the President's State of the Union Address:
Tonight, the American people know our union should be stronger. They know we can defeat terror and keep our shores safe. And they know that we can be competitive in a 21st century economy where every hardworking family prospers, not just some.
But the American people are wondering if this Administration can lead us there. Because after five years of the same timid solutions to great national challenges, Americans are more anxious about their future and more uncertain about the direction of the country we love.
They've seen their wages go down as their medical, gas, and tuition bills go up. They've seen jobs go overseas and wonder if our children will be prepared to compete in a global economy. And they've seen scandal and corruption take hold of a Washington that helps high-priced lobbyists at the expense of hardworking families.
Americans everywhere want a leader who speaks to their hopes for a better future and then acts on them.
But tonight, the President barely mentioned his health care plan for people who can already afford health care, ignoring bold, bipartisan proposals that can guarantee affordable and available health care for every American.
He identified America's addiction to oil, but ignored his Administration's addiction to oil-industry giveaways that won't free us from our dependence on fossil fuels.
And after forty-six minutes of speaking, the President used less than sixty words to tell us how he'd clean up Washington and restore the American people's faith in a government that works for them, not just big donors.
We can have this kind of government in America, face the future with hope, and move our country in the direction of progress. But we need strong leadership to get there - leadership that isn't afraid to think big, try new ideas, and reach out to Americans of all political stripes. This is how we will restore the American people's faith in our union and truly make it stronger.