Tuesday's 2004 State of the Union address drew mixed reactions from the MSU community and Michigan lawmakers.
More than 40 students gathered in the second-floor lounge of North Case Hall to listen to President Bush deliver the speech.
Some cheered the president as he spoke about fighting terrorism and the nation's economy. Others, wearing pins and shirts supporting Democratic presidential candidates Howard Dean and John Kerry, criticized Bush's speech. Neither group acknowledged the other, but most said the speech affected them in one way or another.
Bush didn't touch on enough hot-button issues, said Jason Ardanowski, an international relations and political theory sophomore.
"President Bush's intentions are laudable, but he is ignoring crucial threats to global security, such as nuclear proliferation and environmental degradation," he said.
Krissa Thom, an animal science freshman, said she appreciated the president's optimism.
"I think any speech President Bush makes is very uplifting to the American people," she said. "I think it's important we show our support for him and his agenda."
But Aaron Honsowetz, a James Madison freshman, said he did not agree with the speech.
"I think it's funny how he is commenting on global power, because a lot of the foreign policies that he is endorsing now were penned by Democrats," he said. "A lot of the things he is saying should have been done in the past were blocked by Republicans."
U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton, said Bush's experience was evident in the address.
"Clearly, his focus is on winning the war on terror and keeping America secure while meeting the challenges of a changing economy," Rogers said in a statement. "It is the speech of a leader who has been tested and strengthened by past battles and who is prepared to stand strong as the nation moves toward the future."
U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., however, was less impressed by the president's address.
"While there were areas of agreement, overall I was disappointed in the president's message this evening," she said in a statement. "It offered little relief for parents struggling to save for college, and it failed to reach out to families and businesses grappling with double-digit increases in health-insurance premiums and rising prescription-drug prices."
MSU political science Professor David Rhode said he felt there was nothing out of the ordinary or outstanding in Bush's address.
"It was just a textbook sort of State of the Union address for an election year," he said. "Whether or not he's re-elected depends a lot on the events from now to November and not on the speech tonight."
