Senator Barack Obama, D-Ill., criticized Bush’s address, and also offered his own solutions.
‘The President offered some serious proposals tonight on two issues—energy and health care—that we all agree must be addressed. I’m glad he did and I think it’s important to respond in a constructive way,’ Obama said. He then said that actions speak louder than words: ‘But the last election proved that politics-by-slogan and poll-tested sound bites aren’t going to cut it with the American people anymore.’
Obama then criticized the President’s approaches on several issues, including the Iraq War: ‘Most Americans believe that escalation will not bring the war in Iraq to a responsible end, and that’s why I’ve proposed not just a troop cap, but a phased redeployment that will start bringing our troops home.’