Utah congressmen hopeful about State of the Union goals

WASHINGTON — It was a toned-down State of the Union address Tuesday night, Utah's congressional delegation said, as President Bush laid out plans for health care, reduction of gasoline consumption and the war in Iraq.

Bush's sixth State of the Union — and first to a Democratic Congress — offered new policies as he asked for support from the new leadership in Congress during the 49-minute speech.

The early part of the speech focused on domestic policies, but Bush continued his call for additional troops in Iraq, asking lawmakers to "give it a chance" as the country moves on with a new strategy in the Middle East.

"We went into this largely united — in our assumptions and in our convictions," Bush said of the Iraq war. "And whatever you voted for, you did not vote for failure."

Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, said the House chamber had a "more subdued environment" than in past speeches, mainly because things "are not going well in Iraq."

"That is the 800-pound gorilla" in the political arena today, Matheson said.

He said the Iraq portion of the speech was the most subdued and "probably rightly so," because even members of the president's own party are becoming concerned about the situation.

"There is not a lot of support for the surge proposal," Matheson said.

Matheson, like other Democrats, does not see how a surge in troops in Iraq will ease the problems. He would rather see the president take more direction from the Iraq Study Group and train the new military in Iraq rather than send more troops.

Matheson hopes the president's talk of bipartisanship is sincere. He said that overall, "I didn't find anything (in the speech) that gave me heartburn."

Meanwhile, the state's Republican delegation members supported the president's policies — including his statements on Iraq, saying they want to learn more about Bush's new agenda items.

Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, said the troop surge is not just about putting more people on the ground, but changing the way things are being done there.

"We'll take a greater lead," Bishop said.

Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, said Bush was "persuasive" and "humble" on Iraq but that the new policy "provides the best chance of success."

Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said the president has made clear that if the United States leaves Iraq, terrorism will increase.

Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, said Bush put his "detractors on the defensive" when he admitted changing the course was necessary.

"I thought it was one of his best speeches ever," Bennett said.

Bush made it clear he was comfortable with his positions on the issues he outlined, Bennett said, but also that he realized the Republicans lost the last election.

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