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Strong Union

By Ken Herman | Tuesday, January 16, 2007, 04:45 PM

No way to know at this point what President Bush will say in next Tuesday’s State of the Union address. But if history is instructive, it’s a good bet he’ll assure us that the state of the union is strong.

It’s become almost a required line in a State of the Union address.

Here’s the recent record:

Bush 2006: “Tonight the state of the union is strong, and together we will make it stronger.”

Bush 2005: ” … the state of the union is confident and strong.”

Bush 2004: ” … the American people are showing that the state of our union is confident and strong.”

Bush 2003: “In a whirlwind of change and hope and peril, our faith is sure; our resolve is firm; and our union is strong.”

Bush 2002: “As we gather tonight, our nation is at war; our economy is in recession; and the civilized world faces unprecedented dangers. Yet the state of our union has never been stronger.”

Bush, as newly elected president, gave a 2001 speech to Congress but it technically was not a State of the Union address.

Clinton 2000: “My fellow Americans, the state of our union is the strongest it has ever been.”

Clinton 1999: “My fellow Americans, I stand before you tonight to report that the state of our union is strong.”

Clinton 1998: “Ladies and gentlemen, the state of our union is strong.”

Clinton 1997: “My fellow Americans, the state of our union is strong.”

Clinton 1996: “The state of the union is strong.”

Clinton 1995: “I was determined then to tackle the tough problems too long ignored. In this effort I am frank to say that I have made my mistakes, and I have learned again the importance of humility in all human endeavor. But I am also proud to say tonight that our country is stronger than it was two years ago.”

Clinton 1994: No mention of the strong union. Perhaps because of TelePromoter screw-up at start of speech.

The elder President Bush generally steered clear of the strong union rhetoric, though in his 1990 State of the Union address he said, “Let me say that so long as we remember the American ideal, so long as we live up to the American ideal, the state of the union will remain sound and strong.”

In his 1986 State of the Union speech, President Reagan was “pleased to report the state of our union is stronger than a year ago and growing stronger each day.”

In 1984, he said “the heart of America is strong.” In 1983, he said, “the state of our union is strong, but our economy is troubled.”

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