To the Point

Domestic, Foreign Reaction to State of the Union

President Bush faced an American electorate increasingly skeptical of both his economic agenda and the prospect of war with Iraq. Last night-s State of the Union address was divided almost equally between domestic issues and the President-s case against Saddam Hussein. How will proposals for tax cuts, Medicare, the environment and the battle against AIDS go over with Congress? Will voters share the passion of his commitment to go it alone if necessary against Iraq? We speak with journalists on the Left and the Right, from the US and Germany, as well as Republican Congressman David Dreier of California and Democratic Congressman Peter DeFazio of Oregon about the President-s State of the Union address. Making News: National Poll Response to State of the Union Last night-s State of the Union address was aimed at American voters, who are increasingly skeptical about the President-s economic agenda and the prospect of war with Iraq. The early polls show Mr. Bush getting mixed results. Carroll Doherty, editorial director at the Pew Research Center, interprets this overnight -snapshot,- which he cautions is not a reliable long-term indicator of public opinion. Reporters Notebook: From Dove to Hawk, Has Colin Powell Changed His Tune? Secretary of State Colin Powell, the retired general who chaired the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Gulf War, has been criticized by hawks outside and inside the administration for his apparent reluctance to renew armed conflict against Iraq. Now, it appears that it is Powell-s job to make the case for another war. Robin Wright, chief diplomatic correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, has more on the apparent transformation of the -reluctant diplomat.-