Bush Downplays Health Reform

All the punditry (at least on domestic issues) before tonight's speech focused on health care reform. The president spent less than two minutes on the issue. I suspect his political handlers did some last minute polling and deep-sixed the more substantive paragraphs he planned to deliver.

After throwing rhetorical bones to small businesses and insurance portability (an issue that can be solved more easily with national insurance than with individual health care accounts), he attacked the trial lawyers and renewed his call for medical tort reform. Talk about catering to core constituencies. I doubt few Americans will even remember that health care was part of the speech.

On the other hand, the president make a big pitch for weaning the U.S. from foreign oil -- by 2025. He pledged to increase energy R&D budgets by 20 percent focusing on clean coal technology, renewables and nuclear power. He also pledged to step up U.S. investment in ethanol produced from wood stalks and switchgrass. Wood stalks and switchgrass! Now there's Clintonian wonkery at its best.

If a Democrat said this, I'd be applauding like crazy. So I'm intrigued by where Bush, with his ties to the oil industry, is going on this issue. The devil is in the details when it comes to energy. Let's see what's in his budget, which will be released next week.