Mike Salsbury/The Olympian
Pat Castaldo of Olympia listens to President Bush's State of the Union address Tuesday. Castaldo was part of a panel of area residents watching the speech at The Olympian.

Differences emerge over economy

South Sound residents rate speech

PATRICK CONDON, THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published Wednesday, January 30, 2002

OLYMPIA -- Delivering his first State of the Union speech after a year like no other, President Bush got high marks from South Sound residents for his sure-footedness and confidence.

"The speech was excellently written and delivered," said Carole Dickerson, a business owner from Tumwater.

Beyond that, a panel of 10 South Sound residents varied widely in their assessments of the president's performance.

While some praised Bush's push for continued national support of the war on terrorism and a stimulus package for a wounded economy, others bemoaned what they saw as a lack of substance or a true call for sacrifice in tough times.

"It was a utopian look," said Russell Riehl, a state worker who lives in Olympia. "He touched on everything but didn't really say anything. He knows what's going on but doesn't really have any plan for how to act on it."

Terrorism

The Sept. 11 attacks and their aftermath were close to the fore in much of Bush's speech, and it sparked the greatest debate among members of the panel.

"He didn't make Sept. 11 go away, and that's what I wanted," Dickerson said, admitting that expectation would have been difficult to meet.

Bryan Hatchett, a Thurston County corrections officer from Rochester, liked Bush's exhortation that the war on terrorism has only just begun.

"That is a lofty goal," Hatchett said. "What happened on Sept. 11 is that we joined the rest of the world, and I think he acknowledged that."

However, others felt that Bush glossed over the complexity of world events that have ensued since Sept. 11.

"I really have a problem with calling this a war," said Ali Raad, a business owner from Olympia. "We are not fighting armies, we are not fighting regimes, we are not fighting people in uniforms.

"To me, when you use the word 'war,' it means World War I, World War II."

The bipartisan support for most of Bush's remarks about the war on terrorism were heartening to Dolores Todd, a retired Olympia resident.

"I liked the part where he said we're Americans, not Republicans or Democrats," Todd said. "I've felt for years that we should be Americans first."

Economic splits

It was when Bush switched to the economy that some of partisan divisions became more apparent, and those differences were stark on the panel as well.

Even those who liked Bush's approach to international events were less confident once he switched to domestic matters.

"I really feel he's risen to the occasion on the war on terrorism," said Steven Gill, an Olympia resident and veterans benefits assistant for the state. "My question is: Can he rise to the occasion on social issues? I'll be paying attention to the details."

There was deep concern over Bush's admission that under his proposed budget, the U.S. government will run a deficit -- especially when, just minutes earlier, Bush said the country is spending $1 billion a month in the war on terrorism.

"I'm not as impressed by big spending as I am by smart spending," Gill said.

"We all know how to balance a checkbook," said Tom Benenate, a business owner from Olympia. "You've got something coming in one end and something going out the other end. This is our money."

Bush's approach to stimulating the economy with a mix of unemployment insurance, extension of health benefits and tax cuts for business are a good idea, said Robert Todd, a U.S. Army retiree from Olympia.

"I hope the stimulus will work," Todd said. "Because we've got to get people back to work."

Pat Castaldo, a business owner from Olympia, was uncomfortable with what he saw as a tendency by the president to compare economic stimulus efforts to the war on terrorism.

"That sets up a false idea," Castaldo said. "The idea that we can defeat a recession like we can defeat the terrorists, that isn't the way to set this up."

As Bush moved to the end of his speech and his calls for American grit and determination grew loftier, Nancy First, a retired teacher from Olympia, couldn't help but feel that the president was framing the speech too far away from her own values of pacifism.

"I think we need a Department of Peacemaking, not just a Department of Defense," First said. "We have to be aware there are other choices. War might not be the answer, and pacifism might not be, either. It isn't all black and white."

Patrick Condon can be reached at 360-753-1688 or at condonpatrick@hotmail.com.

Panel participants

These South Sound residents watched President Bush's State of the Union address Tuesday night at The Olympian:

Tom Benenate

Age: 59

Residence: Olympia

Occupation: Business owner

Political leanings: "No political affiliation"

Pat Castaldo

Age: 28

Residence: Olympia

Occupation: Business owner

Political leanings: Declined to answer

Carole Dickerson

Age: 68

Residence: Tumwater

Occupation: Business owner

Political leanings: "Democrat"

Nancy G.B. First

Age: 72

Residence: Olympia

Occupation: Retired teacher

Political leanings: "Mostly left"

Steven Gill

Age: 26

Residence: Olympia

Occupation: Veterans benefits assistant, state Department of Veterans Affairs

Political leanings: Declined to answer

Bryan E. Hatchett

Age: 45

Residence: Rochester

Occupation: Corrections sergeant, Thurston County Sheriff's Office

Political leanings: "Middle to right"

Ali Raad

Age: 48

Residence: Olympia

Occupation: Business owner

Political leanings: Declined to answer

Russell Riehl

Age: 24

Residence: Olympia

Occupation: Administrative assistant, Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission

Political leanings: Declined to answer

Dolores Todd

Age: 71

Residence: Olympia

Occupation: Retired

Political leanings: "Middle-of-the- road Republican"

Robert Todd

Age: 75

Residence: Olympia

Occupation: Retired from Army

Political leanings: "Middle-of- the-road Republican"

On the Web:

- White House

- Text of President Bush's State of the Union address

- Sound Off at TheOlympian.com: State of the Union topics

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