SOTU: Preview

Tonight's State of the Union promises to be one of the most gruesome bits of political theater in recent memory.

Presidents in their late, lame-duck years have a hard enough time selling their agenda, since their own party has usually shifted their focus to the next electoral event horizon. But in this case the problem is confounded by a congress completely controlled by the opposite party and an approval rating that has reached Nixonian lows, due in large part to the war in Iraq.

The camera, one hopes, will linger on the faces of those who aspire to the presidency when hot-button items are raised. During the generalized rhetoric about bringing democracy to the Middle East, will Hillary sit there with a vinegar facial expression? Will McCain lead the applause (in response to the 'boos') when W. suggests a troop surge? Will Obama continue to radiate mild charisma, without any true political gravitas?

Always remember, with SOTU, somebody behind the scenes is quite literally calling the shots. When the president checks off items on his policy or legislative agenda, various folks in both houses have served as champions or enemies along the way, and the folks manning the control booth and at the cameras choose which reactions to emphasize, which parties to implicitly bolster.

And it used to only be a game of politics by clapping - furious applause (and an occasional up-on-your-feet) for the stuff about which you agree, and stony silence as disagreement. But the carnival has escalated, a process which began when Reagan one-upped the Democrats in control of congress by introducing genuine American heroes in the balcony by Nancy. (Cheap maybe, but awesomely effective.) Now people feel more comfortable booing and hissing -- and tonight, frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if the Democrats start flinging rotten fruit at the podium.

Oh - and lest I forget: It may be interesting to see how the president explains his agenda - to see if there's anything different and more compelling than the tape-loop of catchphrases and aphorisms that has been deployed and overextended for the past few years, rhetoric which has lost currency with a great portion of America. The expectations are very, very low.

If circumstances permit (and if I can stand it) I'll be liveblogging ...

Tags: George W. Bush, State of the Union, SOTU