Bush just wrapped up his State of the Union, his last, and I brought out my laptop and recorded my thoughts as it went.

7:59 - I’m live blogging for the first time! They just cut to the State of the Union. Sorry to interrupt your normally schedule junk TV, America. While they wait for Bush, I try to think about the network TV shows I actually watch during the broadcast. The list is short.

8:02 - I get nervous about my laptop battery. During the commercial I can put the power chord in. Then I think - there is no commercial!

8:04 - The Sergeant at Arms announces “Madame Speaker, the President of the United States!” Bush comes in wearing the cool ranch blue tie. Lookin’ good for someone who’s had that job about 7 years now. He just signed an autograph - I don’t think I’ve ever seen that.

8:06 - A long walk up to the podium as Bush greets everyone and their uncle. Random fact - CD in my laptop right now is the Best of the Beach Boys.

8:06 - They talk about Ted Kennedy’s endorsement for Barack Obama. Why does everyone worship Ted? Because of his brothers? Kerry’s endorsement had nothing like this impact, it’s like Obama has the stamp of readiness now or something.

8:07 - More clapping.

8:08 - I love when Congress exclaims loudly - they sound like the British House of Commons. Huzzah!

8:09 - It starts. It’s not a State of the Union under Bush until he says “members of Congerse.”

8:10 - Applause from both sides by saying something generic about cooperation for results. Easy.

8:11 - Sounds like the economy is the first topic. Isn’t this amazing? Do you remember a time when a Bush State of the Union wasn’t about Iraq or terrorism first? My, how our troops have made us safe to worry about this petty stuff.

8:12 - He’s talking about the stimulus package. My instincts on this were right - it’s basically just welfare. Some people who didn’t pay taxes will get “rebates.” Huh? Why else would Nancy Pelosi agree to it so quickly? She’s smiling right now; applause from both sides.

8:13 - Good joke about the IRS. If you wanna pay high taxes, send money orders to the IRS. The Dems have a cold response to this.

8:14 - Bush: Make tax relief permanent! Republicans all stand up. Boom, eat it Democrats. A few of them clap. That’s what I’m talking about. I want to see that side rise a lot tonight.

8:15 - Bush talks about a surplus in 2012. All of the sudden everyone stands. I guess we all like balanced budgets.

8:16 - Second talk of a veto from Bush. He’s feeling frisky.

8:17 - If I was a VP or speaker of the House, I would feel really self-conscious behind Bush for an hour. Cheney and Pelosi whisper among themselves; it looks very casual. Bush switches to health care.

8:18 - Obama doesn’t budge when Bush says not to expand government health care. Poker face. He’s sitting next to Ted.

8:20 - Now we’re talking about education. Bush pushes the No Child Left Behind act. Lukewarm applause.

8:21 - Ted Kennedy is sleeping.

8:22 - Switch to trade overseas. Bush wants more free trade agreements. I thought he said “terrists” but he said “tariffs.”

8:23 - The phrase “false populism in our hemisphere” took some extra effort by Bush.

8:24 - Come on, this is boring so far. I need more “bleep you” moments. Talk about smashing terrists or something.

8:25 - He’s talking about clean energy. I have clean energy for you - nuclear energy. Push that, Bush. Now he talks about foreign oil…come on! Nuclear energy! There we go, he mentioned it. Lukewarm response. It really should be a higher priority.

8:25 - He wants technology that captures carbon emissions…really? Is this necessary? More greenhouse gas talk. Everyone stands up at this. He used the phrase “global climate change.”

8:28 - Bush is talking about stem cell research now. He wants research “without the destruction of human life,” and the Democrats barely budge. Seriously, people; this is a major political party in our country? They all stand for less carbon, but when you talk about not destroying human life, they barely peep.

8:29 - Two of Bush’s nominees to the Supreme Court are in attendance; Alito and Roberts. They will really be a huge part of Bush’s legacy. It might go 1. Terrorism/Iraq and 2. Supreme Court.

8:31 - Bush is talking about entitlements. Time for lots of Democratic stillness on one side of the building. But Bush just talks about saving these “vital programs.”

8:32 - Immigration. Bush is really getting fired up about this. Even the Democrats stand up when he talks about our “ideals” and upholding our laws.

8:33 - Time to switch to foreign policy - wow, at half an hour in.

8:34 - If you asked the average American about “Georgia” and whether it’s a country, what do you think they’d say? How many people would get that one wrong? Kellie Pickler said she wasn’t sure France was a country. Jay Leno should tackle this issue.

8:35 - Bush says we will “deliver justice to our enemies.” Everyone stands up with this. He sounded like Rudy just now.

8:37 - “Spreading the hope of freedom,” and only the Republicans stand up.

8:38 - I’m thinking about what I would stand up for if I was there. I’d want to save my stand ups for when no one else was doing it. Here’s my short list:

-Military
-Technology
-Life at conception
-NASA
-Roads
-Low taxes

I wouldn’t have stood for “carbon.”

8:40 - I sense a “surge is working” McCain moment coming on as Bush talks about gratitude to the troops. Lots of support for this. Long ovation.

8:41 - There it is - the surge is working. In so many words.

8:43 - “Among the terrorists there is no doubt.” Al-Qaeda is on the run. Huzzah!

8:44 - Props to the military. I love the dudes who stand up front with a million ribbons on their chest - the joint chiefs of staff. Those ribbons are usually in direct proportion to how tough they are. “Fully fund troops,” says Bush. I’d stand up for this.

8:46 - Iraq…

8:48 - Iraq.

8:50 - He moves in the Middle East to talk about Israel. Bush wants a Palestinian state by the end of ‘08. This seems to be his New Year’s resolution.

8:51 - A quick switch to Iran. Tehran is developing ballistic missiles and seeking uranium. We have no quarrel with Iran, but don’t develop nukes - says Bush.

8:54 - Nancy Pelosi has some sort of book or magazine or something that she keeps looking at. What is this? She applauds and looks back at it.

8:55 - It’s almost an hour, no space program talk.

8:56 - Bush talks about foreign aid and famine worldwide, disease. Angelina Jolie stands up at home.

8:57 - Funding for veterans has increased. I like this. Lots of huzzahs.

8:58 - Bob Dole! Bob Dole! He’s there. Bush mentions him in this context and he gets applause.

9:00 - I just missed something, I was thinking about Bob Dole.

9:01 - Trust the people. He seems to be wrapping up. And he has.

9:02 - Post-state reactions. Chris Wallace says “extremely conservative speech.”

9:03 - We listen to Bush as he leaves. He seems so different when he’s one on one. He speaks some Spanish. He signs autographs - is this new? Have I not noticed this?

And that’s the State of the Union, Bush’s last. There weren’t any major things I disagreed with, I liked the talk about giving more money to veterans, and I didn’t like the stimulus package. No big surprises.

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