toledoblade.com --

THE only politicians with lower public approval ratings than President Bush were those assembled in the ornate Capitol Hill chamber this week listening to his State of the Union address. The latest Gallup poll shows only 23 percent of the nation approves of the way Congress is handling its job and just 34 percent give thumbs up to Mr. Bush, nearly an all-time low.

In early 2008, it's safe to say a majority of Americans have lost confidence in their national leaders to get past themselves and produce results to advance the greater good. Certainly in this contentious presidential election year, politics will preclude progress of any significant note. But the charade of poker players masquerading as committed public servants goes on as we the people follow the drama with growing detachment.

Yet I forced myself to watch the entire State of the Union speech, the Democratic response, and a smattering of political commentary afterward because, well, I'm a glutton for punishment. It's true. Even though everything is so partisanly predictable in Washington these days, I still look for the unexpected. I still strain to see an opening that suggests all is not lost to gridlock, pettiness, and political one-upmanship.

It could happen. Over the years, statesmen have distinguished themselves from the small-minded politicians with whom they serve to challenge government ways and means. By force of conviction and character, they cut through the nonsense that too often passes for political wisdom and raise the discourse of the day with solid rationale. And they gain respect the old-fashioned way - through tireless advocacy or immersion in positive change.

Yet occasionally, the country goes through a dry period when strong leaders are all but missing in action.

Frankly, in the eighth and final year of George Bush's presidency, the state of the union's leadership is weak and worthless. Monday night, the President had his trademark swagger and smirk on display during his prime-time speech about the state of the economy, education, spending, and war. Guess it was better than shrugging and saying "Good luck, suckers."

The onetime "Uniter not Divider" who became a "Decider" is now widely regarded as a "Desperado" scrambling to find something akin to a legacy in the next 12 months. In the real world, nobody's rushing to give him a "Mission Accomplished" banner on anything. But perhaps in Bushworld, insulated from reality, the President has been led to believe he can accomplish peace in the Holy Land in short order after letting the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians fester for seven years.

Maybe he can accomplish liberty and justice for all in Iraq with American blood, regardless of how long it takes or how futile the sacrifice appears. "We've come so far, achieved so much," the President said about his shock-and-awe invasion that has dragged into a five-year war without end.

And if pigs fly, maybe Mr. Bush can accomplish much on the home front in little time, starting with economic revival through tax rebates and tax breaks, then renewed tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, an end to pork barrel legislation, renewal of a largely intact education law, and a balanced budget.

Why, by putting partisan politics aside, who knows what sort of grand accomplishments are possible? That's what the smug short-timer asserted before he took a few partisan swipes at the Democratic-controlled Congress sitting stone-faced before him. He chastised members for not acting fast enough on legislation that they had "ample time" to debate, for their shame-on-you earmarks, for holding up judicial candidates, for inviting his vetoes with fiscal foolishness.

Clearly, Nancy Pelosi was not amused. But the House Speaker and other Democratic congressional leaders have bigger fish to fry than George Bush. He's already gone as far as they're concerned. They can ignore him. Question is, can they afford to ignore the needs of the electorate for a year to play politics full-time?

When 68 percent of Americans believe the country is on the wrong track, the nation is in no mood for elevated partisanship that derails any hope of course correction in the near future. Leaders who put us on hold in the interest of political legacies or elections will lose more than our public approval rating. They'll lose their authority to lead.

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