Bama newspapers respond to the Governor's speech

Editorial reaction to the State of the State was overwhelmingly positive.

The Huntsville Times: "...this was a masterful political speech. He seemingly left his various rivals little to latch on to as they look to next November."

The Birmingham News: "Forgive Gov. Bob Riley if his State of the State address Tuesday evening sounded an awful lot like the State of the Re-elect Riley Campaign. In his first three years as governor, the Ashland Republican has a lot to crow about - which he did, for about the first third of his speech."

The Mobile Register: "...let us note that the governor had every right to boast about remarkable accomplishments, and that he has thus earned the trust necessary to implement a series of reforms he outlined. Gov. Riley said that 'the state of our state is the strongest it has ever been.' It's hard to argue against him."

The Decatur Daily: "Gov. Bob Riley's State of the State address Tuesday accurately described an Alabama that has progressed during his tenure. We may question whether he can claim credit for all of that progress, but sometimes the best one can hope for out of a politician is that he not be a hindrance. At the least, Gov. Riley has gotten out of the way of an increasingly active economy. At best, he's leading a dramatic turnaround in Alabama's fortunes."