President Bush had his work cut out for him before Tuesday’s State of the Union address, considering the sharp political divide throughout the nation.

This divide is most apparent in the president’s recent approval ratings. According to a January 2006 CBS/New York Times poll, 51 percent of Americans expressed disapproval on the way Bush is handling his presidency. It was the first time he went into a State of the Union address with the majority disapproving of actions he’s taken.

During the address, the president had a rare opportunity to reach out to Americans who expressed legitimate concerns over the state of our nation. Instead, he heightened tensions by criticizing the opposition.

“Yet, there is a difference between responsible criticism that aims for success, and defeatism that refuses to acknowledge anything but failure,” Bush said, addressing opposing congressmen. “Hindsight alone is not wisdom, and second-guessing is not a strategy.”

He also heightened tensions by spending much of the address justifying the war in Iraq and not discussing enough domestic issues, including the disappointing effort to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

This would have been wise, considering only 25 percent said they thought the administration has a clear plan to help Katrina victims, the poll stated.

“In New Orleans and in other places, many of our fellow citizens have felt excluded from the promise of our country,” he said, offering no apology for the deficient rescue efforts before dropping the issue entirely.

What he failed to realize is that he has a responsibility to serve all Americans, not just the ones who support him.

He should have at least tried to address — and not ignore — the opposition’s concerns.

Ironically, no one expressed this better than Bush did in his address.

“Yet our greatness is not measured in power or luxuries, but by who we are and how we treat one another,” he said. “So we strive to be a compassionate, decent, hopeful society.”

Apparently, the president still has a lot to learn about following his own advice.