FLORENCE -- Gov. Mark Sanford's State of the State address drew little enthusiasm from several local leaders from various professions Wednesday.

Gathered at the offices of the Morning News to analyze the speech were Dr. Neal Thigpen, Francis Marion University political science professor and veteran political analyst; Ben Zeigler, a bond attorney at Haynsworth, Sinkler and Boyd; Porter Stewart, a member of the Florence School District 1 Board of Trustees; and Jim O'Loughlin, president of Carolinas Hospital System.

All four noted Sanford's praise of several members of the Legislature during his speech.

"I've never heard a governor in the State of the State address so many prominent legislators by their first names," Thigpen said. "There isn't anyone he didn't throw a bouquet to."

"I don't see anything particularly new," Thigpen said. "This universal tax credit for education, for instance, it's just a reworking of school vouchers."

Sanford's comments about health care issues drew comments of concern and praise from O'Loughlin.

"He talked about tort reform, which is important," O'Loughlin said. "A lot of people don't understand how much money is spent everyday practicing defensive medicine to avoid lawsuits."

The House passed a tort reform measure Wednesday as Sanford was preparing for his address.

But O'Loughlin did not like Sanford's comments about the possibilities of offsetting his proposed reduction in income taxes with an increase in the state's cigarette tax. O'Loughlin has been pushing hard to see an increase in cigarette taxes go toward funding Medicaid.

O'Loughlin was pleased to hear the governor talk about South Carolinians leading a healthier lifestyle. In his speech, Sanford talked about citizens becoming more active, which he said would help the state's incidence of stroke, heart disease and diabetes.

"Some people may laugh at him for talking about taking his family on a bike ride across the state, but that's a real issue," O'Loughlin said. "Sometimes a man in his position can make a difference. And the information he presented about these diseases is accurate."

From a legal perspective, Zeigler said Sanford's address was short on specifics, and high on ideals.

"He talked about the 'need for debate' on the issue of tort reform," Zeigler said. "But he didn't mention any specifics."

However, Sanford's appeal to the Legislature to fundamentally restructure the state's government got high praise from Zeigler.

"The restructuring is important," Zeigler said. "Our constitution dates from 1895. He's clearly more of a 'big picture' kind of guy, and I think his speech is obviously a conversation with the legislature."

On the issue of education, Stewart was a little disappointed with Sanford's speech.

"It really started out with the negative statistical drumbeat that we get all to often," Stewart said. "It's interesting that there was no mention of the Education Accountability Act or the Educa-tion Oversight Committee."

Stewart was worried that Sanford stressed the need for better public education without talking about how to pay for the improved schools.

"What we desperately need is leadership at the state level to do its part," Stewart said.

Zeigler echoed Stewart on the issue of funding mandated changes to the state's education system.

"The budget crisis has hit no one harder than the school systems," Zeigler said. "The governor did not even allude to the need to find alternative funding methods."

From a political standpoint, Thigpen said Sanford's performance was not impressive enough to get important issues like government restructuring passed.

"You're going to have to work up a little more energy than this,particularly when you're talking about restructuring government," Thigpen said.