Not sure what is going on, but I went to bed miserable, in excruciating pain, and at some point in the night it broke like a fever. In just a few hours of sleep, I have gone from a 8-9 on the pain scale to about a 4-5.
I call that a win.
Now that you all have slept on it, what did you think of the SOTU address? I’m going to check out thw transcript later.
WereBear
So glad to hear! Those higher numbers on the pain scale are no fun at all.
I thought the SOTU absolutely ROCKED. There was finely wrought rhetoric and verbal ass kicking.
Just what I wanted.
meh
fighting words and I enjoyed seeing the douches squirm and get called to the carpet…so that was a plus. Be nice if he, ya know, followed through on that stuff.
dr. bloor
I’m with meh–last night’s speech was great, but so was the inauguration speech. Let’s see if it goes anywhere.
Have to say that my favorite part was when he called out the SCOTUS. AFAIC, those sanctimonious renegade dickheads can’t be humiliated in public too often for my tastes.
Glad to hear your shoulder/neck/everything else is better. You’ll be changing shower curtains again in no time.
MMM
Aren’t you a 4 or 5 on an average day….. I mean on your pain scale (and your not even married or have a kid)
Linda Featheringill
I thought Obama looked like he was feeling good. Didn’t see that much a couple of months ago. It did my old heart good to see the energy and the humor.
A lot of presidents have used the SOTU address as a platform to present a wish list. This speech was pretty much the same.
The most important point in the long run may be when he took on the Supreme Court about their recent ruling on campaign contributions. This could have long-lasting effects and is too important to ignore.
Hope you get to feeling better.
MNPundit
He is incapable of leading the Congress.
NobodySpecial
I think I spent my time playing Modern Warfare with a friend.
Either that, or I murdered half the legislative branch and the Supreme Court with various weaponry.
GReynoldsCT00
good morning John, great news about the pain easing up. I didn’t see the SOTU but will find a video of it. glad to hear it was a good one.
someguy
What about the Republicann rebuttal? I thought that taunting the first black President (again) from the capital of the Confederacy was a slick communications strategy, and the suits and dresses were a good choice compared to white sheets, which would have been overdoing it. Not so sure about having the gay guys giving the speeches, that wont help with their base, but otherwise a hallmark performance for them…
SiubhanDuinne
John, that’s a grand piece of news to read first thing in the morning. I like the trend lines.
As for the SOTU: that was the Barack Obama I phone-banked for, and trudged door-to-door for, and gave money to, and voted for. That was the Barack Obama I’ve known was still in there during this whole long and often discouraging past year. He was completely in his game last night, and he kicked some serious ass — all within the bounds of decency and with a nice dollop of humour. So nice to see him back.
And Michelle looked great!
Proud to be an Obot.
wvng
Glad you are feeling less terrible. Les terrible is good.
The SOTU was good, the listing of all the good things his economic policy has accomplished was essential, listing the facts about what they had to deal with when entering office was “just the facts” necessary”, the asskicking on both sides was deserved, the love he kept giving to the House for passing bills was right on the money, but he didn’t present a case for what the Senate HCR Bill would do for everyone (which he needed to do), he didn’t tell the House to just pass the damn bill, and the “freeze” is still wrong on both policy and politics.
funluvn
The rhetoric was soaring, the fight was in the dog, now let’s see if the dog brings the fight to Congress.
I feel as if the President is starting to “get it” on what he will have to do if he is going to push through his agenda. The question is, does he have what it takes to do it?
Emo Pantload (fka Studly)
Wow, glad you had a breakthrough on the pain front!
Obama said some things I didn’t know were in his DNA to say, the way he took it to the Republicans. Even Big Eddie had to like that. Was disappointed though that he didn’t invoke Ted Kennedy when talking health care. But overall it was classic “Fired up, ready to go!”
WereBear
I thought I saw signs, in the R rebuttal, that they were starting to recognize The Party of No is not that appealing.
Yet what else do they have?
And it was extraordinarily dull.
Mustang Bobby
John, I’m glad to hear the pain has lessened.
I loved hearing Jon Kyl (R-AZ) whine on NPR about the president making a “campaign speech;” especially how he called Obama a whiner for blaming Bush for leaving the turds in the punchbowl. Project much, Mr. Kyl?
zoe kentucky in pittsburgh
I thought it was a really great speech– he was confident, clear, concise, comfortable and even funny.
Although one my favorite moments has to be when he bitchslapped the rightwingers on the Supreme Court for Citzens United. Actually, I liked that he slapped around almost everyone a little, in my mind that is what a president who is actually trying to be a uniter needs to keep doing. In some way he needs to try and be above it all, remind us that we are all in this together. I also think focusing on tax cuts and credits and taxing the banks puts the GOP in a very awkward position, in a pretty clever way. Prove to everyone that their populism is nothing more than a “we hate government” veneer and means absolutely nothing.
Also, I think it’s great he spoke so forcefully about DADT. Are my fellow LGBTs going to stop all the hysterics now?
Emo Pantload (fka Studly)
Yeah, the Republicans showed they learned the optics lesson from their Jindal fiasco. But their chosen suit came off empty, and there was a distinct Potemkin-Village quality to seating the black woman and Asian guy behind him.
RedKitten
So glad to hear that you’re feeling better John! Don’t use this respite as an excuse to over-do it, however. Your body still needs a lot of rest in order to heal properly, so there shall be no shenanigans, you hear me?
camchuck
It was an enjoyable speech from the view of a democrat who pays attention to things. But, what matters are the memes absorbed by the uninformed masses (its this, not lecturing, that moves congress). Always hard to tell how that plays out.
Expect these memes pushed by the right: long, defensive, rude, big hug for Geithner
The left needs to reinforce these memes: responsibilty to govern, fuck the bankers, jobs
Traditional media will buy into the “I won’t quit” / comback kid narrative which could boost congress’s resolve. Also, Obama is still the only adult in the room.
It was a big risk, downplaying HCR the way he did. I wanted to see a better sales pitch on the virtues of the existing bill. I can see Obama’s approval numbers getting a bump, but not HCR numbers. I hope I’m wrong.
superking
What asskicking are you all referring to? When did he call anyone out?
Yes, he said some stuff in a very blunt fashion–that the $1 trillion deficit was a result of the Bush years. That was about it. He didn’t say anything that will change the narrative on cable this morning.
He didn’t say, for example, that the Republicans need to vote for his health care plan if they are at all serious about deficit reduction. He should have laid out the numbers and specifically called for republican votes.
It was a good speech, but I’m sure we’ll all forget about it in a week when Nancy and Harry fuck up the next iten on the agenda. As another commenter said, he doesn’t have the ability to lead congress.
Jason Bylinowski
I can’t believe people actually get up this early. Sorry, hellish schedule is hell.
Anyway, I read the speech, saw the highlights, and the best I can say is that my hope was much embiggened by what I saw as sheer ball-power on his part to say some of the things he did, particularly the part about the SCOTUS. He did NOT go far enough on HCR, and that is unfortunate. Really really.
But, what can you do? Maybe things will still work out in the end.
J.A.F. Rusty Shackleford
I thought the SOTU speech was very strong. I don’t want to sound like a pollyanna but the speech raised my spirits. I’ve been bummed out the last couple of months and the speech was reassuring that we’re headed in the right direction.
The Republican response was pointless. 10 minutes of nothing new. I do have to give them credit – at least it was not memorable in a negative way. “Jindal the Page” it was not.
DecidedFenceSitter
Listened to the speech with my brother and sister-in-law. Neither are all politically active, though they have become more so as of late.
The speech as a whole I give a loud resounding applause. It was what I needed to hear. I can wish he’d gone a bit heavier in some areas; or a bit lighter in others; but in the end, I’m more to the left, more progressive than our President is. I can accept that it won’t ever be enough for me.
However, like several of the others, I feel that he’s had a year to prove himself. And in my opinion, he’s fucked up. He’s remembered the ideal of the Constitution, where the legislators legislate and executives execute. Unfortunately, that is now how the model has evolved over time. Now it is closer to a board structure; where the President is the direction-giver and direct leader; but the other members have enough power to collectively stymie him.
Right or wrong, that’s how it is. We’ve been in a long era where the President has become more important than the Congress as a whole, and I don’t see that pendulum changing back anytime soon with the media being what it is.
So, what am I looking for? The actions to back up that talk. More direct, public action. From the responses I’ve seen, if the President is moving behind the scenes, the back-benchers are seeing it. Fuck that noise.
I loved the speech, now I want to see the action. Time to hit the phones.
Brian J
I liked it, although I have mixed feelings about some parts. My biggest concern is tha he didn’t do enough to connect health care reform to deficit and debt control. If he had made it clear that trying to slow the growth in costs was the best way to control the deficit, he could have done nothing else and the speeech still would have been valuable. Orszsg has made this point numerous times with ease, so I don’t see why it would have been so hard to use it to accomplish several things: inform, move public opinion, and trash the Republicans.
Overall, I still liked it, and I think it will have helped him move things back in his favor.
harlana peppper
John, I don’t know what kind of work you had done, but it sounds quite invasive and painful and I hope you will recover quickly! When I saw the post about “Nurse Tipping” the first thing that came to mind was “Tipping” in the cow sense and I got visions of John Cole running around the hospital tipping over unwitting nurses.
Bill E Pilgrim
Wow. I thought it was a terrific speech. He was forceful, clear, willing to compromise but not roll over– just great.
Why can’t we elect THAT guy as President??
Who was he by the way?
I remember a candidate who was a lot like that back in 2008, his name escapes me, but it doesn’t matter because he’s clearly not the one who won. I think Rahm Emanuel (IL: Broder) won, but I can’t remember right now.
aimai
Harlana Pepper, great minds think alike. I made that very joke waay back thread. And it still cracks me up.
John,
I’m really glad to hear about the pain reduction. Those levels are astonishingly high, given that you must be drugged to the gills. Whatever you do don’t watch the rebuttal to the SOTU. And start slow with the speech itself–go through the bobblespeak translations first.
hugs
aimai
cat48
@zoe kentucky in pittsburgh:
I agree–I think he sorta boxed them in last night more than they might know. He put them in Wall St’s corner. Some of the instant polls swung as much as 30 pts in his favor when he hammered big banks.
John, try to stay on schedule with your pain meds the first few days–they are more effective that way. So glad to hear your feeling better.
RedKitten
I’ll send you my address so you can mail me my new monitor, sir.
arguingwithsignposts
Not enough nut kicking for my taste, but there were some gems in there. Liked the DADT callout. didn’t like the tie. Chris Matthews can DIAF for his racist comment. Will be interesting seeing how the SCOTUS callout plays in the days ahead.
ETA: glad the pain is down so much. Hope it keeps up.
Napoleon
I did not watch the speech since several months ago I had had it with Obama’s inability to lead and it just seems worthless to listen to him. But scanning TPM and some other sites I love it that he called out SCOTUS for their crap decision, mentioned the Dems running for the hills and although I think he fell short on HCR (he should have specifically said pass the senate bill and the house fix) he did give a pretty strong statement in support of it.
Felicity Simpleton
John–So glad you’ve had a break-through, but don’t let that fool you into thinking you can get back to your day-to-day routine. You still need to stay ahead of the pain and lay low for a while longer.
Regarding the SOTU, I was happy to see Obama standing up to the naysayers. It does disgust me to watch how disrespectful those hateful conservatives display themselves. Watch for Alito’s big head shaking and mouthing “Not true.” when Obama talks about the recent SCOTUS ruling.
harlana peppper
I didn’t watch speech, I’m just not following anything anymore. Too apathetic. I’m afraid that the Bush years have finally taken their toll
Michael
I wonder who the snide, ignorant little bitch is who they keep showing on HNN this morning from Youtube, the one saying the only change she’s seeing is going from her pocket “into your [Obama’s] hand”?
She might be rich some day.
rootless_e
The MSM and congress and military/corporate elite react differently to a Democratic and Republican President. People who expect Obama to be able to run over Congress like Bush did should remember what happened to Clinton and Carter.
arguingwithsignposts
Cat update: has anyone else had a cat steal a laptop key? Apparently, Smudge made off with the “7” key on my laptop. Not sure what to make of that. Obligatory kitteh pix.
mr. whipple
Glad to hear the pain abated.
I’m going to watch it again, just to enjoy the mastery of rhetoric. Can’t say I’ve ever done that before for a SOTU speech.
How much, if any, will it change anything? Dunno.
Skepticat
Although everything is indeed relative, glad to hear that the pain dialed back. I hope that you magically were able to transfer it to Alito. And not to his shoulderblade.
Tom
I thought the speech was great. One thing I’ve noticed in Obama’s two (?) addresses to joint chambers of Congress is that his speeches are much more lively than Bush’s or even Clinton’s as I recall. He engages his immediate audience and has a plain-spoken frankness that I think connects with people through the TV machine.
The more I see Obama, the more I’m impressed, not with his grand oratory, but with his ability speak directly to the tone, mood and issues facing the country in a frank, adult and engaging manner.
It was the exact speech he and the country needed at this moment in time.
Comrade javafascist
@Mustang Bobby: Shorter Jon Kyl on NPR this morning: Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! (Pretty sure that is a verbatim copy of a tweet I made too.) My favorite part of Kyl’s whine about whining was when he said it was his obligation to vote no on the HCR bill because the American people don’t want it. So, that means it is you obligation to vote yes for a Public Option because every poll has shown they want that. I’m sure he’ll get right on that.
Loved the speech but I won’t get hopey again until there is some action to support it (and not just an executive order to create a debt commission.)
Glad your starting to feel better John.
NobodySpecial
@arguingwithsignposts:
I can’t claim having seen that one before, but my cat loves playing with my 30 sided dice, and just recently she tried to ‘lose’ her ear medicine when I left it too low before I went to work. Well, came back and everything was off the counter I left it on and the medicine took three days to find.
Zifnab
I mean, the speech was great. I’ve got no problem with Obama’s public speaking ability. But when HCR is your biggest (and almost exclusive) legislative goal, and it’s still hanging by a thread, everything else out of Obama’s mouth sounds a bit absurd.
If this was anything else except the 111th Congress of the United States, I’m sure it would have been a significant rallying cry and come together moment. But after watching that ridiculous rebuttal (and the various interviews from the likes of John Boehner who basically shat all over “bipartisanship” in his my-way-or-the-highway snit), it’s obvious that the Republicans are going to keep drilling the Dem
minoritymajority, hoping for another November of ’94.Leelee for Obama
@arguingwithsignposts: Perhaps that cute kitty has a WH job in her future? I hear tell stealing keyboard keys is a pre-req in some circles?
Glad to hear the pain is less and looking to continue on that path. Take it easy, John. Let your body re-build.
Saw the speech with my Sister, who’s visiting, We are Obots, but that speech was kick-ass, and so we loved it. Most enjoyed the slap at the SCOTUS, and the 41 seat majority of the GOP. Even that dipshit Burr fromNC admitted they were schooled! Very sweet!
Boehner needs to be bleached, or rubbed with walnut stain. He looks like the pink edge on Chinese pork, amirite? And maybe Mitch McConnell should ask for a daytime SOTU, since he thought yawning was Okey Dokey. Asshole!
Paul W.
John, just hop on over to cspan and watch the speech. The text, while good, does not do the delivery justice especially when you get the shots of Congress and the President’s chuckling at his own jokes (something I forgive him for). It just changes the context of the words on the page.
Comrade Scrutinizer
President Obama did not cover all the issues I thought were important, and of the issues he did cover, he didn’t address them in the ways that he clearly should have. I have tried and tried to give the White House the benefit of my vast political wisdom and insight, and they continue to ignore my input. It is obvious that our government is ineffective and evil, and the only way to get better Dems is for all progressives to withhold our votes in the midterms and the next Presidential election. If we do that, then the country will have to go through another 8+ years of enlightened Republican leadership, and by then maybe we will have learned our lesson.
In the meantime, Obambi should just STFU, since he obviously isn’t up to the demands of the bilious pulpit.
/idiot mode
@arguingwithsignposts:
__
I’ll see that and raise you one.
jamie
The Problem is the GOP refuses to be led. It takes people willing to compromise to run a democracy.
Violet
Glad the pain broke. That’ll make a huge difference in your comfort and recovery. Great news.
I thought the SOTU was great. But you can also count me as an Obot, so maybe I’m a bit biased.
Loved the calling out of the SOTU and getting to see one of those black robed above-it-all Justices crack under the harsh glare of the spotlight (Alito) was teh awesome.
Loved, loved, LOVED watching him call for banksters paying a little bit more – “if they can pay bonuses, they can pay this” – and watching the Republicans just sit on their hands. Over and over again. That was great. And should be used in multiple campaign commercials.
Liked DADT. Wish he’d been more forceful on HCR.
Loved him calling out The Part of No for what they are. Go on, Republicans, stop obstructing and govern.
So much I loved about it. Count me as a an Obot for sure.
arguingwithsignposts
@Comrade Scrutinizer:
Oh, c’mon. you’ve got better than that.
Cris
@NobodySpecial: What does a d30 look like? My mind can’t deal with non-platonic polyhedra.
Senyordave
The speech reminded me of why I like this guy so much. he thinks about the long-term. That being said, I am still afraid we are screwed. People arejust too stupid, and will switch to the party of “go Cheney yourself” because they promise a magic pony, that is tax cuts and no spending cuts.
Socrates
Glad you’re feeling better John.
The speech was pretty good, especially the slap-down at the Supreme Court – and the camera was right on them. Great moment – I think he made them look bad (so well deserved.)
And the “you can’t just be the party of no” hits at the Republicans were well done – I think he put them on the spot almost perfectly.
The DADT part was good but it could have been a bit more forceful.
But the health care part was just okay, but not good enough.
He should have turned around, looked at Pelosi on national TV, and said “Madame Speaker: pass the damn Senate bill now.”
Woodbuster
@John Cole: welcome back, Dear Leader. I hope that you are able to continue to bend the pain curve in the desired direction. “This too shall pass.”
As for the SOTU, I would have paid good money to see O bitchslap Roberts, Alito, Thomas and Scalia in public like that, for all the good it’ll do. I think he did a great deal of effective damage control with “the Great Center” in the most important 10 minutes. Would have preferred that he give a more full throated shoutout for PTDB, but that is not how he rolls.
But, what do I know – I’m an Obot.
Annie
@arguingwithsignposts:
LOL. First the toilet paper, and now a laptop key.
Maybe it’s time to cut down on the catnip. Love the photo.
Thought the speech was awesome. Pissed off this morning at the Republican spin. Obama needs to talk more to the public, just like he did last night — stronger language, less patient “father” — and Democratics needs to take back Congress. If the Democratic Congress can’t govern, nothing Obama tries to do will matter. And, Republicans know this — still too much smirking on their side. Cantor, Boehner, McCain, etc.
Blue Neponset
I was too busy saving the galaxy from the Reapers to watch the SOTU.
I haven’t wanted to mention it b/c I’m guessing John can’t play video games but…..Mass Effect 2 is totally wicked awesome.
Comrade Scrutinizer
@arguingwithsignposts:
Oh, yeah?
Fair Economist
You have to be mean a little to get the benefits of being nice. That’s something Obama hasn’t seemed to understand since he got elected.
On the personal level, you shouldn’t ever be in excruciating pain. Check in with your doc about your med levels.
arguingwithsignposts
@Comrade Scrutinizer:
Love those eyes. but do you have the back leg salute?
Woodbuster
@arguingwithsignposts:
I had this same problem with a Dell and a Pom. Its toenails get caught under the keys in a certain way and pops them off. I suspect kitties would then love to play with their new prey. Getting them back on took professional help, dammitall.
Waynski
Glad you’re not in agony anymore JC and hope you continue to improve. I thought he did a pretty good job, but now he has to swing through… just like Elin Woods.
robertdsc
First, I’m curious. How is it you’re able to post if you had surgery Tuesday? You posting from the hospital or what?
Second, and in fairness, I’ve previously shredded my Obot card, I thought his forcefulness was important. He’s been besieged by miscues left and right throughout his term and he needed to set the record straight. Hanging the lost decade on the GOP was required and he did so in spectacular fashion. That should be SOP for Gibbs and any talking heads that appear from the Administration. Make those bitches own their bankrupt policies.
I got the same feeling from this speech that I did at the DNC in Denver in 08. I just hope that he continues to use the big stick he used last night on the Blue Dogs, ConservaDems, and the GOP. All they’ve done is contribute to failure. Beat their asses into shape and get with the fucking program.
The nuclear weapons thing was good, though as always I mock him for excluding Israel in his vision of a nuclear weapons-free world. The Supremes smackdown was righteous, though I kind of felt bad for Sonia Sotomayor having to go through that since Obama put her on the Court.
I’m glad he lavished praise on the House. They’ve come up big this year. It’s the fucking Senate that’s the problem.
Comrade Scrutinizer
@arguingwithsignposts:
LOL! You win, for now. But just wait ’til I get back to the house.
Smudge keeps getting cuter and cuter. I’m glad you two hooked up.
Violet
It’s definitely worth watching – maybe after you’ve read it. The crowd reaction shots are hilarious. For instance, this:
The House Dems were having a party out there!
The Grand Panjandrum
Good news the pain is subsiding.
The speech was pretty good. I was particularly fond of his praise for the work done in the House and the backhanded swipes at his colleagues in the Senate. But look for Alito mouthing a “that’s not true” when the President took a punch at the Supreme Court decision knocking down most of the last 100 years of campaign finance reform. Alito almost had a Joe the Shouter moment when Obama bemoaned the “foreign corporations” now having a conduit to effect our elections. That really was epic.
jeffreyw
@Comrade Scrutinizer:
@arguingwithsignposts:
Oh boy! Can three play?
John Redworth
I thought it was a great speech but I am biased. He made the Republicans clap a few times even if they looked like they “HAD” to clap or look like the cartoon characters they have become. The slap at the SCOTUS was good and of course king Alito shaking the head and saying “not true” is another in a growing list of improper behavior during the President’s speech.
The gov of VA’s speech left me… tired. I know they wanted to switch it up from Bobby “deer in headlights” Jindal’s response but it looked very junior high drama club. A Gov who has been in office for less than 2 weeks giving a response to the SOTU which was disconnected from the actual SOTU. I did notice that the GOP placement of minorities right behind the GOP speech givers continues and outside of like two other minorities I saw, that was it. I did laugh a little when he was talking about his daughter’s service you caught sight of his sons wearing headphones.
Just a hint for future responses to SOTU from the opposite side, please try to make sure your response does not demand or mention issues that was already covered in the SOTU which either agrees with or trumps your side of it. OR maybe actually respond to the speech itself instead of free stylin’ on random subjects.
GOP is calling the SOTU a flop while Hailin’ Palin is out saying that now America can see the President as weak and worthless (in more flowery terms). Seriously, has our political intellect gotten so low that Palin is a real commentator? I know it is off point but I seriously want to beat my head with a claw hammer everytime she opens her mouth with that shrill voice of defeated bitterness.
DecidedFenceSitter
@Cris:
Cris, Here you go.
And since you mentioned non-platonic solids, here’s a d10.
dr. bloor
@arguingwithsignposts:
Maybe she’s a fan of Mickey Mantle?
arguingwithsignposts
@jeffreyw: that’s almost scary how that kitteh looks like smudge.
Keith G
@zoe kentucky in pittsburgh:
No.
I’m pretty much a Obot. The coach has developed an interesting and hope filled game plan for this year and he has given a superb pre-game talk. How will he do when it comes to actually calling the plays? How will he adjust this time when plan A inevitably goes into a ditch?
When the shit starts flying, the best leaders get creative. That’s why they are the best. I sure hope this guy is one of the best.
Tom
I agree, it’s definitely worth watching the speech.
The difference between the two sides of the aisle in terms of race and gender has never been as stark as it was last night.
TR
Obama kicked ass.
cmorenc
@dr bloor
Unfortunately, when you’re on SCOTUS you’re a legal god in your own mind (and a bit too much in fact, if you are smugly arrogant, without humility) – which describes Anton Scalia and Joseph Alito. How can you humiliate a god who by nature, has no humility to begin with?
cmorenc
Scalia, Alito, and Thomas are living examples of why appointments to the SCOTUS should be one-shot twenty year, nonrenewable appointments, perhaps with a permanent lifetime pension afterward equal to their salary on the Court.
jnfr
Unfortunately the Senate is still broken, so the speech won’t matter much.
Glad to hear the pain has come down a bit.
Napoleon
@The Grand Panjandrum:
It should be pointed out that Alito has shown since he was nominated that he is your typical right wing baby. There have been a few instances of it but the one that I recall off the top of my head is that Obama voted against him and when shortly after he took office Obama invited the entire Sup. Ct. over to the WH as a courtesy Alito was the only one that did not show even though he was in town and appeared to have no competing engagement.
kay
@Keith G:
Secretary Gates’ reaction to the DADT line was the most important I think. He’s almost dour usually, and he was making a little noise. He wasn’t hooting and hollering or anything, but I believe he’s a supporter. I was really encouraged by that.
I don’t think generals are supposed to react to a SOTU, so maybe their non-reaction doesn’t mean anything.
Mike from Philly
Great speech, every sentiment expressed I agreed with and thought the delivery was spot on.
It won’t mean jack shit, however, if he now retreats into a White House conference room for the next six months and allows moronic memes to poison the discourse cheered on by our pathetic media.
I sincerely hope that Obama has learned valuable lessons this past year and that his recent moves to bring some of his 2008 campaign staff in house indicate that he’s learned he needs to sell his message outside of the occassional speech, no matter how brilliantly executed.
cmorenc
@John Redworth
The black folks in the background no doubt were members of “hip-hop Republicans”. That exists, no shit! Sean Hannity had a couple of its members on his program the other night. What the hell was I doing watching Fox, especially Hannity?…Well, I was a semi-involuntary captive in the workout room at the local YMCA, and Fox was one of the channels on the bank of tvs above the stationary bikes.
…and I thought I’d seen it all when I came across the musical genre “Heavy Metal for Jesus”. “Hip-Hop Republican” is one of the most absurd oxymorons I’ve ever come across. The particular examples thereof I saw on Hannity’s program certainly looked vastly more “Hop” than “Hip”.
chopper
the best bit by far was when he said he cut taxes for 95% of working families and the GOP didn’t clap. at all. and he said ‘hm. thought i’d get some applause for that one’.
its funny, but seriously demonstrates the cynicism the GOP brings to the table. they’re so anti-obama they won’t even applaud tax cuts. now *that’s* hatin’.
Citizen_X
John, good to hear that your Agonizer got turned down to “4.” As for the SOTU, don’t read it, watch it for the political theater value. Obie brung da pain.
@arguingwithsignposts: If you’re trying to find your “7” key, I heard waterboarding works pretty well on cats. KIDDING!
Nannergrrl
So, John’s mind finally said, “Well, hello there my little opiate.”
Good to see you are doing better.
Ana Gama
I loved Feisty Fightin’ Obama. I will love action even more.
dr. bloor
@jeffreyw:
“Spidercat! Spidercat!…”
/Homer Simpson
Admiral_Komack
John, I am glad you are feeling better.
I liked the fact that Obama called out everybody (the Senate, Democrats, Republicans, the Supremes, the MSM).
matoko_chan
This is the first time I’ve seen Obama lay out tiger bait for the populist tiger. Alito mouthing “not true” was pure awesomesauce. That was a deliberate, planned, exquisitely timed breach of decorum by Obama.
A thing of beauty.
Douthat is wrong as usual.
lol, Obama is going to go after the bankstahs and the corporate fat cats. He is going to exploit populist rage against Wall Street to defuse unemployment. That is why Alito was so pissed.
Tit for tat is unbeatable.
Max
I agree that you need to watch it. So much different than just reading, plus he ad-lib’d some stuff – “that’s how budgets work”.
Glad you are feeling better.
Ron
My main question about the SOTU was where the hell has this Obama been the past few months? I hope he follows through with what he said and actually applies pressure to people who need it.
dr. bloor
@matoko_chan:
I hate to say this, but the essence of what Douhat is saying (even if not his specific numbers) is likely to be true. The next two elections are going to be about the economy, and the unemployment rate is the coin of the realm in gauging the voting public’s misery.
TR
@Napoleon:
That’s no exaggeration:
It’s like he’s 8 years old.
geg6
Glad to hear you’re feeling better, John. Takes time, but your powers of recovery are remarkable.
The SOTU was pretty damn good. As a discouraged former O-bot, it has almost brought me back in. Gotta see action first, but it’s a good start.
The best things for me? The huge slap in the face to the SCOTUS wingnuts. Loved, loved, loved it. And something I think might just be a rather interesting moment in history that we witnessed. Also loved the smackdown on the Senate. They, both parties in that house, needed it and it was nice to see. Loved the GOPers sitting on their hands when it came to bankers and regulating them and on rewarding employers for having and keeping an American workforce. That is what the average American wanted to hear, I believe, and what the GOP looked like total assholes about.
I didn’t like everything he said: drill, baby, drill; capital gains; not enough on HCR; too much love for too much status quo. But all in all, what was good was great and what was bad wasn’t the worst things I’ve ever heard.
RareSanity
I think the main thing that I took from the speech was that he’s not in over his head, he understands the issues facing the country and the obstacles to addressing them.
I think what he was basically doing was putting Congress on the hook. He called out Senate Democrats and Republicans in general.
Basically, if I had to apply a overall theme of the speech, it would have been:
“Democrats, if you think I’m going to let you lay down and try and cruise through till November, you are sadly mistaken. Republicans, if you think I am going to continue to allow you to pervert and obstruct any progress and allow you to cruise to November, you too, are sadly mistaken.”
EDIT: Great to hear you’re feeling better John!
matoko_chan
@dr. bloor: yup…but that is why Obama is deliberately setting out to demonize the bankstahs and the scotus ruling. He is simply going to channel populist rage against wall street corporate fatcats to defuse unemployment, like the teabaggers channeled economic anxiety and fear of the Other into rage against HCR.
The scotus ruling was intended to give the right side a free speech money voice to compete against media and academe, wholly owned subsidiaries of the liberal rightside of the bellcurve of IQ.
Lets see the republicans filibuster a jobs bill.
Lets see the republicans filibuster regulatory reform of Wall Street.
Lets see the republicans filibuster an attempt to strike down scotus ruling after Obama has demonized…….
Its on.
Toni
I actually like how he played healthcare. I think some of his “give it a second look” was also aimed at the general public who has been turned off by the long debate. I think he made the case why it is still important to do reform, and that there are solutions on the table, it may not be everything you want but it does begin to address the problem, so give it a second look.
kindness
This morning driving in to work I was listening to NPR (KQED) and their review of the SOTU speech. They had a segment where they ‘fact checked’ the President’s speech. Some of it was accurate. Some of it was stretched to republican/conservative views. None of it was stretched to progressive views.
Now I don’t think news organizations have to be balanced or fair, even though I would prefer that. Really I would take accuracy over balance any day. Where I think NPR really dropped the ball was that they didn’t then turn around and ‘fact check’ the Republican rebuttal. No instead they played several clips all highlighting what liars & generally awful people President Obama & Democrats are. It was just another big wet french kiss to conservatives. And this from an ostensible Public Radio station. More like Phaux News lite really. So I went over to npr.org & told ’em. Not that I expect it will matter, but I feel better letting them know when they suck.
celticdragonchick
@zoe kentucky in pittsburgh:
Uh…yeah, okay.
If the Dems can’t get their act together to act on health care, what the fuck do you think the odds are that anybody has the stones to take on a hot button culture war issue in an election year?
I was thrilled to hear the President bring it up. Yes, it was moral boosting. I also noticed that he said he would “work with Congress” on the issue.
Translation: Don’t hold your breath.
Ana Gama
On the healthcare front, I’m seeing some moaning elsewhere about it being a call to bipartisanship. I think it is….but among the right and left factions of Democrats. I think Obama is fine with the Repubs taking a pass.
matoko_chan
The realtime focus group insta-lines climbed when Obama talked about regulatory reform of Wall Street.
Like I said, tiger bait.
And I think he hit health care just right. He has to offer bipartisanship….he ran on that. But everyone knows that is just lip service. I dont’ think they need the republicans at this point. Like I also said, HCR is going to pass. There is no other option.
Admiral_Komack
If you want to see Tweety at his ignorant worst, just check out the link.
I like how weseeyou.com frames this.
http://weeseeyou.com/2010/01/28/oh-tweety-hes-still-black/?success
Irony Abounds
With respect to the nurse tipping issue, I’ve gotten into the habit of watching old Perry Mason episodes, and last night I watched one where the girl friend of someone in the hospital brought the nurses a box of chocolates as a thank you for their care. So, if 50 year old B&W episodes of a fictional drama are a guide, yes, bringing nurses something as a thank you is acceptable.
Glad to hear the pain has subsided a bit. With any luck you’ll continue down that pain scale until you’re nothing but a happy smiley face.
dr. bloor
@matoko_chan:
Doesn’t matter who Obama demonizes or tries to deflect the anger toward. People don’t get to vote for or against the banks; they vote for the politicians. And if folks are still out of work, the politicians will take the fall. Book it.
Svensker
Glad the pain is receding, John. Keep up the good work.
Randy P
@kindness:
Repeating pattern for me when I occasionally listen to NPR in the morning. I’m listening with one ear, then I suddenly hear a slant on a news story that makes me go “What? Did I just hear that? Did my radio switch to Fox somehow?” Then I realize that I just heard Mara Liasson, who has frequently been called out here for that slant. And I believe she is a Fox contributor also.
About the speech: I was sitting in a diner that had a radio competing with it. Everybody there wanted them to turn the radio off but nobody seemed to know how to do that. So I missed parts of it when the music overwhelmed it. But what I heard I liked. I commented to my wife afterward that it wasn’t a fire and brimstone speech, he’d gone for a mellow, even-tempered tone. And I liked the touches of humor. He really looked like he’s in charge.
I was hoping to hear something specific on HCR too but I think all I heard (damned music) was “Congress, let’s do it.” Didn’t hear the DADT stuff. The Supreme Court moment was great and I love the hissy fits we’re hearing about that this morning.
Elie
Sorry about your bad night, John. This happens sometimes during recovery but glad that you found relief. Shoulders can be tricky during recovery as well
Again, you have to use your pain meds regularly — particularly before bed time. During sleep your body relaxes but when pain meds wear off, you cant tell until they have worn off completely since you are asleep (unlike the daytime) so you awake to pain and then have to get back to sleep after waiting for the pain to subside. This can be highly disruptive over time.
Also, the bed/sleeping comfort thing…get help to arrange your arm and sleeping position. I used a bolster prop but some have slept in a recliner during shoulder surgery recovery. The most deluxe option is a bed where you can crank the back up and down (hospital beds can be rented for a couple of weeks). I know this sounds overmuch, but shoulders are hard to lay down on whether you are on your back or not.
I think Obama gave a great speech but second what others have said — lets see what he can do now. The last two weeks really shook my confidence in him and the Congress and I have not come back all the way. I was furious and though I am not angry any more, neither am I without suspicion, so we will see. Its make or break time on health care.
Elie
@kindness:
Its why I no longer give financial support to NPR and only listen once and a while, never to news unless trapped in my car or something. They fell off a cliff in the 90’s when they were intimidated by Gingrich and gang into a rightward direction or be defunded and they never recovered. They are not a trustworthy or even semi independent source anymore in relation to political stuff — still ok on other types of human interest stuff (This Boy’s Life, etc). We do not have a Canadian Broadcast equivalent here in the US — at least that I can hear (Pacifica down in CA is ok)
Elie
@Ron:
Maybe the positive change in O is a reflection of Plouffe being back as a regular advisor?
Corner Stone
@dr. bloor:
Most people understand that Congress is going to do absolutely nothing against Wall St. and banksters, so promising to “go after” them is worse than saying nothing at all.
DonBelacquaDelPurgatorio
The speech was great. Smart, positive, well crafted and delivered. Embarassed the Republicans in the room, and sent a nice little message to SCOTUS that they are a part of government, and not just a little empire out there on an island somewhere doing their little academic mindfucks. Screw them if they squirmed in their seats.
After a year of the negative, self-centered, whiny and cynical noise on the blogs, it was a breath of positive fresh air and renewed committment to keep eyes on the ball and getting to work instead of hanging around the blog-water-cooler and bitching every goddam day.
If only Obama could get a radio show, I could listen to him all the time and break my blog habit once and for all.
lamh31
Best response yet to Tweety’s “forgot Obama was Black” comment. Ta-Nehisi Coates is the F)(*in truth.
Ta-Nehisi Coates get it!!!!
“I Just Remembered Chris Matthews Was White”
http://ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com/archives/2010/01/i_remembered_chris_matthews_was_white_tonight.php
“…I think it’s worth noting that Chris Matthews wasn’t trying to take a shot at anybody. I also think it’s worth noting that he was attempting to compliment Obama and say something positive about what he’s done for race relations. (See Matthews’ clarification here.) But I think it’s most worth noting that “I forgot Obama was black”–in all its iterations–is something that white people should stop saying, if only because it’s really dishonest.
…Ditto for Chris Matthews. The “I forgot Obama was black” sentiment allows the speaker the comfort of accepting, even lauding, a black person without interrogating their invented truth. It allows the speaker a luxurious ignorance–you get to name people (this is what black is) even when you don’t know people. In fact, Chris Matthews didn’t forget Barack Obama was black. Chris Matthews forgot that Chris Matthews was white…
… I would submit that a significant number of white people in this country, can not stop fighting on the lie. They can’t cop to the fact that they really have no standing to speak on Obama’s relationship to blackness, because they know so little about black people. It’s always hard to say, “I don’t know.” But no one else can say it for you.
…This is why Obama will never be postracial–he can’t make white people face the lie of their ignorance, anymore than Jimmy Baldwin could make black people face the lie of our homophobia. It’s white people’s responsibility to make themselves postracial, not the president’s. Whatever my disagreements with him, the fact is that he is brilliant. That he is black and brilliant is pleasant but unsurprising to me. I’ve known very brilliant, very black people all my life. At some point that number of white people who still can’t their head around our humanity will have to accept the truth: the president is black, and even if you don’t quite know what that means.”
YES….YES….YES!!!!
This sista bows to TNC!
D-Chance.
@Elie: Maybe the positive change in O is a reflection of Plouffe being back as a regular advisor?
Obama’s brain. At least, it’s a step up from a teleprompter.
It’s all meaningless. Talk is cheap and the Oster is big in the “blah, blah, blah” department.
DonBelacquaDelPurgatorio
Yes it was, and it was my second favorite moment.
My favorite moment was “It takes effect next year …. that’s how budgeting works” while looking right at the Republicans.
Just after chiding them on the “overwhelming” evidence on global warming. And in the same speech as holding confirmations hostage to “pet projects or grudges of a few individual senators” and looking at the Republicans.
And “Just saying no to everything may be good short-term politics, but it’s not leadership. We were sent here to serve our citizens, not our ambitions. ”
Those GOP assholes were pissed, and I was laughing my butt off.
matoko_chan
@dr. bloor:
lol…like the teabaggers raging against HCR when they are the demographic that needs it? Did you see the realtime focusgroup curves? They pegged on everything O said about regulatory reform. We live in a culture of blame. The masses want to blame someone…..why not the bankstahs that caused the whole mess and are now harvesting billions in profits? It will be delicious to see O channel the populist rage at the economy to the deserving target….Wall Street.
Lets say this again…..
Raw populism.
No wonder the conservatives are squealing like stuck pigs….Obama just stole their game.
lawl.
CaseyL
I’m glad to hear the pain dialed back significantly. Listen to the wise folk here telling you to take the pain meds: let’s have no stoic I-hate-drugs stuff from you, young man! Are you still in the hospital, or are you at home? How are Tunch and Lily doing with Daddy hors de combat?
I didn’t see the speech. I appreciate the reports on how Obama kicked ass, but Obama always kicks ass in his speeches. I’m glad I didn’t see it, because I don’t want my spirits buoyed only to crash again when there’s no follow through. That’s going to determine how I feel about the speech: how well it translates into action.
Rdalin
Good to hear, John. Get better!
The speech was very smart, exactly what most of the country needed to hear. I wish he had gone into more health care details, but it seems like a wise move to keep it quieter for now, as long as they keep pushing it behind the scenes. The SCOTUS moment was delicious.
celticdragonchick
@Elie:
You aren’t kidding about the pain meds. I am a pain clinic patient for two (unsuccessful to some degree) back surgeries and degenerative disc disease. I did not my meds last night and I could not move this morning.
matoko_chan
@Corner Stone:
say wat?
Obama got the most applause and the best curves of the night when he promised to go after the bankstahs.
Cornerstone, I am coming to concensus with the General.
You don’t make any sense.
HRA
Glad to know you had a good rest and pain has diminished, John.
I watched it on C-Span to appease the man I live with. I won’t watch it there again. It was the worse camera shots I have ever seen.
The speech was very good and I enjoyed the zingers Obama threw at the “perpetrators”. Now I am hoping there will be changes we voted for and changes in the No crowd to work for the country and not for their egos.