It was a solid speech that had a lot for both sides to like but, the question is if the President is really serious about pursuing the goals pointed out in last night’s State of the Union address.
- Fixing healthcare (although not starting over)
- A spending freeze.
- Increasing energy indepenence.
- Improving and making American education more competitive.
- Bringing our soldiers home.
It all sounds great and it was nice seeing our lawmakers playing nice and sitting together but one analyst said it best last night on one of the national telecasts “It’s not if we sit together tonight, but if we stand together tomorrow”, that’s a fine thought but we all know better.
I think we all know that the President’s re-election campaign basically started last night. This pledge of bi-partisanship and riding this wave of leadership momentum following a national tragedy was absolutely necessary if he is serious about getting elected. He did that last night. The competitors were watching last night, oh yes they were and if he can’t deliver, your Gingrich’s, Romey’s, and Palin’s will let the voters know. It was a moderate speech catered to the moderate voters that determine Presidential elections.
Ok, now some random thoughts from last night’s State of the Union Address:
“In Fantasy world President Obama would pull a Mark Sanchez on one of these Lawmakers” Video Here
Obama shakes Hilary Clinton’s hand “Hey are you coming after me again?
Hey Shinseki! Where is my check! – Me to the television last night while VA Secretary Eric Shinseki was onscreen.
John Boehner almost pulled the President over the podium trying to establish dominance on that handshake.
Standing ovation for Gabrielle Giffords, there is a buzz on the net that she is watching the speech.
“Hey its Stuart Smalley”- After I spotted Minnesota Senator Al Franken in the audience.
Senator Al Franken will always be Stuart Smalley to me.
“Hey John McCain and John Kerry are sitting together” How do they not talk about losing Presidential races.
“That pat down joke was pretty funny, a lot funnier than actually receiving one I suppose”
“Fame is not a function of PR?! I suppose. Fame is the result of PR!”
Tweet of the night by the ESPN’s Adam Schefter “The Lions haven’t won a science fair either” in response to President Obama’s “We should be cheering science fair winners, not just Superbowl winners’ Comment.
It does make more sense to cheer science fair winners, instead of these Lions
“I can’t access my medical records with the click of a mouse, Mr. President”- in response to the President touting VA records.
Joe Lieberman is not clapping for the Veterans.
10:09- John Boehner starts crying…again, and all was right with the world.
The Republican Response: You guys know how I felt about Paul Ryan giving this speech instead of Marco Rubio. I mentioned it, in yesterday’s post. Ryan actually did a pretty fine job. He hit all of his talking points well and his position on the budget committee gave him the cred that voters would be looking for after an “economic heavy” SOTU. I thought the speech could have ended stronger. He was here one second and gone the next.
Michelle Bachmann’s Tea Party Response: Bachmann’s response wasn’t as brutal as I thought it would be. She led off with the statement that she wasn’t competing with the Republican response and did something I’ve been suggesting the Tea Party has had to do for months.
She responded with numbers and facts, not just anger.
There was some number stretching and the time lines might have been off a bit, but I think there was a lot more substance than most expected. This is the lady that the Tea Party needs to look to for leadership, not Sarah Palin.
Selling books and celebrity impersonations shouldn’t decide leadership, pushing ideas and policy should.
Just next time Michelle darling, look at the right camera! This is what people are talking about this morning, not what you had to say.
In conclusion it was a very long night. This speech paired with tornadoes gave Central Floridians a lot to keep up with. I’ll see you tomorrow.
