Quick Speech Reactions
I write this, as always, to give my honest reactions to President Obama's "State Of The Union" speech, before the inside-the-Beltway set gels on telling the rest of America what to think. This way, I am often "in the wrong" the next day, but at least you get my true feelings, uninfluenced by what others have to say about the speech.
With that preamble, here are a few random thoughts. I should mention that, as possible personal bias, I was a bit tired and not as focused as usual while watching the speech, and my reactions could easily have been influenced by this state of mind. Also as usual, I'm not dissecting exactly what Obama said tonight -- there'll be time enough for that later on.
President Barack Obama spoke tonight for almost exactly one hour. It'll be a few seconds shy, when the people who take statistics seriously get around to putting out "the numbers" on the speech. I would also wager, speaking of "stats," that the numbers for "applause" or "standing ovations" are going to be way down this year from years past.
This wasn't really a function of the speech Obama gave, or not entirely so at any rate. It had more to do with Obama's delivery, I think. Obama just didn't "pause for applause" all that much. His speaking cadence was a lot faster than he normally manages, which made the speech seem not "rushed" but, to me, "urgent." There were plenty of spots where Obama offered up lines that, in a usual year, Democrats (or Republicans) would have jumped out of their seats to enthusiastically support, but he steamrolled right along and didn't give much opportunity for a whole lot of crowd participation.
This is fine with me, I might add. The whole spectacle of counting standing ovations as stats is kind of silly, and has gotten sillier and sillier as time goes on. So maybe Obama was just trying to avoid all of that in the first place. Or maybe he had a lot to say and wanted to get it all in under an hour (which he managed, almost to the second). For whatever reason, though, it did give a different flavor to the speech than in years past.
Speaking of different flavors, Obama's speech tonight was definitely in a different direction than his second inaugural speech. At the inauguration, Obama was forceful and quite partisan, offering up plenty of red meat for what was (after all) an overwhelmingly Democratic audience. He made a strong case for what the Democratic Party stands for, why it stands for such things, and how what it stands for will make life better for almost everyone.
There were hints of this in tonight's speech, but only hints. Tonight's speech wasn't completely "non-partisan," but Obama certainly did dial down the full-blooded partisanship of his inaugural speech to levels where it was barely noticeable -- and only on a few pet Democratic issues at that.
Instead, Obama's speech seemed one of exasperation. Obama seemed sick and tired of Congress, to put this another way. Time after time, Obama asked a pretty basic question -- "this stuff isn't partisan, so who could be against this?" This wasn't so much "reaching out to the Republicans" as "trying to shame everyone in Congress into getting their basic work done." Which, again, is fine with me.
Obama's first State Of The Union speech of his second term was, as expected, a list of his agenda items that he knows he'll likely only have one year's chance of getting passed into law. Some of these things were leftovers from his first term, as well as a few new ideas Obama has decided to champion, such as raising the minimum wage and linking it to the cost of living. The list was a pretty utilitarian one, with a few high-profile issues and a few pie-in-the-sky proposals that he knows aren't going anywhere, but again, this is to be expected from any president facing the start of a second term.
Obama did go out of his way to leave quite a few doors open to Congress (and he also went out of his way to ding them, such as his joke about how members of Congress sure do love their ribbon-cutting ceremonies for projects in their own districts). The part of his speech on immigration reform, for instance, almost exactly matched up with the bipartisan Senate effort underway. He didn't demand anything new of this effort, and he didn't pressure them except in a general sort of way: "Send me a bill. Let's get it done."
Tonight's speech was not one which really "soared," for the most part. This may be due to Obama breaking in a new head speechwriter, who perhaps isn't as good as the previous one at capturing Obama's best speaking style. That's just a guess -- Obama himself may have been the one to tone down the soaring rhetoric, so it's impossible to say, really.
The most inspiring parts of the speech were at the end (which isn't surprising for any politician's speech, really). Obama probably hit the best notes of the night (at least measured by crowd reaction) on the issue of gun control, but even in doing so he kept the bar pretty low. His repeated "they deserve a vote!" refrain for all the victims and family members of mass shootings was the most emotional moment of the entire speech, but when you stop and think about it, that is a pretty low hurdle he's set. If Congress votes on each proposal, and votes all of them down, Obama can say "well, that's the minimum I asked for, so I'm going to chalk it up as a political victory," in other words. This is likely a very smart thing for Obama to do, because most of the initiatives simply aren't going to pass, at least not in this Congress. If he gets even one proposal signed into law, that will be a huge victory, by the standards of just begging Congress to hold a vote.
The other big issue at the end which got the crowd on its feet was the section dealing with the right to vote. Obama's right -- a 102-year-old woman shouldn't have to wait hours and hours and hours just to cast her ballot, even in Florida. That is shameful. We as a nation can do a lot better than that. But again, Obama set the bar pretty low on this one, merely calling for a blue-ribbon commission on the subject. Now, this may be unfair of me, because voting is an issue which isn't perhaps as imminent as some of the rest of what Obama spoke of tonight, because our next national election won't be until the end of 2014. This could indeed give a commission time enough to study the issue, make recommendations, and have a bunch of these recommendations implemented. But even so, they'd better move fast so it doesn't get tangled up inside the election season next year.
Obama's speech was a good one, but if pressed to describe it in one word, I guess I'd have to say "utilitarian." Obama's got a real agenda for the second term, and he's got a lot of initiatives he'd like to see some congressional action on. He knows that the next six months may be the most important of the next four years when it comes to actually passing bills through Congress. He certainly isn't shying away from filling Congress' plate with things to do. Obama seems to have made a conscious choice to separate the political rah-rah nature of laying out his second term agenda, and restrict it to his inaugural speech. Tonight's State Of The Union was notable for the lack of political red meat tossed out to his own party, in fact, compared with the last few decades' worth of such speeches.
Obama sounded frustrated and exasperated with Congress tonight, but that's really no surprise considering what he's had to work with. He sounded a note of urgency on a number of issues which face the country. There was a lack of both jingoism and chest-thumping, which in my opinion is a good thing, actually. How much of the agenda he laid out tonight will see congressional action is an open question, but then it always is. Obama has clearly laid out the path he'd like to take, and the goals he'd like to meet. We'll see whether Congress is willing to work with him to achieve any of it, but we won't have to wait more than a few months to see how successful Obama's likely to be.
That's it for my "snap reactions" to Obama's speech. To be fair, I will now review the Republican rebuttal speech given by Senator Marco Rubio.
One word to describe Rubio's speech? Boilerplate. Not a new idea in sight. Saturday Night Live is going to have a field day with Rubio scratching his face and sneaking a swig of water when the nervousness of the national stage overcame him. I particularly enjoyed the part where Rubio slammed Obama's motives for everything Obama does, and then complained about how Obama criticizes the motives of Republicans. Other than that notable bit of irony, one of the most forgettable speeches I've ever witnessed.
Oh, and one final note: the broadcast television network shows -- even Fox -- did a huge favor for the Republican Party by refusing to air Rand Paul's "Tea Party response" speech. If they had showcased it, it would have sent an enormous message to the country: "The Republican Party is at war with itself, and can't even agree on speaking with one voice the one night of the year more people are paying attention than ever." Because the networks all ignored Rand Paul, that message wasn't hammered home to millions of Americans. Establishment Republicans should all heave a big sigh of relief for that programming decision, because it would have laid bare how divided their own party truly is right now.
-- Chris Weigant
Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant
His repeated "they deserve a vote!" refrain for all the victims and family members of mass shootings was the most emotional moment of the entire speech, but when you stop and think about it, that is a pretty low hurdle he's set.
I didn't hear a low bar. I heard a shot across the bow of the Senate. "A vote," as I understand it, means no filibuster. The new cloture rule means Harry Reid doesn't have to keep every single Democrat on board. That weakens his negotiating position in terms of how far right the Republicans can expect him to go in search of a few votes from their side. But it strengthens his ability to at least get something passed, in that he can effortlessly guarantee his side of any bargain he makes.
dsws -
I dunno. I heard it as a challenge more to the House than anything else. No matter what gets through the Senate, the House can sit on it until Boehner feels like putting it to a vote.
I still think the background check thing will go through, but nothing else.
-CW
dsws -
I forgot to ask... what did you think of the speech?
-CW
One word to describe Rubio's speech? Boilerplate. Not a new idea in sight. Saturday Night Live is going to have a field day with Rubio scratching his face and sneaking a swig of water when the nervousness of the national stage overcame him. I particularly enjoyed the part where Rubio slammed Obama's motives for everything Obama does, and then complained about how Obama criticizes the motives of Republicans. Other than that notable bit of irony, one of the most forgettable speeches I've ever witnessed.
Once again, isn't it amazing how two people can look at the same event and come to a totally different conclusion.. :D
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/02/12/marco-rubio-got-it-right-in-his-response-to-obama/?intcmp=HPBucket
Full disclosure.. I did not have time to watch the speeches.. I have hired two new techs at my shop and getting them up to speed makes for 18 hour days...
Michale
Rubio's speech could've been any Romney campaign speech. Same old nonsense showing that Republicans haven't learned their lessons, are prepared to continue to portray Obama as the devil in chief and the usual over the top maniacal nonsensical rhetoric.
How he manages to position himself as a moderate I'll never know - he is probably one of the most crazy lunatic Tea Party whack-job senators out there...
Also Obama's speech what exactly what it needed to be. Democrats need to do a better job of showcasing how maniacal and crazy the Republicans in the House are just now - opposing (and not even holding votes on) measures that have mass public support. His message was exactly this, lecturing to them and telling them to start doing their job.
The result should be that they do start doing their job or they get punished for not doing it in 2014. Regardless, this is the message Democrats need to keep pounding home.
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/02/13/liberal-media-lavish-praise-on-obama-but-mercilessly-mock-rubio-water-break/?intcmp=HPBucket
Seriously??
A sip of water???
Obama let Americans die in Benghazi and ya'all call it a "non issue" yet turn around and mock Rubio for a SIP OF WATER!???
And ya'all claim that *I* am blindly partisan???
Michale
I thought the same thing about Rubio. He was simply repeating the same talking point the Republicans always use. He wasn't "rebutting" anything. In fact, I had tuned out and was paying more attention to my laptop by the time the sip of water happened and I almost missed it. I would have missed it all together if my husband had not said, "What the...?" as he was reaching over.
No one expects perfection in a speech but this is very high profile. If you aren't ready for prime time, stick to the political talk show circuit until you are. The Republicans SO want to put a minority face on their party that they slap up the brownest person they can find, ruining the future for these people.
I liked what I heard from President Obama. But it did bug me that he kept referring to the US as a democracy. We are not a democracy; we are a republic. I have done this myself and am annoyed after I do it. So, minor quibble.
We're a "democratic republic." Neither fish nor fowl. And neither the democratic nor the republican part works terribly well.
LOL@LewDan. :-) Thanks for making me feel better.
I didn't hear most of it. I was surprised at the apparently bipartisan applause for gun control. I got the feeling the Republicans in the room were sitting there thinking, "I would be willing to disembowel myself with a dull razor blade if by doing so I could stop even one municipality from passing an unenforceable ban that only covered clips containing over 500 rounds of depleted uranium. The NRA knows I would. But now I have to applaud or I'll look as though I'm being insensitive to some dead kids. I hate this guy."
My impression is that the House votes on exactly what the speaker says it does, so Boehner can easily schedule a vote on the measure as part of the No Right to Air (Since All of You Stink) For Union-members act, or maybe attached to a bill to create the Unearned Income Tax Credit so that the effective income tax rate would be negative on all income over $250k, or ... . Whatever Obama wants to get passed, it has to be negotiated with House Republicans, whether he marshals pressure for a "vote" or not.
A democracy is any polity wherein the general public can, if they act in sufficient numbers and with sufficient diligence, determine government policy.
A republic is any polity where some segment of the population, too large to be considered an oligarchy, acts through established institutions (the "public thing", res publica) to determine government policy.
We are a democracy. We are also a republic. We're not some hybrid, that's partly one and partly the other. They're overlapping categories, and we're in the overlap.
No Right to Air (Since All of You Stink) For Union-members act
Now THAT was funny!!! :D
Michale
DS
You missed the classic Republican trick of naming a bill after Obama and then including (literally) a bunch of nonsense crap. Eg
THE OBAMA GUN BILL
- This authorises anyone with a gun to be allowed to shoot Obama in the face.
Then when it is unanimously rejected 430-0 in the House they will be able to say 'AHA! Obama's gun bill is so extreme even all the Democrats rejected it!'
PS. You think I'm exaggerating but they have literally (not the exact wording but the exact same scheme) done this move before with 'Obama Budgets'.
You missed the classic Republican trick of naming a bill after Obama and then including (literally) a bunch of nonsense crap. Eg
Of course, this only happens in MichtyLand, not in reality...
Michale
On the Rubio thing...
You'll just have to take my word for it, but two minutes before the water swig, my wife turned to me and said "he looks nervous, like he's getting dry mouth or something."
SNL's going to have a field day, that's for sure...
-CW
dsws, ninjaf -
Then what's a Democratic-Republican?
Heh. Thomas Jefferson!
Heh heh.
(Sorry, been reading too much history of late.)
-CW
You'll just have to take my word for it, but two minutes before the water swig, my wife turned to me and said "he looks nervous, like he's getting dry mouth or something."
It just seems like such a silly thing to get the panties all bunched up in a wad about..
It's like the Hysterical Right getting all up in arms that Obama made a speech where he said "57 States"...
It's ridiculous....
SNL's going to have a field day, that's for sure...
As they do with every minor insignificant faux pas committed by the Right..
With all the problems that the Left *claims* the Right has, what they latch onto is an up and comer taking a sip of water!!??
Fer real???
Michale
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/matt-hadro/2013/02/13/cnn-absurdly-asks-if-rubios-sip-water-was-career-ender
Yes...
CNN is right...
Rubio's career is OVER because he took a sip of water...
Turn it around...
Imagine what ya'all would think if Rush Limbaugh make the comment that Obama "looked uncomfortable and out of his depth" because he took a sip of water..
How would THAT go over???
Now granted.. I didn't see the speech..
But to get all this worked up over a sip of water???
Michale
Michale -
So you're saying the Republicans haven't slammed Obama for something every other politician has done since the 1950s?
(cough, cough, TelePrompTer, cough).
Yeah, right. And I've got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you, pal.
Heh.
-CW
Michale -
You want a more-substantive critique of Rubio's speech? Well, ask and ye shall receive. Today's column is now up.
:-)
-CW
It just seems like such a silly thing to get the panties all bunched up in a wad about..
It's like the Hysterical Right getting all up in arms that Obama made a speech where he said "57 States".
Gotta agree with that.
Al Gore looking at his watch. Dan Quayle going on autopilot with the card that said "potatoe" long enough for the camera to catch it, before realizing the card was wrong. Obama looking down at his notes during the first 2012 debate. And now Rubio and his water glass.
It's a tradition of stupidity.
With the utmost respect to our fearless leader.....
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-state-of-the-union-and-mardi-gras--what-a-coincidence/2013/02/12/105119ee-7560-11e2-aa12-e6cf1d31106b_print.html
This is the best summation of the SOTU speeches to date...
Michale
So you're saying the Republicans haven't slammed Obama for something every other politician has done since the 1950s?
I did point it out and it's JUST as ridiculous as getting all bent out of shape over a sip of water..
dsws,
It's a tradition of stupidity.
Truer words were never spoken...
Michale....
Best comment on "WaterGate 2013" to date...
"I suppose if {Rubio} farted {The Left} would call an exorcist. Good grief, grow up and get a life would you?!"
:D
Michale
Rubio should feel lucky that the media is talking about the water sip and not his actual message.
Rubio should feel lucky that the media is talking about the water sip and not his actual message.
I just think it display's the ridiculous-ness of the Left so perfectly..
Our ambassador and 3 other Americans are brutally murdered and it's a "non issue"....
But an up and coming Republican takes a sip of water during a speech and it's "career ending"....
If only that applied to Obama... We would have been rid of him a LONG time ago....
Michale
"Our ambassador and 3 other Americans are brutally murdered and it's a "non issue"...."
And, yet, you think over 4,000 Americans brutally murdered because of "bad intelligence" is a "non issue...?"
We are a democracy. We are also a republic. We're not some hybrid, that's partly one and partly the other. They're overlapping categories, and we're in the overlap.
Definition of HYBRID
1: an offspring of two animals or plants of different races, breeds, varieties, species, or genera
2: a person whose background is a blend of two diverse cultures or traditions
3a : something heterogeneous in origin or composition : composite
3b : something (as a power plant, vehicle, or electronic circuit) that has two different types of components performing essentially the same function
dws,
As you said, there's overlap. Just because the U.S. is a Republic doesn't mean it can't also be Democratic. Which would make it a hybrid. Polities outside of that "overlap" would be either Democratic or Republican.
michty6 [26] -
You are so right. In fact, that's why I wrote Wednesday's column -- he was getting too much of a free pass, I thought.
:-)
-CW
And, yet, you think over 4,000 Americans brutally murdered because of "bad intelligence" is a "non issue...?"
Of course not..
And, neither did the Left who dragged the entire country thru a mess to further their own political agenda..
So, we agree..
Both the bad intelligence of Iraq and Benghazi were/are very real, very important issues that needed/needs to be addressed...
Right??
Michale
LOL No, we don't agree. Just because you say Iraq was the result of "bad intelligence" doesn't make it so. And you never claimed Bush's erroneously invading Iraq "were/are very real, very important issues that needed/needs to be addressed..." Nice spin though!