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**Julie** · 01-26-2011, 09:17 AM

I thought the President did a fine job last night. He did a good job of summing up what progress we've made and clearly defined what he thinks we need to do next. I really liked how he challenged Congress to publicly post when they meet with lobbyists. There were lots of good parts of the speech, which did you especially like?

Julie

**jaxx** · 01-26-2011, 09:41 AM

I liked when he was talking HCR and said he would be willing to listen to changes that would make it better and would save money (paraphrasing here, I don't remember exactly). And then he said "What I won't do is...." That told the pubs, be adults, bring solutions not talking points to the table.

I think the adults listened to what he had to say, the children...not so much.

**Julie** · 01-26-2011, 10:09 AM

(01-26-2011 09:41 AM)Sass Wrote: I liked when he was talking HCR and said he would be willing to listen to changes that would make it better and would save money (paraphrasing here, I don't remember exactly). And then he said "What I won't do is...." That told the pubs, be adults, bring solutions not talking points to the table.

I think the adults listened to what he had to say, the children...not so much.

Yeah, he got a couple of good jabs in, didn't he?

Julie

**Cha** · 01-26-2011, 02:48 PM

(01-26-2011 09:41 AM)Sass Wrote: I liked when he was talking HCR and said he would be willing to listen to changes that would make it better and would save money (paraphrasing here, I don't remember exactly). And then he said "What I won't do is...." That told the pubs, be adults, bring solutions not talking points to the table.

I think the adults listened to what he had to say, the children...not so much.

That was a brilliant way to acknowledge one of the most important parts of HCR!

Was boner cringing?

**Dimwitted Fool** · 01-26-2011, 10:59 AM

As speeches go, it was another good one, but it remains to be seen how things work out. Good speech or not, Washington has to get back to what it jokingly considers work.

But, a long time ago SOTU's became gauntlet dropping events, with a lot of Presidential puffery but little substance, and I see little reason to take them all that seriously.

And what the hell is this with TWO rebuttals? Why not have the Greens rebut? Or Working Families, or Libertarians, or anyone else who feels like chiming in?

Just for shits and giggles, here's Washington's first SOTU-- when most of the people who put that in the Constitution were still alive, but no one really had any guidelines for just how it should be done.

http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/ref/blfirstsou.htm

(Personally, I'd be happy if they went back to just mailing it in.)

**Karmic Spirit** · 01-26-2011, 12:47 PM

He told Congress and America what they needed to hear, not what they wanted to hear.

1. America isn't as bad off as some people would have it
2. America has been challenged before, and each time, lived up to those challenges to become a better country. We are challenged yet again with turning away from fossil fuels toward renewables.
3. Being smart, educating our population and meeting higher standards are virtues everyone needs to strive for. Investing in R&D, sciences and education is what will create the next economy and continue to define America as a leader.
4. It's time to stop taking care of those who don't need it (Big Oil and large corporations) and use those resources instead to meet the challenges we face.

He also put Repubs in their place and made some warning shots across their bow, daring them to try their bullshit moving forward. I think he's ready for whatever they have to throw at him. He's already endured far more resistance and gotten more done despite it than any President in recent history.

**Cha** · 01-26-2011, 02:51 PM

(01-26-2011 12:47 PM)Karmic Spirit Wrote: He told Congress and America what they needed to hear, not what they wanted to hear.

1. America isn't as bad off as some people would have it
2. America has been challenged before, and each time, lived up to those challenges to become a better country. We are challenged yet again with turning away from fossil fuels toward renewables.
3. Being smart, educating our population and meeting higher standards are virtues everyone needs to strive for. Investing in R&D, sciences and education is what will create the next economy and continue to define America as a leader.
4. It's time to stop taking care of those who don't need it (Big Oil and large corporations) and use those resources instead to meet the challenges we face.

He also put Repubs in their place and made some warning shots across their bow, daring them to try their bullshit moving forward. I think he's ready for whatever they have to throw at him. He's already endured far more resistance and gotten more done despite it than any President in recent history.

Good summary, Karmic Spirit~

**Velleity** · 01-26-2011, 01:01 PM

It was a great speech, but it was only a speech. It will be remembered in the context of Obama's achievements.

At the end of the day the only thing that ends up mattering is how well we do. If Bush's invasion of Iraq really did end up being the parade of wonderfuls that PNAC predicted we would look upon GWB much differently. The same is true, of course, of his tax cut panacea.

But, alas, it didn't and "conservatives" will never rehabilitate GWB. Nor will they end up push polling Reagan to any measurable degree. Their records are what they are, and so it shall be for Barack.

And it is looking good so far. He brought us from the brink of the Great Republican Depression II. He's erased much of President Cheney's egregious "achievements". He is putting us on the road to improvement.

**Andy823** · 01-26-2011, 02:35 PM

It was a great speech, and he hit on the issues that are important to this country, and made it pretty clear he was willing to work with republicans, but on his terms, not theirs. He made it clear we need to do some things to reduce the deficit, but he also made it clear what he was "NOT" willing to do, like take on SS.

What I liked best was watching Boehner in the background when the president said things Boehner didn't like. His expressions were priceless! Grin

**Capn Sunshine** · 01-26-2011, 02:41 PM

I missed the whole thing due to a client emergency. Shit hit the fan @ 5:45 .
However after hearing it on replay at Faux News of all places, I thought it was great, he pointedly mentioned NOT cutting Social Security OR Medicare, despite the blogosphere hysteria on the subject, and his idea of consolidating government agencies was long overdue. I really liked his smoked salmon comment.

Watch today Michelle Bachman will be saying " It's a socialist takeover! Its a government takeover of government!"

**Cha** · 01-26-2011, 02:50 PM

(01-26-2011 02:41 PM)Capn Sunshine Wrote: I missed the whole thing due to a client emergency. Shit hit the fan @ 5:45 .
However after hearing it on replay at Faux News of all places, I thought it was great, he pointedly mentioned NOT cutting Social Security OR Medicare, despite the blogosphere hysteria on the subject, and his idea of consolidating government agencies was long overdue. I really liked his smoked salmon comment.

Watch today Michelle Bachman will be saying " It's a socialist takeover! Its a government takeover of government!"

"Even more complicated when it's smoked" got quite the extended laugh! roflmao

**Treestar** · 01-26-2011, 02:43 PM

I liked best that he was positive and put things in terms of a challenge to us, reminding us that when JFK did that, we did what he challenged us to do.

**OptimistesMaddie** · 01-26-2011, 08:10 PM

Julie,

I agree, he did a fine job. He pulled all issues back to the real "center". He also took some of the Repug ideas and made them his own, That's why Boehner was grimacing.

**Cha** · 01-26-2011, 08:48 PM

I also really like the Visual Aids/Charts/& Stats! Better to stay in people's memories~ Notworthy

**Julie** · 01-26-2011, 09:50 PM

Dear You Guys,

I've enjoyed reading your thoughts as always.

Julie--who's been into the single malt Irish whiskey

**SeattleGirl** · 01-26-2011, 10:06 PM

I thought it was a good speech, and I loved it when he called out the Republicans on health care and other issues!

I pretty much ignored all the pundits after the speech. i am quite capable of listening to the speech and forming my own opinion, as are all of you. Today, however, I heard the beginning of a supposedly liberal talk show, and the first thing out of the host's mouth was how the applause didn't seem as enthusiastic as other President's have gotten.

Sheesh! If there's a lot of clapping, the lefties (and the righties) put it down as "rah rah speechifying" or a "pep rally". If there isn't a lot of clapping, cheering, etc., then the speech is a failure. It was a SOTU speech, not American Idol!

**Julie** · 01-26-2011, 10:32 PM

(01-26-2011 10:06 PM)Punky Wrote: I thought it was a good speech, and I loved it when he called out the Republicans on health care and other issues!

I pretty much ignored all the pundits after the speech. i am quite capable of listening to the speech and forming my own opinion, as are all of you. Today, however, I heard the beginning of a supposedly liberal talk show, and the first thing out of the host's mouth was how the applause didn't seem as enthusiastic as other President's have gotten.

Sheesh! If there's a lot of clapping, the lefties (and the righties) put it down as "rah rah speechifying" or a "pep rally". If there isn't a lot of clapping, cheering, etc., then the speech is a failure. It was a SOTU speech, not American Idol!

Yeah, I know. Assholes galore on TeeVee. I tuned out too because I thought, I don't need these assholes to tell me why the speech sucked, I saw it myself and thought it was pitch perfect. And I hadn't been drinking!

Julie

**SeattleGirl** · 01-26-2011, 10:51 PM

(01-26-2011 10:32 PM)Julie Wrote:
(01-26-2011 10:06 PM)Punky Wrote: I thought it was a good speech, and I loved it when he called out the Republicans on health care and other issues!

I pretty much ignored all the pundits after the speech. i am quite capable of listening to the speech and forming my own opinion, as are all of you. Today, however, I heard the beginning of a supposedly liberal talk show, and the first thing out of the host's mouth was how the applause didn't seem as enthusiastic as other President's have gotten.

Sheesh! If there's a lot of clapping, the lefties (and the righties) put it down as "rah rah speechifying" or a "pep rally". If there isn't a lot of clapping, cheering, etc., then the speech is a failure. It was a SOTU speech, not American Idol!

Yeah, I know. Assholes galore on TeeVee. I tuned out too because I thought, I don't need these assholes to tell me why the speech sucked, I saw it myself and thought it was pitch perfect. And I hadn't been drinking!

Julie

There sure are. The ones the irk me the most are those who just repeat what he said, as if I didn't just sit there an listen to the man himself with my own ears.

I wouldn't mind it so much if they talked about what they thought about the speech, and what they thought the different parts of the speech meant (and owned the fact that they were putting forth their thoughts, not something sent to them from upon high), but they can't even do that for the most part. They are as entitled to their opinion as I am to mine. The difference is, I own my opinion, and I don't pretend to be speaking for everyone else when I express it. Apparently, they don't know how to do that.

**RoyGBiv** · 01-26-2011, 11:30 PM

(01-26-2011 10:06 PM)Punky Wrote: I pretty much ignored all the pundits after the speech. i am quite capable of listening to the speech and forming my own opinion, as are all of you. Today, however, I heard the beginning of a supposedly liberal talk show, and the first thing out of the host's mouth was how the applause didn't seem as enthusiastic as other President's have gotten.

How odd. "Liberal" talk shows taking their cue from Fox again?

On their morning show today, Fox dubbed over the response such that it was muted entirely and replaced with the sound of crickets.

Yeah, they're a serious news station. Rolleyes

**Cha** · 01-26-2011, 10:28 PM

What a stupid thing for that host to say. Like it has any fooking meaning at all.

**Willinois** · 01-26-2011, 11:26 PM

Very good. He's not letting up on climate change. We can't afford to.

**Blue_Roses** · (This post was last modified: 01-28-2011 03:37 PM by Blue_Roses.)

I thought it was great. I loved the comment about getting exciting for kids excelling in science instead of super bowls. The room seemed to like that too. I liked the mixed seating as well. It made them look like grown-ups for a change instead of the ridiculous hollering like the one Joe Wilson did last year.

**spazito** · 01-28-2011, 09:36 PM

I thought it was very good, the President brought out the difficulties the American people are facing and challenged both the people and Congress to work together to address them. He pointed out the talent and skills are there and what is needed is the will to put politics aside and work together on solutions. It was quite brilliant, imo, the way he provided a picture of what the United States is and could be in the future.