The State of the Union Open Thread
By Erick Posted in Policy — Comments (170) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
It's that time. With just over an hour to go until we hear, for the first time during a SOTU, "Madam Speaker, the President of the United States," let's open up the open thread.
We'll be live blogging during the speech in this thread too.
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Dick Morris just said to Bill O'Reilly that the President could set the agenda for the nation if he got up during the SOTU tonight and said that everyone in the United States should have blonde hair.
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/docs/sotutp/
This should help focus the discussion on what we are supposed to be talking about.
I like being told, in advance, what to talk about. Saves me time thinking up my own ideas and that's a good thing.
Dick Morris is just the crazy man of Punditry. Crazy, I tell you!
used to pay women to let him suck their toes?
I know this is a family site, but I think that is my memory, and a bit more than won't make this post.
God save the Republic. If the ship of state gets blown up tonight, Al's our President.
So how about ratings of how well the President gave the SOU speech, not the content, but how well or not he did selling his program.
For a moment, you are the speech professor, grade Mr. Bush's presentation.
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Another South Park Republican spouting off !
appointed Hoyer to help escort the Prez. She really wants to like him. Really.
You'd like to think the first female Speaker in her first SoTU would wear something that was a shade brighter than dead flesh.
Man. Thank GOD it's not 1941 - we'd have already lost.
The best part of the Bush legacy just walked in the room. Alito without his robe. Geez, I kinda miss the gold bands on the CJ's robe.
watch actually. probably the first SOTU of W's I would have skipped. not because of Bush fatigue, because I do not suffer from that in the least, but the stomach churning thought of seeing Pelosi sitting behind him. but I wanted to see what Justices turned out. and missed it at first so had to watch a bit more than I expected. Roberts, Kenendy, Breyer, and Alito if I saw correctly? Breyer always seems to come, I like that about him. Was hoping to see Stevens though, as I thought it might potentially signal it being his last to attend as a Supreme Court Justice. oh well, doesn't necessarily mean he won't retire.
Bush has sounded pretty good tonight, from the bits I've listened to.
stayed home. He would run our government if... oh, nevermind.
...while I realize that Katie Couric has never anchored a State of the Union address before, her announcing and commentary thus far sound as though she's never watched one before, either.
This ain't no Macy's Day Parade, Ms. CBSEVENINGNEWSANCHORWOMAN.
According to my wife because Cynthia McKinney is not there.
The woman is a case of... oh, I can't mention nasty STDs.
I love this part of the SOTU address. Everyone is smiling and hugging and gladhanding and kissing and hobnobbing like they just are all members of some big, happy family.
will be the second half of the speech. He'll be highlighting domestic issues first. That's pretty telling.
...his flop of an address specifically about Iraq from a couple weeks ago. Yippee!
that Hastert had endorsed Romney. The chipping, alas, will have to continue.
They all want to shake his hand before knifing him in the back like Chuck Hagel.
And those, I've heard, were Kucinich's latest fifteen minutes.
She really is hot for a Congresswoman. Of course, she's generally attractive anyway.
OK folks, let's hear it: is the President using a touch of Grecian Formula or Just for Men this year to take a little of the grey away?
The President should give America's Mother-in-law her copy of the speech in Arabic, which we'd all be learning if Nancy's policies were law.
Nice on, Mr. Prez.
He seems like such a nice guy, but I think I have Bush fatigue. I know a lot of my Republican and Conservative brethren feel the same way.
If he'd just be willing to get his hands dirty and fight like hell instead of leaving the rest of us on the battlefield while he tosses Rummy under a train, I think I wouldn't be so tired.
His timing stinks -- always playing defense.
"...and the wisdom to face them together." was delivered a little like the Serenity Prayer, I have to note.
When he says we need more enterprise, not more government, the Dems don't clap. I wish we could drop the cussing rule for this thread.
William Jefferson bolted for the back door!
But only Newt Gingrich did it.
Would have been nice not to have such a large one (or one at all) to begin with, nice gesture though.
Hillary's not clapping at the President's budget progress and his plan to eliminate the deficit in 5 years. I guess she doesn't agree with the goal.
Veritas magna est et praevalet.
anyone else think Hillary sat next to Sen. Eyebrow (or made him sit next to her) from the swing state of Pennsylvania with a view to 08? or is that too cynical? and who's the poor pasty guy that got stuck with the seat next to Senator I Served in Vietnam?
we don't have to raise taxes to balance the budget. That says a lot.
Everybody applauds
No New taxes the dems shut up and sit down
Veritas magna est et praevalet.
Everybody applauds
No New taxes the dems shut up and sit down
Veritas magna est et praevalet.
Or does he seem to be whispering? Talking softly? Is that Texan for "reconciliation"?
an hour after the democratic response, you'll be able to search the audio of both the SOTU and the democratic response here:
Thomas is going to get mad. My wife too.
"Increasing the funding to help give these children ..." And the first ovation is his mention of "health care for all." Government has the obligation...but no clapping from Nancy on the idea of private insurance.
On privatization of anything. No clapping. No clapping. Especially not on medical liability reform. She looks like she's sucking a piece of gristle out of her cheek. Her smile has disappeared.
It's too damned complicated to explain in this speech. POTUS better get his POTUS behind in the field and try to explain this initiative, which I support.
Veritas magna est et praevalet.
"medical liability reform." Does this mean she is supporting Edwards?
yikes, I'm done. Federal funds, HHS, Congress, Grants, Choices, private health insurance. Someone who did well on the SAT's explain how the first five relate to the last. Seems to me that the first five only put the sixth that much furthur out of reach and screw everyone else who currently has insurance. How this plan is put down soon, going to have to give it a good study.
A special note to Jihadists everywhere:
While agreeing with almost nothing she has ever said or done, noticing Speaker Pelosi sitting prominently over the Presidents left shoulder and recognizing the peaceful ascension to that position (no severed heads) should remind us all that we – all Americans – are better than them
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"Everybody has an agenda. Except for me." - Michael Crichton, State of Fear.
will sue POTUS
I just figured I'd do that for all of you who don't like the immigration stuff.
BTW, did I hear him right? He wants to let in anybody who wants to work and focus on the drug dealers?
You might as well be honest about it.
But if you close the damned border, I can support the Pence plan.
But what about domestic oil? We've got a shnikey pond of it under us.
but not nearly as much as the present enemy is. The question is when the GOP will make this a national security issue and pound the dems with it and their defeatist unpatriotic cornucopia of statements and votes!!
Mike Gamecock DeVine @
The Charlotte Observer
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
Or does Pelosi look like she's got a wad of chew in that mouth? Where's the Speaker's Spitoon?
Veritas magna est et praevalet.
on hemp, man. Groovy, etc,
come on Mr. President. Gas is good.
At least you've got a domestic oil production initiative.
Is nothing without the subsidies, the recent spikes in corn and nat gas are resulting in tight to negative margins. Same with biodiesel using soy oil, without subsidies its a non starter.
Producing 25 billion gal will need 9.4 billion bushels of corn.
2004 US corn production = 10.1 billion bushels.
2005 US corn production = 11.8 billion bushels.
I guess there is enough corn, but we will be eating a lot less meat in future. Perhaps the President plans to promote vegetarianism?
25 billion gallons = 1.6 million bbl/day of ethanol.
1 gallon of ethanol produces 62% as much heat as one gallon of gasoline.
So 1.6 million bbl/day ethanol = 0.99 million bbl/day of gasoline. This would reduce gasoline demand by 11% and oil demand by 5%.
The bottom line is that it doesn't save much oil, and will drive up the price of both car fuel and food, particularly meat.
Mike Gamecock DeVine @
The Charlotte Observer
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
Oh well buy ADM. Short GM and FORD
Veritas magna est et praevalet.
But are we really going to do that? Seems like every time we do, we wind up slapping them instead of killing them.
The man in the Army Dress Uniform - Gen. Peter Schoomaker - is one BAMF. That is all.
keep staring at the camera like this is about her or am I delusional?
For some reason I can’t help but giggle a little to myself whenever I see Mrs. Clinton wearing s pearl (or pearl-like) necklace.
(Gee, it seems like nine years since I’ve seen her in a nice blue dress or Mr. Clinton smoking a cigar in public.)
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"Everybody has an agenda. Except for me." - Michael Crichton, State of Fear.
Who knew? Certainly not the Democrats.
Mr. President, when you say we're at "war," you don't really mean "war" do you? I mean, seriously? We're at war?
Coulda fooled me too. I thought we were just helping Iraq democratize.
It's about time that word got used a lot more.
Pelosi, Reid and Friends? Or was it just standard jihadist blather?
___________________
If "pro" is the opposite of "con", what is the opposite of "progress"...
Senior Writer
surprised THAT didn't get a standing O from the Dems
That Hezbollah is second only to Al-Qaeda in taking American lives.
They are not a political party, they are the enemy.
C'mon Mr. President. Don't wimp out.
I'm kind of tired of the "terrorists hate free people" speel. Can't we just say "terrorists must be killed by any and all means" and get on with it?
Fides non in bonus intentions , tamen in bonus factum
For more common sense conservatism, visit the Show Me Conservatism blog.
McCain? Tancredo? Both shown for longer than 5 seconds with eyes shut.
oh, he was talking about Afghanistan
Bush started out laying traps left and right. He's hitting all the right points (although I don't agree with all points of the health care proposal as laid out so far).
Fides non in bonus intentions , tamen in bonus factum
For more common sense conservatism, visit the Show Me Conservatism blog.
"Yeah, so what?" look at Bush's recapitulation of the voting in the past two years speaks volumes. Why isn't he just doing a j**k(ff gesture?
Most are in their seats.
To say where we are in Iraq is not where we wanted to go. And yes, I agree we must win in Iraq.
I'll go along with this plan.
WOW, that got nothing from the dems, victory who needs it. Well unless you mean electoral victory then they are for it.
Good for them! It's about time they got onboard.
Fides non in bonus intentions , tamen in bonus factum
For more common sense conservatism, visit the Show Me Conservatism blog.
I'll go for it. And I'll go for more US troops without a timetable to get out. But by God I want a fight. None of this kumbaya hand holding the Iraqis b**s***.
Is that his version of Carthage Delenda Est?
Veritas magna est et praevalet.
Here comes the big clap/no clap moment of the night. Let's see what happens at the end of this graf.
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Develop alternatives to existing policies and keep them alive and available until the politically impossible becomes the politically inevitable. Milton Friedman
understand that withdrawal means defeat and chaos, Mr. President. I know you have to be concilatory, but for Pete's sake, call a spade a spade.
Fides non in bonus intentions , tamen in bonus factum
For more common sense conservatism, visit the Show Me Conservatism blog.
That about says it.
Veritas magna est et praevalet.
Watching the Democrats, that they don't really want to win. They just want to quit and come home.
Oh if life were just that simple.
Not nearly as hot (or smart) as Rep. Blackburn.
Fides non in bonus intentions , tamen in bonus factum
For more common sense conservatism, visit the Show Me Conservatism blog.
Just don't make us pay for them or give them weapons or anything.
Ah, such is the Democrat/Hagel strategy.
to keep America safe and safer. Those who've purchased her career would not allow for it.
Fides non in bonus intentions , tamen in bonus factum
For more common sense conservatism, visit the Show Me Conservatism blog.
Support the troops they stand, but he mentions victory and its sitting on hands.
Feel like they're being heard while they are being ignored.
We need more troops. Especially since we're going to war with Syria, Iran, North Korea, and China next week.
That more than half of the Democrats want Iran to have nuclear weapons.
There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism...Theodore Roosevelt, October 12, 1915
The U.N. won't allow Iran to acquire nukes? That's news to me.
Fides non in bonus intentions , tamen in bonus factum
For more common sense conservatism, visit the Show Me Conservatism blog.
THANK YOU MISTER PRESIDENT FOR MENTIONING THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM IN CUBA.
That right there just made this whole speech worthwhile. I wish they had a shot of Chris Dodd when he said that.
Nothing like a country where there is no national interest, only humanitarian ones, to get the Dems on their feet.
Fides non in bonus intentions , tamen in bonus factum
For more common sense conservatism, visit the Show Me Conservatism blog.
About saving "the people of Darfur." But Victory in Iraq and saving the American mission there...huge yawns from Donks.
Oh man just give the people being attacked guns and let them defend themselves.
There we go the fith freedom the right to keep and bear arms
Veritas magna est et praevalet.
That's nice too.
Let it never be said that the President does not believe in freedom.
He's got almost a childlike naiveté regarding freedom that is both endearing and inspiring for those who care about such things, i.e. most people other than lefties.
Almost reach down and shake the President's hand from where he's standing. Did Laura even stand up? Oh, yeah, she did.
The speech itself was fine, good even. The Georgetown shout out was great.
shout out :) good thing we all found things to like
I liked that the President honored Wesley Autrey. What Autrey did was really a selfless, heroic act.
at daily crud, they actually made fun of the guy and said he did not act humble.
...then what's the point?
And, yes, being singled out as an example of what an American should be by the President of the United States should be up there. :)
The Fuzzy Puppy of the VRWC.
And the Kossacks Crudded him because he actually felt glad to be there and be recognized for his act of heroism from a Republican President. That means that Wesley Autrey is now officially an "Uncle Tom" according to the Kossacks.
How about we send Ethiopia a few bucks, they did a fine job in Somolia with no crap from the UN or the left.
The BBC just released another one of those "the rest of the world hates America" polls. It was interesting that of the countries polled, Kenya and Nigeria had the highest pro US feelings. Also, Christianity is growing in Africa more than anywhere else.
unlike Old Europe, they have faith in God and are willing to fight for their societies and culture.
Mike Gamecock DeVine @
The Charlotte Observer
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
Mike Gamecock DeVine @
The Charlotte Observer
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
Geez, I love our Democrat Congress. It's a worthwhile cause, but c'mon.
Fides non in bonus intentions , tamen in bonus factum
For more common sense conservatism, visit the Show Me Conservatism blog.
Those are great life stories for great people.
For those with children out there enough with Rock stars, sports stars and actors, men like that soldier and firefighters and police officers are true hero's.
that our Congress cheers harder for them than for victory in war.
Fides non in bonus intentions , tamen in bonus factum
For more common sense conservatism, visit the Show Me Conservatism blog.
Veritas magna est et praevalet.
Overall much better than I was expecting, I set a pretty low bar earlier in the day.
I don't agree with the health care proposal, but he hit the jabs where needed, and the shots of the Dem applause vs. the Republican applause on Iraq says a world about where their priorities are.
Fides non in bonus intentions , tamen in bonus factum
For more common sense conservatism, visit the Show Me Conservatism blog.
I am just wondering how the other networks picked their reaction shots.
Veritas magna est et praevalet.
can both really go screw. Did Jesse really just say why are you still president?
didn't mind when the COngressional Dems sat on their hands; it was partisan and amusing. Now, though, it leaves me stick. The stakes are just too high, and they really don't get it.
Enjoying Fox's after-speech coverage. It's really fantastic -- just letting the camera follow the President back up the aisle with all the extemporaneous comments. Well done, Fox!
Every network has access to it.
Jeez, aren't all the congress-critters sycophants!
Whether the other networks cut away from it. Brit Hume and FOX just let it play out rather than jumping in with their commentary.
Corporate CEO's make 400 times the average workers pay. SERIOUSLY! Earth to Jim Webb, BUY A CALCULATOR. If the average worker makes 40 k a year that means the average CEO makes $16 million. On a side note what a corporate CEO makes in NONE OF CONGRESS'S BUSINESS!!!! This is an insult to the shareholders in that congress is trying to tell them they are too stupid to see they are paying their CEO too much, if they have a problem its their duty to fix it, NOT the US Congress.
I have no idea whether those numbers are accurate, but that's really immaterial to the question itself. and
My wife would shoot me if I missed the birth of our child to try out for American Idol.