I haven’t been poisoned by any of the post-punditry because I watched it all on the web. But I was truly surprised by how lackluster and clichéd Obama’s speech was. My suspicion is that because he had a good month or so (START, tax compromise, Tucson speech, uptick in polls) he thinks he can go back to his comfortable talking points: Investment, Sputnik moment, green energy, high speed rail, etc. One sign of that: he was, I believe, a full ten minutes shorter than last year’s SOTU but it felt twice as long.
It’s not as if this was a speech Obama would give if the Shellacking never happened, but it’s close.
Yes, the mixed-seating of the audience definitely worked against him because the birds of a feather weren’t flocked together. But this simply wasn’t an inspiring speech. I don’t think his naked calls for what amounts to industrial policy excite anybody who won’t get a check if they’re enacted. And the theme “winning the future” sounds even more focused grouped than it did when Newt Gingrich came out with a book by that title a few years ago. I wouldn’t be surprised if he got a bump in the polls, but if I were a GOP strategist I’d take some solace in the fact that this is a guy who has, once again, misread the political moment.
As for Ryan, I thought he was really very good, particularly in the second half of his blessedly brief remarks.
My only complaint is that he was a bit too un-threatening. We are in an awful mess, and a bit more passion would suit me better.
But that might be my personal taste trumping smart politics. The left — for good reason — is setting its sights on Ryan for the threat that he is. The first thing they will do is try to cast him as a terrifying figure, particularly among seniors. I think coming across as reassuring, even soothing, is probably the right play. Ryan never comes across as a bomb-thrower, but tonight he talked like an ER nurse trying to talk down a violent hippy from a bad acid trip, which is pretty impressive given the substance of what he was saying.
Ryan may not have been in attack mode, but it was very clear that he doesn't lack backbone. He was forceful without being "in your face", which I think struck just the right political tone to the objective observer.
But I'm biased, so....
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI'm with Jonah...Ryan was a little low-key for my personal taste. I found Bachmann's tone more appealing. (I really don't have the patience to listen to political speeches for substance so atmospherics is about all I ever get anymore.)
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI find drinking during these events helps.
A lot.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYup. Pablum spooning at best. He delivered, fairly well, an extremely pork deprived BLT at its peak. The grass roots nods to Biden and Boehner were good moments, if somewhat predictable, but the rest was just not up to snuff. I guess it only goes downhill from Tuscon, darn it.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseClear he doesn't lack backbone? So clear that he voted FOR TARP and the bailout. Please he's just like the rest of them.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"I think coming across as reassuring, even soothing, is probably the right play. Ryan never comes across as a bomb-thrower, but tonight he talked like an ER nurse trying to talk down a violent hippy from a bad acid trip, which is pretty impressive given the substance of what he was saying."
Great line, Jonah.
I laughed.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAfter catching Bachmann's speech, I almost felt as if there was a "Good Cop/Bad Cop" dynamic....
Good Cop Ryan asking to "let me help you" overcome the deficit versus Bad Cop Bachmann ready to tear stuff up.
I think it may have been unintentionally effective.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse>>I laughed.
Heck, what other reason is there for following politics anymore? (I wonder, though, if people who are a little younger and feel like their lives still should be ahead of them are quite as amused.)
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYeah, this guy is constantly misreading the political moment. 49 year old black man half-way through his first term as president with approval rating over 50%. Total tin ear. Good thing Jonah's around to tell him what's what.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseRyan is as menacing as a Keebler Elf. I enjoyed his speech though--he is very smart, smarter than Obama I would warrant.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYou know, Yale *could use* a high speed rail, Mr. Burns.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abusethe violent hippy line made my night. thanks.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"he talked like an ER nurse trying to talk down a violent hippy from a bad acid trip"
like?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAgree that Obama was flat and uninspired, content aside. I'm sure Ryan is an estimable fellow but he did not impress in what was my first sustained exposure to him. Too much the wonk and nearly as boring as Obama. I'll bet that very few of the TV viewers who were not already committed GOP cheerleaders thought much of his reply, assuming they didn't change the channel.
I was surprised that in contrast to Ryan, Michele Bachman gave an engaging thematic speech. Trust me when i tell you that I think the whole so-called Tea Party is a lot of hooey. That said, the GOP had better watch out for Bachman (Sarah Palin better watch out for her too because she strikes me as a Palin figure who is actually smart, informed and able to speak coherently).
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWow, 10mins shorter, hard to believe...I actually broke away half way through The One's speech, had a pizza dinner with the kids, came back to the tube and saw him still speaking, started the bath for my little one and then, finally, Rep Ryan came on.
I watched the SOTU over again on inter-web to pick up the highlights and...yeah, there were none.
Worst-SOTU-EVAH!!!!!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhy is that man talking about this being a 'Sputnik moment' after he killed the Return to the Moon program?
And what is this train, or should I say trainwreck idea? There is no money, Mr. President. You are borrowing 40% of everything you spend now. This debt level is unsustainable, meaning it will lead to default and misery for the entire country, and the world. You're crazy and you and Congress are bankrupting the country. Freezing spending at ridiculously high levels is not going to get the job done.
Ah, that feels better. Probably should have used all CAPITALS and lots of exclamation points, but I'm trying the new civility here.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIn a way, it was a "classic" Obama speech a la 2008 campaign. Full of bubbly champagne dreams, nothing substantial of note. Obviously Obama's PR team thinks acting like a dignified statesman means giving a fluffy campaign speech about the hope and the dreams for the future, without suggesting a way to get there.
As for Ryan's response, I think it was rather tepid. He seemed to talk in a somewhat monotone, seeming to lack any emotion. Considering this would be Ryan's first truly national exposure, it showed me that Ryan has to learn the ropes of political speech-giving more before he can become a formidable candidate for national office.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMaybe Obama was making a subtle argument for a return to the historic style of delivering the SOTU message -- it sounded "mailed in."
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIf there was any doubt that Obama is a yesterday's man, it was this speech. He continues to operate as if it is 2006. Somewhere down the road we will talk about pre-crash America and post-crash America. Obama will be the final president of the pre-crash era.
It is a shame as he has the political capital to get something done on entitlements. If had even a little courage, he would have used this moment to start that process. Instead, like Jay Cutler, he limped off to the sidelines, hoping the second string will do it for him.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbusePraising Communist China on three separate occasions was a nice touch.
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