SOTU review

A solid 7 or maybe 8 out of ten. The speech of a president who, though he is embattled, is still confident.

Some basic points: he got in the bank-bashing stuff early before people tuned out. He reminded everyone that his administration is tax-cutting not tax-raising. He sent a lot of the kind of small, targeted message-sending that isn't terribly exciting but, as Bill Clinton will tell you, can work very well politically. The passage on heath-care - admitting mistakes but challenging the GOP to be constructive - was fairly strong (although perhaps he lacks a little conviction that he'll be able to get anything done).

He lapsed into professorial mode a few times - for example when explaining the need for green energy investment. I didn't think his snigger at the expense of climate-change sceptics was that smart. And the whole thing - like Avatar - was way too long. The peroration was moving but I assume most people had tuned out by then.

The delivery wasn't flawless but - and this is the most important point - it had energy. The president seemed upbeat, relaxed and spirited, rather than bitter, defensive or depressed. He even cracked a few jokes (including one at his own expense on the politics of healthcare) and flashed that ensorcelling* smile. Even if viewers didn't absorb the substance of the speech, they will have noticed his demeanour.

So it should provide him with a boost, at least in the short term. But in itself, this speech wasn't terribly important. What matters is what happens to the economy, and to Obama's legislative priorities over the next few months.

Other notes:

Joe Biden is very proud of his shiny teeth.

Biden and Pelosi clearly co-ordinated.

Tim Geithner dresses like an 83-year-old professor.

Finally: this year's Joe Wilson: Supreme Court Justice Joseph Alito!

* Copyright Maureen Dowd.

Comments

[Lyle]

Couldn't coordinate with household activities Bangkok-time to watch the SOTU. Got a text from friend that said 'Obama's BACK!'. After reading this post, I've got an idea why she'd say that, although I'm not sure if the address merited her all-caps exuberance. Will check out address tomorrow when schedule allows.

As Marbury pointed out in an earlier post's comment, the economy determines all. How people receive this speech means jack-sh*t if the economy continues to tank. I'm pessimistic about the economy, and about reining in the Afghanistan and Iraq disasters, so I fear Obama will be doomed in 2012. Unless "The Palin Show" runs...