"Where have you been these last three years, Mr. President? Welcome back"

[kpete]

From: Gloria Feldt, the former head of Planned Parenthood:
Best line of the speech IMHO: **Fight obstruction with action.**



As I mentioned in my previous post, I’ve been a harsh critic of Obama’s leadership or lack of it since he took office, not because I supported Clinton (which I did but I got over it), but as someone who understands the responsibilities of a chief executive to create meaning, articulate a vision, and put forth an agenda for people to work from. From the time he was elected until now, his vision kept shrinking rather than expanding and his penchant for appeasing even the unappeasable has been nothing short of maddening.

That unwillingness to put a stake in the agenda ground left the Democrats in Congress adrift. The result has been that even when Obama scored accomplishments such as heath reform, it never felt like a victory. Because it was never clean cut, never a righteous fight.

But I have to say he knocked it out of the ballpark tonight in his State of the Union Address. His energetic delivery, piquant story telling, and frequent appeals to the highest American values made me remember the Obama I voted for in 2008 and thought had disappeared entirely.

It was brilliant to start and end with foreign policy and homage to the military, whose selflessness and teamwork contrast so sharply with the circular firing squad that is Congress. “Imagine what we could achieve if we all had the selflessness of the troops.”

.........................

http://gloriafeldt.com/2012/01/25/state-of-the-union-speech-almost-the-obama-we-voted-for/

[Pab Sungenis]

1. Indeed.

Sadly, the first term's track record will lead many to believe that everything Obama talked about last night was just hot air; more liberal campaigning followed by conservative government.

We need to push the President into not waiting for the election. He's President NOW. Start pushing to put these policies into place NOW.

Get your staff to write the legislation needed. Have it introduced in Congress. Let them vote it down if they want, but introduce it and push for it now.

And after re-election is won...DON'T STOP.

[izquierdista]

2. Once burned, twice shy

Welcome back? Welcome back to the same line of bull that got him elected. Once the election is over in November, it will be back to the same weak-willed Wall Street shill we have come to know and be disappointed in.*




*[font size = 1]Which is, however, a lot better than the other alternative we will be presented with.

[vi5]

3. Yes, to all of this.

100% true. I'll believe any of it when I see it.

[Myrina]

9. I am afraid you are correct.

Sigh.

[Brainstormy]

4. Great Speech

I was inspired by all of the points you mentioned but have to admit that I was surprised, and pleased,by the "We've been subsidizing the oil industry for over a century, isn't that enough?" line

[Lionessa]

5. Speeches, pfft. He's not back until he does something about what he supposedly is just now

re-connecting to. I expect as in 2008, it's just a speech, he loves the status quo, wars, austerity, poverty, and lobbyist contributions the same today as he has shown us he does from 2009-present.

A speech isn't enough to me to have even an ounce of faith in his willingness or ability to follow through or actually get anything worthwhile accomplished. Always 1/4-ass (nope won't even give him half-ass) solutions that need 110% solutions.

[xiamiam]

6. i feel the same but many are still hoping and he IS a good orator

i didnt watch the speech because i dont believe a word any longer...a few indictment of wall street criminals BEFORE the election might soften my stance but I'll believe it when I see it

[Lionessa]

7. It isn't the ones that are still hoping that worry me, it's the ones that think everything is AOK,

and that Obama has done a good job to date... they are my biggest concern regarding the future of our party and of our candidates and currently elected officials.

[FrenchieCat]

8. If only...folks would have had his back,

instead of setting up to impossible standards never expected of other Presidents,
all the while throwing shit at him while sitting parked on their ass,
while passively watching the media promoted the shit out of the T-Party,
for the past 3 years.....

Politics doesn't work as a spectator sport.....