OK .. I was very pleased with Obama's SOU speech tonight - he called the bad guys out.

[ddeclue]

<rant>
:rant:

It has a lot of backbone - it was a page from Alan Grayson's playbook in my humble opinion.


I'm particularly pleased that it wasn't the typical Bush/Clinton era laundry list cafeteria style announcement of a bunch of small programs and pointing out various heroes etc. that has become so cliche in SOU addresses.

He laid the blame for the economic disaster at the Republicans' feet and told them we'd already tried it their way for 8 years and it had failed miserably and it was time to try it his way instead of being obstructionist - he called them OUT.

He flat out called out the Supreme Court of the United States on national TV in front of God and everybody and that was truly the most awesome moment in American political life that I can remember in my lifetime - at least since the 1970's.

The only questions I have:

Where is the REAL Barack Obama and what have they done with them and WHO is this guy? Where has THIS Barack Obama been for the last year? Will THIS Barack Obama be running the country tomorrow? From now on? I sure hope so.

To paraphrase Shakespeare, "it was a most absolute and excellent speech" - I only hope that it will now be backed by an unrelenting set of actions on his part.

If the Blue Dog Democrats want to keep screwing us, Obama needs to get on Air Force One, fly to their home towns and hold open auditions amongst registered Democrats to replace these traitors and make sure it happens. If they want to screw with us, he needs to give them the Johnson Treatment - "Get with the program or we're gonna primary your ass Senator."

I hope that this isn't simply a rhetorical head fake towards the base - that it is a real commitment.

As Jon Stewart said on his show the other night: "no matter how nice you are to them, they're never gonna let you in the station wagon - and it's YOUR car!".

Translation: Fight hard for your core principles and your base and stop trying to compromise with people who are out to screw you, to help themselves and their donors and who are NOT out for the American people.

While he's at it Obama needs to clean house, Tim Geightner, Tim Kaine, and Ben Bernanke need to GO.

Bring back Howard Dean at the DNC. Put Krugman in at the Treasury and Brooksley Born in as Chairwoman of the Fed. Move to the LEFT Obama - start channeling FDR, NOT Joe Lieberman - do it in your actions, not just your words and you'll win me back!

</rant>

P.S.: I watched the SOU speech at the house of former OCDEC chair Doug Head this evening with about 80 other guests in a party/fundraiser at which several state house and local candidates spoke and to which Congressman Alan Grayson spoke by telephone afterwards. Congressman Grayson was quite pleased with the President's speech and quite proud of him.

[eleny]

1. Passing the Grayson Test is a very high complement

[mzmolly]

2. I think the REAL Barack Obama has been a bit busy?

The man has a lot on his Presidential plate.

K and R. :kick:

[crispini]

3. Where has he been? He's been running the country.

He hasn't talked to the country enough lately but I think he gets that now.