Althouse: "This rite of custom brings us together at a defining hour – when decisions are hard and courage is tested."

January 23, 2007

"This rite of custom brings us together at a defining hour – when decisions are hard and courage is tested."

The State of the Union.

ADDED: "How'r'ya doin'" our President says, turning to Nancy Pelosi. He begins by taking credit for the new step of saying "Madam Speaker."

MORE: That "added" part was on the wrong post (the previous one), I see the next morning. I couldn't get Blogger to publish last night, so this went up -- as far as I could see -- after I went to bed. And the idea of simulblogging the speech went out the window. Sorry!

20 comments:

Brent said...: The New York Times posted their Editorial on the State of the Union less than 6 minutes after it was over.; 1/23/07, 10:27 PM
hdhouse said...: If Nancy weren't sitting behind him this speech could be the speech from any of the past 3 or 4 years. Sad. Average. Pedestrian.; 1/23/07, 10:33 PM
Sloanasaurus said...: Great speech, one of the best.; 1/23/07, 10:55 PM
vbspurs said...: I watched it, just after catching the second half of American Idol (crikey, what an Althousiana I am becoming).

Some minor points:

Tuning unto to ABC, I was irritated by Charlie Gibson's yammering over the action in the beginning, something which the silky-smooth Peter Jennings never did.

I thought the President started out very elegantly, with a charming tribute to the new Speaker (honouring her father by association, a man whom she hero-worships, and she seemed genuinely touched by the gesture).

-- Speaker Pelosi, BTW, was wearing a pleasant, flaterring pastel shade of green, albeit it was perhaps a little too relaxed for such a momentous occasion. She should've gone with Mrs. Bush's startling red. --

Then...well, I don't know what happened really.

It was Bush without the fangs: a tired, listless, unchallenging speech which restated every talking point in EXACTLY the same phrases, as the ones since the famous (magical) 2002 SOTU.

He even mentioned that damned "wood chips, to grasses" phrase for his ethanol allusion, which he used VERBATIM last year.

George Stephanopoulos thought that his ending "The State of the Union is Strong", with which he has started every SOTU speech, was a cagey move.

It had been set-up by the introduction of ordinary American heroes up in the gallery, as a way of sustaining his point that we are strong.

And it's not that we're not.

Despite Iraq, the US is productive, its people employed, and the economy still the envy of all nations.

But if you were to go by President Bush's flat delivery, you'd think we were on life support.

In conclusion, it was not his finest hour.

Cheers,
Victoria; 1/23/07, 11:14 PM
LoafingOaf said...: Pelosi blinks too much. It's distracting.; 1/23/07, 11:37 PM
Revenant said...: Good speech, at least on paper. We'll see how the various proposals pan out in real life.; 1/24/07, 12:10 AM
MadisonMan said...: You know, if I were President (Ha!), I'd like to do away with the SOTU speech. Near as I can tell, it's a damned if you do, damned if you don't kinda thing. The proposals floated in it go nowhere (Mars anyone?), and all you really get are scripted moments of applause. As political theater, it's mediocre. As a way to connect to the public? I don't think it works. As a way of reporting to Congress -- well, in the 21st century, is that necessary? All of Congress is there all the time, if they really need to be brought up to date, there's something wrong that the SOTU speech can't fix.; 1/24/07, 7:44 AM
Ruth Anne Adams said...: Not only does Pelosi blink too much, she was chewing gum!

That's class.; 1/24/07, 8:16 AM
Sloanasaurus said...: The president needs to start challenging the Democrats. We haven't been attacked on America in 5 years. Pulling out from Iraq would be retreating to our borders and inviting attack. Do the Democrats want to risk instituting a policy that will lead to thousands of civilan deaths in America and a stagnant economic growth rather than fighting them in Iraq.

I don't think they do which is why their war opposition is mostly hallow rhetoric for the left.

It's also great to hear democrats argue that we should send more toops to afghanistan to fight the terorrists there. Thats interesting because most of the terrorists are now in Iraq.; 1/24/07, 8:55 AM
Simon said...: Personally, I think we should go back to the SOTU tradition that this country followed for almost half our history, from Jefferson through Wilson. ;)

vbspurs said...
"I watched it, just after catching the second half of American Idol (crikey, what an Althousiana I am becoming)."

Surely Althousian. Wouldn't Althousian be "relating to, in the style of, or being of Althouse," while Althousiana would be "things having to do with Althouse"? A particular turn of phrase might be Althousian, while a signed note would be Althousiana.; 1/24/07, 9:27 AM
MadisonMan said...: It seems like every Republican senator up for re-election in '08 (Norm Coleman, especially), is very firm in their caution. It's the American People who want out, not the Democratic Party. Perhaps those who think the USA should stay in Iraq, Democrats and Republicans alike, should do a better job of saying why we should stay there.

The problem is that many of the reasons for being in Iraq to begin with turned out to be lies. And appearances are that much of the Iraq war has been badly mismanaged. Speaking as someone who reluctantly supports an escalation, I have to say I'm not thrilled with the Management at the Top. Liars and Bunglers do not breed success.; 1/24/07, 9:43 AM
vbspurs said...: Surely Althousian. Wouldn't Althousian be "relating to, in the style of, or being of Althouse," while Althousiana would be "things having to do with Althouse"? A particular turn of phrase might be Althousian, while a signed note would be Althousiana.

That is not incorrect, Simon, but since I coined Althousiana, and after all, I am an Althousiana in several Romance languages (since it's a female ending), I will use it that way. ;)

And was Pelosi REALLY chewing gum, Ruth Anne?? Did you read that, or happen to see it yourself?

If so, that is the lowest of the low, on formal occasions. WTF.

Cheers,
Victoria; 1/24/07, 12:44 PM
Ruth Anne Adams said...: Victoria: I did not see what specifically was in her mouth; however, I'm presuming it was gum. [My husband says lozenge.] It was in the later parts of the talk. I, too, was noticing the blinking and then I saw her move something around in her mouth [dentures?!]. I kept looking. Best as I could tell, it was gum.

To be fair...I think Cheney was chewing on something, too.

This is a good argument for reading the speech.; 1/24/07, 1:30 PM
vbspurs said...: Victoria: I did not see what specifically was in her mouth; however, I'm presuming it was gum. [My husband says lozenge.] It was in the later parts of the talk. I, too, was noticing the blinking and then I saw her move something around in her mouth [dentures?!]. I kept looking. Best as I could tell, it was gum.

To be fair...I think Cheney was chewing on something, too.

What the hell, man.

Is there still a bowl of Jelly Beans back there, left over from the Reagan Administration or what??

Cheers,
Victoria; 1/24/07, 4:25 PM
Anonymous said...: Too Many Jims said:

Madison Man,

You are a terrorist loving panty waste.

Oh, this is off-topic and I truly apologize. However, I sincerely hope that this is published, given that the above post was published. You (Althouse) have this moderation set up, and laid out specific instructions as to what types of comments would and wouldn't be published, yet this(above) comment is approved? It is nothing but an attack... Of course, it's not an attack on you, so is that how we decide what is and isn't appropriate to post? In that case, sloanasaurus and victoria: I have long thought you both were self-absorbed, pretentious windbags! Cheers!; 1/24/07, 4:55 PM
Simon said...: Brad, it seems clear (to me, at any rate) that Jim was joking. Your comment unfortunately seems to demonstrate something that worried me about the move to a moderated comment setup - that some people would assume that a comment allowed is a comment endorsed, and that asumption would provide rich fodder for the anti-Althousiana, who were already falling over themselves to read negative connotations and bad motives into every word and action by Ann.; 1/24/07, 6:33 PM
vbspurs said...: I have long thought you both were self-absorbed, pretentious windbags! Cheers!

Have you noticed how some people talk about certain people all the time...whereas others don't notice the other's existence, and never mention them AT ALL?

Now, why is that, d'you suppose?

No cheating. This isn't an open book quiz.

Cheers,
Victoria; 1/24/07, 7:37 PM
MadisonMan said...: Simon (and Brad)...

I also thought Mr. TMJ was joking. If not, he should see a dentist or listen to a different station in Milwaukee.; 1/24/07, 8:18 PM
Anonymous said...: vbspurs said...

I have long thought you both were self-absorbed, pretentious windbags! Cheers!

Have you noticed how some people talk about certain people all the time...whereas others don't notice the other's existence, and never mention them AT ALL?

Now, why is that, d'you suppose?

No cheating. This isn't an open book quiz.

Cheers,
Victoria

Perhaps it's because some of you (hint..) are so profoundly, obnoxiously, offensively irritating and self-involved that not only do you call attention on yourselves, but you're too busy spouting off your irrelevant bull to notice the existence of anyone else? Could be wrong.. it wasn't open-book afterall. Cheers!; 1/25/07, 3:21 PM
vbspurs said...: Perhaps it's because some of you (hint..) are so profoundly, obnoxiously, offensively irritating and self-involved that not only do you call attention on yourselves, but you're too busy spouting off your irrelevant bull to notice the existence of anyone else? Could be wrong.. it wasn't open-book afterall. Cheers!

No, I don't think that's it.

Go to page 3 and read the "Obsessed" chapter, then turn to the Index and highlight in yellow "Envy".

Extra credit:

"How I hate those who disagree with my politics and follow them around like a Ninny" essay in 8 pages or less.

Start ...now!

Cheers,
Victoria; 1/26/07, 2:28 PM