What's-His-Face’s Final (God Willing) State of the Union Speech
OK, the spoiled pampered scion of the Bush Crime Family squirmed and squinted through his final (IF there’s a god) State of the Union Speech. We've heard it all before — the soundbites about “socialized medicine,” the gory things those swarthy primitive turrists will do to us if we don’t allow a few trillion-dollar telecom companies to be above the law, etc.
The counterpoint speech by Kathleen Sebelius wasn’t riveting, but she made some excellent points. I lost count of how many times she said “let’s get to work” and “join us Mr. President,” but if you’ve gotta use soundbites, those are good ones.
She seems to be following Obama’s tactic (George Will calls it “Obama-ism”) of using unifying phrases (“I’m here as an American, not as a Democrat”) instead of “us against them” and “those #$%&!#$#%&$#$!!!”
And that’s a good thing. For twenty years, every election has been nothing but name-calling and slandering, starting with the late-and-unlamented Lee Willie Horton Atwater during GHW Bush’s 1988 campaign. And the shitslinging has gotten worse with each successive election. As long as a politician is gonna give us platitudes, these platitudes might as well be unifying and all-encompassing instead of “those dirty #$%&!”
John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton all based their campaigns on positive upbeat rhetoric. It worked for them. I haven’t exactly been glued to the primaries and all the election pandering (booorrrring!!!!) but it seems like Obama is the only candidate who's risen above the “if my opponent wins, we’re fucked!” rhetoric.
Let’s hope the positive messages of Barack Obama and Kathleen Sebelius will bring some positive changes to America so we can get rid of those motherfuckin’ shiteating — er, uhh…[Positive! Upbeat!]…let me rephrase that…
Labels: Barack Obama, Kansas Governor, Kathleen Sebelius, Lee Willie Horton Atwater
posted by Tom Harper @ 11:19 PM
16 Comments:
I hope you're right, but count me in with the "I'll believe it when I see it crowd." :)
I boycotted the SOTU this year.
My wife and I watched an enjoyable movie instead, and during a couple of commercial breaks we made bets on what he would be blabbering about if we tuned in to his address. We each agreed he would be talking about Iraq the first time, but he was blathering on with some kind of lip service to providing student loans or some such thing. For the next ten-second burst to which we subjected ourselves we guessed Iraq again, and it was indeed Iraq stuff. Blah blah blah blah blah.
I am glad I didn't watch. Having to hear him talk for more than about a minute is more than I can bear. Having to watch the faces in the crowd is more than I can bear. Just knowing he is still our president is practically more than I can bear.
At this point, I think any SOTU or other address by this guy should not be taken with little more than a grain of salt. People just aren't drinking his Kool-Aid anymore.
Once the little strutting-banty-rooster-in the-bubble wakes up and realizes he can no longer effectively pump himself up with his phony rhetoric, that the spinners he has relied upon are paying attention to other things, that people generally aren't taking him seriously anymore, that they view him as a joke... watch out. "You want something to laugh about? I'LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO LAUGH ABOUT!!" Heaven forbid that Dumbya should realize he has become "irrelevant", because then he will do something to make himself really "relevant" during the next 9 months.
Maybe we will get to have an election in November, maybe not. If we do have one, maybe the new president will get to take office 1/20/09, maybe not. Any bets on what Bush will be talking about if we tune in during, say, July or August?
Randal: I really don't think Bush himself wants to stay in after '08, since he's just a figurehead anyway. But the PNAC types who are pulling his strings -- who knows what they're up to.
Snave: I think you 2 had the right idea. The speech was dull and predictable, but mercifully short. I was hoping the counter-speech would be a real asskicker like Jim Webb's speech last year (or was it 2 years ago?). But it was refreshing that she used Obama's approach of "we're Americans, not Democrats or Republicans."
It's true, Bush has become irrelevant lately. The Republican VIPs are all focusing on the primaries; Dumbya is just background noise at this point. Serves him right.
Maybe I'm too optimistic, but I don't think the neocons will try to keep Bush in power or stage an October Surprise. These Far Right fringe groups have been with us since the 1930s -- ever since that Commie FDR got elected and ruined America. These wackos have been waxing and waning for 80 years. My guess is they'll start waning, but they'll never go away. They'll fade into the shadows, lick their wounds, think up a new strategy, and someday they'll be back with a vengeance.
I too boycotted the SOTU this year, as I have every year since he was crowned president in 2000. It's the same crapola his speechwriters try every year, which is to put a bunch of words on a piece of paper in an effort to make a shaved monkey sound articulate and just hope to God he doesn't fling a handful of poo at Nancy Pelosi, who sat over his shoulder and grimaced like she smelled the aforementioned poo through the whole thing.
In this month's Consumer's Reports, it is reported that the US pays top dollar for many prescription drugs compared to other First World countries. We pay as much as $20 or even $30 more than the next highest paying country, which is usually Canada or the UK. What gives, Dumbya? You gonna fix healthcare and the Middle East in the next nine months? Good luck with that, you retarded Cowboy.
Mile High Pixie: LOL. Excellent comment. I can't think of anything to add to that.
No, unfortunately the shaved monkey didn't sound any more articulate last night than he has any other time in the past 7 years.
I unfortunately watched what's his face last SOTU address and I have to say, within 5 minutes i was asleep. The man has incredible powers such as, the power to bullshit, make people uncomfortable-did u see Pelosi's face?- live in a parallel universe and call it America, but most of all put me to sleep.
I heard from friends- who I dearly pity for watching the entire speech- that he said Iran is a terrorist nation and that NCLB is actually working. Who is this man? I am now convinced that this president is either really stupid or a schadenfreud but I prefer the first.
Jo
I agree it was smart for the Democrat to repond the way they did. The public is definitely not in the mood for partisan bickering these days.
I would like to say that Bush doesn't count anymore, but he has position the next President to continue maybe the fight and the occupation of Iraq after he has left office.
He and the Republican Senate has put this tax cut for the Rich in a [position to hurt this country for some time.
He does not count anymore but the damage will last for years to come that he and his Republican friends have caused.
His speech was funny and I found him still trying to demand and blame and actually rewrite what has actually went on during his term as President.
Jo: Ah, merciful sleep. I was less lucky; I was awake (physically anyway) through his entire speech. Yes, he jumped through the "Iran is a terrorist nation" hoop and preened about the success of No Child Left Behind.
Pelosi did have that sort of facial expression, but even weirder was Cheney's; he seemed to be stuck in some sort of eerie half-smile or even a smirk during the entire speech. His handlers must have told him (7 years too late) that his expressionless frown was freaking people out, even Republicans.
J: Yes, I'm glad the Democrats are using this tactic. Even if it's just a gimmick, it's a shrewd one.
Let's Talk: You're right, Bush is pretty much irrelevant now. (And this is from Republican strategists; God knows what everybody else is saying.) I think whoever succeeds him will be able to undo Bush's "permanent" arrangements for Iraq. When Bush first took over in 2001, the first few things he did were to undo things that Clinton did. It'll be poetic when Bush's successor does the same thing. But even so, like you said, it's gonna take time to undo the damage wrought by the spoiled clueless son of the Bush Crime Family. Whoever takes his place will have a very difficult and unenviable job.
I didn't watch this hour filled with lies, but from what I have read Pickles appeared drunk as usual, and the Twin Tramps were once again vamping.
Well I meant the positive change thing, not whether Chimp leaves or not. But that's a good point. He might want to go cut brush and start doing blow more often, but the PNAC fuckers might indeed be getting the Maverick® ready for prime time.
Larry: On Jay Leno's monologue last night he showed clips of Dumbya and Pickles winking at each other during the speech.
Randal: I think the positive change (for right now at least) is real, even if Chimpy (or another PNAC puppet) stays in the White House. The fact that Obama is doing well is a symptom that the public is tired of soundbites and slandering and namecalling. I think this is a good sign, regardless of who gets elected. And Thank God "America's Mayor" is dropping out. He would've been worse than Dumbya.
for those of you not familiar with Shark -Fu aka Angryblackbitch.blogspot.com ...u are in for a real treat in her take on things. including the sotu this yr. Light breezy style, lazer vision and humor ENJOY !
I couldn't even bare to watch.
I heard a clip on the radio. Sounded like he was doing his best fear mongering and smirking.
I cant take it any more...
Proudprogressive: Cool blog. Thanks for the link.
PoliShifter: I think you had the right idea. I always feel like I should watch the SOTU speech, just because...hell, I don't know.
Yup, it was his usual bag of tricks: smirking, squinting, soundbiting, fearmongering -- and saying absolutely nothing.
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