The State of the Union address was Biden’s to blow. It was his chance to show that he’s not too old and still up to the job. It was his chance to show that he still has something to offer a nation, both to the Republicans as well as the Progressive Caucus of the Democrats, with Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Cori Bush adorned in keffiyehs.
Biden spoke too fast. He stumbled over a few words, blurring sentences. But he spoke with a vigor that’s been missing for a while. Biden used the word “illegal” when referring to the killer of Georgian nursing student Laken Riley, but wasn’t afraid to say her name as taunted by behatted class clown Marjorie Taylor Greene.
It was never likely that the SOTU would do much to change minds about Trump, whom Biden criticized as a threat to democracy, but this was Biden’s opportunity to dispel the view that his day was done. Did he do it? Even if you’re not a fan of Biden’s or the Democrats, or even if you’re a fan of vulgarity, narcissism, deceit and ignorance, did Biden make this a horse race with his showing that he’s not dead yet?
And did the Republicans do themselves any favors having Katie Britt give the alternatively happy/teary response?
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The speech writers did a good job writing a campaign speech to appeal to the base. The President brought some energy last night and did a good job in his presentation of a well crafted campaign speech. The economy is still struggling with inflation. We have a disastrous foreign policy. Ukraine and the Middle East are a mess. Iran is an enormous threat. Spy balloons from China. A porous border. The National Guard has deployed in the New York subways. Yet we were invited to consider the number of potato chips in the bag and the number of snickers in a Snickers bar. He did call out the Supreme Court, however. The Republican response was a complete mess, who was that? Why were they there? The senator reminded me of when Sarah Palin was introduced as the vice presidential candidate. That didn’t workout either.
I thought President Biden did a job doing his version of yelling. But, he had so much yelling to do, he cut off the positive response to it.
As for the Republican response, Stepford wives came to mind. And I was not terribly impressed by the Senator’s almost constant smiling while she spoke. Tbf, she does have nice teeth.
I only watched the first few minutes of the GQP response. I have heard from a number of people today who used the exact same term as you. “Stepford wife.”
Talking cadavers and side show barkers
Internet trolls and late night snarkers
The shark has jumped and still you don’t see
The only thing left is pure anarchy
FWIW, I didn’t notice a shortage of snickers.
The Republican party is desperately trying to lose the election for Trump. After Biden delivered his usual stumbling, bumbling series of non sequiturs, their only hope of distracting us from his senility was an even worse performance from a charisma-free nobody channeling Sally Struthers.
The bipartisan progression toward President Mountain Dew Camacho continues. They should add scorecard graphics and call it The Pander Bowl. Next year we’ll probably get MTG in face paint.
As for Biden, he didn’t freeze up and get walked off like McConnell. The bar has been set.
No defense of MTG who is a disgrace, but the Squad members are her equal in stupidity and yet the mainstream media almost never calls them out. If AOC came in face paint to call attention to an issue we’d be lectured about brave she is.
I thought he nailed it.
I’m not a Biden fan, but I detest Trump. I would have been happy to give Haley a shot. I’ll vote for Biden just to keep Darth Cheeto out of the Oval Office. Honestly, I didn’t expect much from Biden. He’s been on the wrong side of too many issues, and has a long history of saying stupid things.
He didn’t need to talk about policy. Policy is not going to sway anyone. What he needed to do was refute the GOP’s caricature of him as a tired, stumbling old fool. He did that rather well.
The problem with Biden’s age has never been about his speeches. Anyone can stand and read from a teleprompter (and even then he screwed words up, as with getting Laken Riley’s name wrong, even though he was reading from it). It’s taking questions and debating, or otherwise talking off of script, which he is increasingly unable to do. Also, while he did use the word “illegal” which is perhaps a sign of vigor, don’t be surprised if his staff walks that back, and probably apologizes to the crazies on the left for insulting Riley’s killer.
“If I were smart, I would go home right now” was the high point of the speech in both honesty and accuracy.
Goodwin’s law came to mind as Biden jumped right into a discussion of Hitler, attempting to link the toxic name to what he perceives as his implacable enemies both home and abroad.
“History is watching” is an extraordinarily weak argument for any cause. Repeating it four times makes it weaker, not stronger.
It was an amazingly dark and angry speech, one that will widen divides with no attempt to bridge differences. Indeed, Biden does not appear to recognize the validity of anyone who disagrees with him on anything. They are not political opponents deserving of respect, but enemies that don’t merit a hearing.
The angry, aggressive, abusive tone and rhetoric was remarkable. It is familiar to anyone who has cared for an aged relative in their last days of mental and physical decline. Biden presented as an old man furious with everyone and everything around him. He heaped abuse on his predecessor, on his political opponents, on the Supreme Court justices, on taxpayers who pay on time (unlike his son) but apparently not what Biden now judges is enough.
Apparently Biden must stoke his anger to retain focus for long enough to read the next line on the teleprompter. The frequent, scripted 15-second bursts of applause was a smart strategy. It kept him from veering off script, and gave him time to get worked up again to deliver his next line.
It was a shocking but not surprising speech. Biden has threatened and abused huge swaths of Americans before. Eventually there will be a genuine political crisis in this country. Historians may note precursors in this sad spectacle.
You and I must have seen different speeches. Even the speaker of the house nodded approvingly and applauded several times.
I expected a lot of blowback about spendy policies for pre-school, mortgages, and just about everything else. Folks seem more concerned with inter-tribe politics.
“a pocketful of mumbles
Such are promises
All lies and jest
Still a man hears what he wants to hear
And disregards the rest”
The US has choices for each of the president and congress in November. Each is between bad and worse but in neither case can I determine which is which.
I think that Ritalin and Adderal were more responsible for the SOTU than Slow Joe.