Okay, folks. Let’s just level with each other.
I know there are lots of my fellow lefties – whether we call ourselves liberals or progressives — who have been disappointed by President Obama since he took office under the promising banners of “Hope” and “Change”.
He didn’t go far enough on universal health care.
He didn’t prosecute the Bush Administration for its war crimes.
He hasn’t put any of the Wall Street banksters in jail.
And on and on and on…
But can you imagine a Republican President giving a State of the Union Address anything at all like the speech that President Obama just gave?
I’m no Pollyanna. I’m no easy dupe. But I am a clear-eyed political realist.
I am encouraged – even thrilled — that an intelligent, thoughtful and empathetic Democratic President has emerged from a three-year death-grip battle with the dark powers of the anti-intellectual, greedy, pro-feudal GOP with a resilient spirit, imagination and resolve strong enough to fashion the speech that President Obama gave tonight.
Newt Gingrich?
Mitt Romney?
Please.
Bring ‘em on.
Paul's Voyage of Discovery & Etc. 
Right ON Daddio.
Been saying’ that all along.
JG
I agree completely. Andrew Sullivan does a good job reflecting on Obama’s presidency in last week’s Newsweek. The overall message–look at the big picture.
Brilliantly said Mr. Barrosse. Couldn’t agree more.
I thought his bookending his speech with a shout out to our men in service, and especially the finale with the details of the flag given to him by the Navy SEALS that took out Bin Laden was sheer and total genius, it will make any Republican attempt to belittle him on foreign policy look like the stupid bs it is. Not that they won’t try of course, but I can’t see how the can make it stick. He has fought their stupid wars better then they did, and man does that annoy the shit out of them.
All the GOP can do is cry that Obama’s cutting defense spending, object to the withdrawal from Iraq, criticize the drawdown in Afghanistan, and carp that he should do more against Iran. And what I love most is that Ron Paul is to the left of Obama on all these issues — and he’s in every GOP debate!
Let’s never forget, though, that just because he’s the best we can do doesn’t make him good. Obama is still a war criminal and authorized the drone killing of a U.S. citizen. He is turning a blind eye to Israeli attacks in Iran specifically designed to drag us into a war with that country. He and his CIA cronies have destroyed our relationship with Pakistan and placed us even further at risk in that region. These same murderers are sending drones on a regular basis into no fewer than 5 soverign nations. On civil rights he is well right of Bush.
Will I still vote for him? Probably, because Paul convinced me that anyone else would do worse when it comes to the Supreme Court, if he gets the chance to nominate someone. But I will do so with feelings of shame and remorse. He has given snazzy speeches before., folks, and then went out and violated international law and the Constitution with impunity. Don’t be fooled.