February 24, 2009

Obama's address to Congress... the live-blog.

Watch the don't-call-it-the-State-of-the-Union with me.

8:00: How come there are already 43 comments? The thing hasn't started yet! I suppose you guys are really excited about this. Nancy Pelosi has her olive-green sweatshirt on. I've chosen CBS... Katie Couric is obviously reading from a script.

8:04: Ruth Bader Ginsburg! Among the living! Closeups. Cheers.

8:05: Michelle Obama. Sleeveless! Purple!

8:06: Hillary! Looking radiant. Rahm! He's hot.

8:11: It's O! Red striped tie. Super-short hair. He's kissing all the ladies. The CBS commentary is soooo lame. This is true bipartisanship... except to the extent that it isn't....

8:15: Oops! O spoke over Nancy. Is Chief Justice Roberts there in the audience laughing?

8:20: We have terrible economic problems, but we're going to solve them. To do that, we need to understand how we got here. Then he lists various reforms — like health care — that I think he'd be listing even if there were no economic crisis. I can't see the connection between his economic wish list and the crisis at hand.

8:25: The text of the speech. Great, now like Nancy Pelosi, I can read along. It would be cool if Nancy had her laptop up there and was live-blogging.

8:31: Damn those executives with their jets and fancy drapes! No drapes for you!

8:33: Screw Wall Street but I love small business. Just be small and I will love you.

8:34: "Slowly, but surely, confidence will return, and our economy will recover." There's no lilt of hope in that. Whatever happened to all the hope? This is leaden and lecture-y.

8:37: Which member of Congress is most obviously up past his bedtime? I'm going to say Charles Rangel.

8:40: "It will be the goal of this administration to ensure that every child has access to a complete and competitive education – from the day they are born to the day they begin a career." So... no child left behind?

8:51: Orrin Hatch's name is invoked. We see him reading the speech and grimacing at his own name. He is not a prideful man.

8:59: Obama supports the troops.

9:03: Now, he's in the generic inspiration, listing-of-the-heroes part. Some businessman handed out money because "I didn't feel right getting the money myself." See, rich folk? Cough it up.

9:08: "Some day years from now our children can tell their children that this was the time" — oh, he's doing "this was the time" again — "when we performed, in the words that are carved into this very chamber, 'something worthy to be remembered.'" That was a goofy crescendo. I mean, paraphrase it: In the future, we'll look back and say that we remember doing something.

9:09: "And God Bless the United States of America." He almost forgot to say it.

9:22: Waiting for Bobby Jindal.

9:24: "Happy Mardi Gras!" Bobby's all enthusiastic about Barack Obama, the first African-American President!

9:26: Bobby learned a can-do attitude from his immigrant dad. His emphatic hand gestures are not quite in the camera frame. But I think his style is pretty good, though it sounds super-rehearsed. Somebody taught him every inflection I think. And that eye contact. It's a bit unnerving!

9:29: Jindal is nicely upbeat and confidence-inspiring. Don't monitor volcanoes! Monitor the eruption of spending!

9:35: The GOP wants to win back our trust.

9:37: Bobby: plastic and peppy. But maybe we'll get used to him.

570 comments:

«Oldest   ‹Older   401 – 570 of 570
Chennaul said...

Yep-not Jindal or Palin.

and, more importantly they aren't going to be able to begin to compete with the fundraising that the Democrats have now and into the future at their disposal.

Irony being that George Soros contributed greatly through various means to the Obama campaign for years and now George Soros is shorting the American dollar and saying that the economy of America will not recover for a very longtime.

Nothing like taking insurance on your bets is there Soros?

Roberto said...

peter hoh said..."Jindal's speech was constantly being interrupted by audio glitches on the FOX digital broadcast, as seen on my TV, which gets reception from an antenna."

No.

That was the actual speech.

Virginia said...

9:43 PM
Blogger AJ Lynch said...

David Axelrod is a bad rep for the Dems.
===
I won't disagree with you too strongly there.

Curtiss said...

Obama Word Counts:

crisis: 11
bank: 12
jobs: 19
economy: 22
I: 73

freedom: 1

Penny said...

Metal giants are aching for being cut off at the knees, Michael.

Mental giants, too!

KCFleming said...

Whew! Finally finished washing my hair.
Didn't miss much in the speech, I see. Too much jabbering on the teevees, that man.

In that interval, my retirement savings declined, the dollar fell, my share of the national debt increased, my taxes increased, gold went up, and businesmens' balls shrank three sizes.

At least the oceans stopped rising.

Jason (the commenter) said...

Simon,

Gingrich? Didn't he have a scandal?

veni vidi vici said...

"After tonight I hate Obama, but who do the Republicans have to run against him? Not Jindal or Palin."

Therein lies the rub. The GOP gots nuthin' going into the next round. It'll be what 2004 was for the Dems: the large ego's of men of small accomplishments.

Beyond Barry, though, the Democrat bench isn't exactly teeming with talent, either.

I think we're at the end of the line as far as polity goes in America. At least until another (real) Roosevelt, Reagan, or whatever shows up with some ideas. Until then, cliche-ville here we come. Talk about lipstick on pigs!

Michael Haz said...

Oh boy, here comes Frank Luntz. He'll fully explain how a group of average people react in an average manner. Brilliant.

Penny said...

Oh...and I was a Girl Scout.

That had an important impact on my growth.

Roberto said...

Pogo said..."...my retirement savings declined, the dollar fell, my share of the national debt increased, my taxes increased, gold went up, and businesmens' balls shrank three sizes."

Being a loser is not fun.

Kill yourself.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Well if the ocean is rising, don't go in too far or your balls will shrink even more. Heh.

Virginia said...

Pogo - no, the oceans are still rising.

====

Bush:

crisis: 0
bank: 0
jobs: 1
economy: 0


freedom: 777

Palladian said...

God, Jindal is terrible. Stupid beliefs, stupid ideas, bad management, poor communication. Obama? Jindal? Jeb Frickin' Bush? This is all we have? We are so fucking screwed.

I'm sorry to say, RLB_IV, but I think our dire predictions about the stock market are going to come to pass. Look for at least a 500 point drop tomorrow.

Host with the Most said...

Michael - you were the one calling Bush a chimp, so

Turn about is fair play.

Listen, I'll give you 6 moinths to see the economy from your head monkey boy turn around.

6 months.

Then everyone will know with evidence that your ass is out of any words.

Why do I believe that I will catch you in 6 months with egg on your face and someone's cum all over your ass?

Roberto said...

Penny said..."Oh...and I was a Girl Scout. That had an important impact on my growth."

If it wasn't I feel sorry for you.

But I bet it really was.

Right?

Be honest...

veni vidi vici said...

"Hey, I have LAG!

Anyone else out there with the same problem?"

Leaking Ass Gruel?

I'm Full of Soup said...

I am going to start selling a T-shirt that lists every member of Congress who has been there more than 20 years. It will say something like "These are the cocksuckers who ruined America".

Peter Hoh said...

Michael's snark aside, the audio glitch I heard on FOX cleared up when I switched over to NBC.

To explain the glitch a little: it seemed that every 15 or 20 seconds, a bit of Jindal's speech would be cut -- sometimes midword -- as though someone was doing a bad job of splicing an audio tape.

Michael McNeil said...

Plagiarizing Michael is just about the single “greatest” mental midget I've ever encountered.

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

So I missed the big speach. Did he amaze with his command of complete sentences? Is he bailing out my 401K? Giving me free health care for the rest of my life? Buying me a lifetime supply of beer? Inquiring minds want to know...

KCFleming said...

For the record, Michael, I do not consent to participate in your psychological experiment.

Ha ha, your community college paper is so screwed. No textbook entry for you!

Roberto said...

Host, I've never referred to Bush as a chimp.

Inept, dishonest, yes.

Your comment was racist and bigoted and if you had a shred of dignity you'd admit it.

But we both know that's not the case.

Small people, small minds.

veni vidi vici said...

Bushman:

In a word, "BOHICA".

Best,

Vic

Roberto said...

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said..."So I missed the big speach. Did he amaze with his command of complete sentences?"

Now THAT is funny.

Jason (the commenter) said...

Palladian : Look for at least a 500 point drop tomorrow.

I don't think so. Asia isn't having problems right now. And futures are down just a little. Makes sense after the big gain today.

I'm Full of Soup said...

I love that Frank Luntz can find independent or undecided voters.

Michael Haz said...

LAG? Large angry gorilla?

AmPowerBlog said...

Got a little post up on it, here. Linked back here ... Palladian's got it on, yo (and Stephen Green drunk-blogged).

Michael Haz said...

Jeebus- Did Luntz interview a woman who has a muskrat on her head?

Anonymous said...

Get this thing to 1000 people. I know you can do it.

My sources tell me there is a possible Althouse swimsuit calendar at that mark. Chop! chop! people.

Roberto said...

Michael McNeil said..."Plagiarizing Michael is just about the single “greatest” mental midget I've ever encountered."

Other than being grammatically incorrect...oh, never mind.

Jason (the commenter) said...

AJ Lynch : It will say something like "These are the cocksuckers who ruined America".

A shirt with the word "cocksucker" on it? You have my interest.

Roberto said...

Palladian : Look for at least a 500 point drop tomorrow.

Bet??

Jason (the commenter) said...

At least Jindal has some good soundbites.

Roberto said...

Great speech.

Look for a great reaction.

Whine on.

TitusLoveUToDeath said...

Palin is a rock star among the repbulican faithful as demonstrated in many polls. No other republican will go as far as her in 2012. She is the one.

Also, she looks good, she throws a great right hook, and is a good politician.

My sense is she will be the one. Pawlenty, Sanborn, Barbour-boring. She will never win though. Crist could actually win the general but the base would likely never elect him in the primary.

Host with the Most said...

Michael

You are a small minded racist.

Invest in Vasoline and PrepH.

Get ready.

In 6 months you should be about, oh 6 centimeters.

Michael Haz said...

AJ Lynch - I'll buy two.

Penny said...

"Stop micromanaging my life, Obama."

OK then!

Victoria, who I love, seems to have allowed the big O to tap into her jugular.

Any suggestions for Victoria?

Anonymous said...

Oh. I see. Michael is here. Trying to be snarky but coming off, as usual, like a socially impaired idiot.

Sad, really.

Michael McNeil said...

Don't forget, aficionados of Outer Space: tonight's the closest approach (high in the mid-night sky, visible round the world and in both hemispheres) of the naked-eye Comet Lulin. Also, tonight Saturn is only two degrees away from it. More info and sky maps here.

Thomas Green said...

What an amazing address to Congress and Americans alike. Obama addressed the issues that face our nation - the issues he inherited from a political party gone wild - with clarity and honesty. His plan is forthright and well thought out. As was stated after the speech by many, it is supported by the majority of state Govs - both Republican and Democrat! It looks like only the elitist Washington DC Republicans don't agree with the recovery plan and future goals laid out by the President.

Host with the Most said...

Michael,

Have your wife start practicing on you.

Is she a monkey, too?

Anonymous said...

Thomas Green is an obviously paid shill and lackey who should be ashamed by his own very existence.

Go away, Tom. Go get an independent thought. You embarrass the entire species.

Jason (the commenter) said...

Don't feed the trolls people.

Simon said...

Jason (the commenter) said...
"Simon, Gingrich? Didn't he have a scandal?"

Sure, but who cares? I find it hard to believe that in the straights we're going to be in by 2012, I would be embarrassed for anyone who thought that trumped our needs.

I have nothing against Palin, by the way, who I like and think may well be a contender - but the media did a thorough job of sliming her last time around, and are stockpiling ammunition for the next round, which makes me wonder how viable she is. Optimistically, this crisis will see the entire "professional" jounalism corps unemployed and unemployable, which would help.

AJ, your timeframe starts about twenty years too early.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

A little bit of House keeping..

Ron and Darcy missing.. in accion maybe?

Nudge nudge... saynomore ;)

Anonymous said...

Jason -- At this point in a thread, it has to be a troll feeding frenzy for if any life is to sustain.

Simon said...

Tom, I'm assuming that was intended as satire.

Michael Haz said...

You know, until three days ago I believed Titus owned a bakery.

S Sommer said...

I was looking forward to hearing Jindal.

Now that I did, must say that if that is the best the Republican party has to put up in 2012, they are in deep trouble.

Obama is kind of stiff, but Jindal makes him look like the orator of all time.

I thought Jindal was a Rhodes scholar?

Evidently flunked public speaking.

Pathetic effort. Seriously pathetic.

Anonymous said...

Simon -- You loved Palin and lobbied for her selection. She turned out to be a lightweight and a horrific selection. Sure, she was pilloried by the left and its press lackeys. But there was substance for pillorying.

Palin isn't the answer. I don't know who is. But it's not her.

Palladian said...

From Thomas Green's profile:

Understanding how to write a well crafted message (advertisement), is basic to sales and marketing. I’ve established this blog to learn more and to attract others with the same desire to learn. I can share what I’ve gained in knowledge and gain knowledge from others. In essence: teach so I learn and learn so I can teach, pretty simple win win!

Roberto said...

Host - You're a racist, bigoted little man.

Seven - Should I care?

Host with the Most said...

Hey Michael, I'm learning more about you and your family:

Chimp’s Sex Calls May Reflect Calculation

Already sent a copy to the First Lady (wanted to save you some time).

Gee - playing this part of being a mindless, bitter asshole towards the President of the United States and his supporters - like Michael has been doing for so long - is actually kind of fun.

Beau said...

My sense is she will be the one. Pawlenty, Sanborn, Barbour-boring.

Those will be some wild 'n crazy debates. Wow, I can hardly wait.

Host with the Most said...

Michael - you are worthless piece of human refuse.

Your death would be sad, because the opportunity for you to be tortured would probably not exist here.

You racist fuck.

Anonymous said...

God! Was it satire Thomas? If so, brilliant! I have been fooled.

The thing is, I saw crap just like that during the campaign that was an obvious cut and paste job from Obama's army of young, pale white people with no commercial skills.

Again, kudos if it was satire.

Michael Haz said...

I call 460!

Roberto said...

"Obama is kind of stiff, but Jindal makes him look like the orator of all time."

No shit?

But what makes you think Obama is "kind of stiff?"

I've never heard that.

Jason (the commenter) said...

Palladian,

I wonder if Thomas Green had Rob Emanuel write that for him too.

Chennaul said...

Cripes what about Thune?

Hubba.

I mean gawd! the way I've had to read the commentariat over Palin.

Anonymous said...

You should get out more, Mike. It would also improve your social skills. You might not need to masturbate so much, either, which would mean that your penis wouldn't be so dry and itchy all the time.

vbspurs said...

Just in case you missed it, Olbermann or someone (I think Olbermann) muttered OH GOD, just before Jindal's speech.

Maybe he can read tea leaves, and knew it was going to be awful. But it's still outrageous for its bias.

They fired ED Hill for the terrorist fist bump remark. But Olbermann gets rewarded with a new contract for his unprofessional behaviour at every turn.

Watch here:

Who Said "Oh God" Just Before Jindal's Speech

Michael McNeil said...

As Plagiarizing Michael admitted during the campaign, he was an Obama campaign worker, probably still is.

Jason (the commenter) said...

I wish we had better trolls, but I guess they wouldn't be trolls then.

Host with the Most said...

But what makes you think Obama is "kind of stiff?"

Everyone knows about Chimpanzees being eternally horny . . .

Michael? Actually, are you EVER fully soft?

Roberto said...

Seven Machos said..."...your penis wouldn't be so dry and itchy all the time...if you'd let me pit Vaseline inside my mouth first. Work with me...I love you."

Dammit, Seven...now everybody knows...

Peter Hoh said...

Simon, you're in straights?

But, yes, I could use a dose of Gingrich. He's into straights, too.

Host with the Most said...

vbspurs,

I mentioned that earlier in this thread, right after it happened.

Host with the Most said...

JAson,

I'm generally on your side.

Now stay out of the way and limit the better-than-thou comments.

Roberto said...

Host, you're like the fool who screws up and says something they regret, yet continue to say it...thinking it somehow makes people think it's not what it is.

Move on.

We all know what you are.

Anonymous said...

Jesus, Mike. You can't even be funny at the lowest common denominator. It's so sad. Please, dude. Up your game. Please.

Your comments are so sadly flat and embarrassingly shallow.

jr565 said...

He doesn't believe in bigger govt. he believes in biggest government.

Host with the Most said...

Oh, Michael,

I'm just like Lionel Ritchie,

I can go all night long.

Michael doing Michelle Obama - EWWWWWW!

Roberto said...

Michael McNeil said..."...Michael admitted during the campaign, he was an Obama campaign worker, probably still is."

Never said it...never was.

You're a liar.

jayne_cobb said...

Given the general quality of trolls here I just assumed that most were satirical takes on leftist posters.

Anonymous said...

HTML is not difficult to learn. Even for the socially and mentally retarded.

Chennaul said...

jr565-

Damn it that's how he says that with a straight face.

I'm out-mystery solved.

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

but the media did a thorough job of sliming her last time around, and are stockpiling ammunition for the next round, which makes me wonder how viable she is.

Simon, what makes you think this won't be true for any Republican. The media makes no pretense of who they support and they will not allow Barry to lose.

Roberto said...

Seven - Okay, that's it.

No more Vaseline.

Be gentle.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Edie Hill was fired over the fist bump? Did not know that.

Simon- 20 years too early?? Do not understand- I believe the serious looting and scant oversight of govt obligations and funds,etc occurred over the last 20 years.

jayne_cobb said...

I mean honestly,

How crappy of a troll do you have to be to actually have those you're trying to piss off feel sorry for you.

Roberto said...

35 days in and idiots here are debating the next election?

You can't be this fucking dense.

Roberto said...

jayne...okay, okay...I admit it...I do feel sorry for Seven and Host.

Host with the Most said...

Oooops spoke too soon. Being called to visitors. Have to leage Michael to his own devices. Sigh.

As far as I can tell, I'm the only one here to frustrate Michael numerous times into shutting up on particular threads.

Reminds me of the time Luckyoldson began crying to Ann that I was too harsh on him/her/it.

Actually, come to think of it - that happened twice.

Roberto said...

jayne...are you as smart as you think you are?

People wanna know.

Anonymous said...

Media don't decide elections. My fellow conservatives and libertarians: get your panties out of that wad. McCain lost because he was awful, not because the media conspired against him. We've had Republican presidents for 30 out of the last 50 years.

And 2010 is going to be a ton of fun.

Host with the Most said...

'night all!

Jason (the commenter) said...

Host with the most : Oooops spoke too soon. Being called to visitors. Have to leage Michael to his own devices. Sigh.

And THAT people, is how you get rid of a troll.

Roberto said...

Host, you're like the fool who screws up and says something they regret, yet continue to say it...thinking it somehow makes people think it's not what it is.

Move on.

We all know what you are.

Anonymous said...

Michael is a socially retarded racist with repressed sexual issues and an itchy penis.

Roberto said...

Seven...why do you keep talking about my penis?

I told you: Maybe next week.

Host - Being a racist, bigoted prick is what you are.

Live with it.

Simon said...

Seven Machos said...
"Simon -- You loved Palin and lobbied for her selection. She turned out to be a lightweight and a horrific selection. Sure, she was pilloried by the left and its press lackeys. But there was substance for pillorying."

I lobbied for her selection because she was the best of the available choices. She was. If McCain had picked anyone else, it is even more crystal clear in hindsight than it was at the time that Obama would have wrapped up the election by the end of the GOP convention. Palin gave McCain back a fighting chance; that he wasn't able to capitalize it and the media did everything in its power to capsize it doesn't change the record. To blame Palin for the loss flies in the face of everything we knew then and knew now.

Nor was there a whit of substance to any of the "pillorying," apart from a couple of unfortunate answers given in the contexts of highly hostile interviews, and one solid blow that Sir David Frum landed on her (it was evidently memorable: I couldn't tell you what it was without looking). It is very difficult to build a positive image when thirty of every thirty two media outlets in America is throwing everything it has into taking you down.

Simon said...

Seven. Host. Stop. Feeding. The. Troll. How many times are you going to put us through this? If everyone would just fucking ignore him he would fade away, but you keep stoking the fire. IGNORE. IT.

Host with the Most said...

Given the general quality of trolls here I just assumed that most were satirical takes on leftist posters.

Sigh.

You're not supposed to admit it, but yes.

I actually don't hate Michael. I just enjoy toying with him, and seeing him get worked up. It's kind of like teasing a younger brother.

And the stuff I send his way, well -
I spent 3 years trying to have serious dialog on Huff Post, move.on and Kos. The leftists there had no attempt - ever - to seriously engage on the merits of an argument - basically just death and torture scenarios for me and my family and the horses we rode in on . Continually. Over and over and over.

Michael actually has it good here.

Althouse regulars have proven themselves to always be sensitive to special needs posters.

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

Seven, things are different now. By the next exlection government will be bigger than ever. Dems will control the money, media, and identity politics like never before. I think we have reached the tipping point. Too much to overcome.

Virginia said...

"Althouse regulars have proven themselves to always be sensitive to special needs posters."
++++
Yeah, sounds RADICALLY different than your experiences on the left blogs.

Simon said...

AJ - I mean that anyone in Congress falls into the "people who are making America worse" grouping, not just those with twenty years under their belt.

Anonymous said...

Simon -- I disagree at every turn.

First of all, and I think we can agree, McCain should not have been the candidate and he had no chance to win.

Second, Palin gives a good, electrifying speech. But that's it. She is Obama without the education otherwise. She has very little experience in government. She brought no other useful experience. She was a lightweight in general.

You keep Palin, and Obama, and William Jennings Bryan. None of them know what they are doing when it comes to governance, war, or economics. None of them should hold (or should have held) high federal office.

All of that said, you know I respect your opinion a great deal. I just think you were terribly wrong in this instance.

Host with the Most said...

Jason - you don't want to be in my crosshairs.

You already seem highly intelligent, but probably the kind that will run to Mama Ann when the going gets tough.

Let's just leave at intelligent, okay?


All right, dear, I'm almost done with the blo

Michael McNeil said...

Plagiarizing Michael on 2008-10-10 09:11 posted:
Rich B - I've been working for his campaign for about three months.

Thanks for the shout out, Dude.

Anonymous said...

Bushman -- You are being an idiot. No offense. This is exactly like 1992, and the press was for Clinton in exactly the same way. Look what happened.

Information is freer than it ever, ever was before. Gatekeepers of information have less control than probably at any time in human history.

Michael McNeil said...

That's 11:11 Althouse time.

Palladian said...

Boy it gets stinky down here at the bottom of the sump hole. Hey look, there's a drain plug down here!

[pulls drain plug]

Jason (the commenter) said...

Host : Jason - you don't want to be in my crosshairs.

Don't worry Host, any aggression you send my way is just sexy talk to me.

Simon said...

Seven, well, we agree at least that McCain shouldn't have been the candidate, and I'll leave it at that for tonight. :)

I'm Full of Soup said...

Simon:

Got what you mean now.

I was trying to be a little fair by placing most of the blame on the longtimers.

Ron said...

Hey say, cats and kittens, what'd I miss? Yeah, looks like nuthin' important! Did the Desk-Chair-On-The-Titanic Organizer In Chief proudly point to how organized the shuffleboard court was? Bully for us!

Jindal had a hangfire I think; better luck next time with that whole talking-in-public thing.

Palin Plus! quantity of comments and where's Althouse? In her snuggie?

If anything really happens in one of these therapy sessions, I'll catch it on YouTube. Otherwise, snoozing was the order of the day.

Jon said...

J(TC) said: "After tonight I hate Obama, but who do the Republicans have to run against him? Not Jindal or Palin."

I think Romney would have had a 50/50 shot at beating Obama last time (we have the Huckster and Iowa's fundie voters to thank for Obama being gifted with McCain instead).

And I think Romney is most likely to get the nomination next time.

Right now he's basically tied with Jindal on Intrade, at 28/27. Pawlenty is third at 19. Huckabee is at 16 and Palin at 13.

Host with the Most said...

JAson,

Touche.



I'm almost done, dear, just one mo

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

Seven, I just think the demographics are bad. Whatever new jobs are created in the next 4 year will be mostly government related meaning more and more dependent on the government. Illegal immigration, election system being undermined by groups like Acorn. A media that has gone far beyond 1992. I could go on. I think your kidding yourself if you think the game isn't changing.

Virginia said...

Right. Who watches SOTUs anyway? They're intolerable!

They ought to be outlawed.

Roberto said...

Instant public surveys on Barack Obama's address before Congress showed, by in large, that the public was incredibly receptive to his speech, regardless of political party. But that did not hold true for every single study.

A CBS News poll of approximately 500 people saw approval of the president rise from 62 percent before the speech to 69 percent afterward.

Meanwhile, a poll on CNN showed that 68 percent of respondents -- who skewed a bit Democratic -- viewed the speech positively, 24 somewhat positively, and only eight percent not positively. Eighty-two percent supported the president's economic plan as outlined in the speech, while 17 percent opposed it.

Those results were buttressed by the findings of longtime Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg. In his own dial poll, which included 50 participants of mixed gender, education and politics, Greenberg found a large swath of bipartisan support for Obama's addres. That included a 14 percent jump, from 62 to 76 percent, in the favorability rating for the president.

Saying at the onset that this was an "immensely successful speech," he highlighted a few issues on which Obama won over the audience.

* On taxes, "there was a 26-point gain," from 38 to 64 percent, "the biggest gains that he made." * On the deficit, "there was an 18 point swing... from 42 percent to 60 percent." * On Iraq, "there was a 18-point swing" (no numbers were offered)

"I've never seen this," Greenberg added. For a large part of the speech, all three, the Republican, Democratic and independent line where virtually in the same place."

What was striking, Greenberg concluded, was "how un-polarized the reaction was to this speech. I have not quite seen that."

Anonymous said...

The game never changes, Bushman. If you don't believe that, you can't call yourself conservative.

If Obama creates prosperity, more power to him. As I have said here before, I'd be a Marxist if Marxism worked. Sitting around doing nothing and getting paid handsomely sounds like great fun to me.

But Marxism doesn't work. Not does its sorry, pussy second cousin, big government liberalism. Therefore, people will vote for an alternative.

Roberto said...

Jon said..."J(TC) said: "After tonight I hate Obama, but who do the Republicans have to run against him? Not Jindal or Palin."

I think Romney would have had a 50/50 shot at beating Obama last time (we have the Huckster and Iowa's fundie voters to thank for Obama being gifted with McCain instead).

And I think Romney is most likely to get the nomination next time."

Are you people living in some kind of time warp???

We JUST had the election. Obama won.

Drag your heads out of your asses and MOVE ON.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Re Jindal:

In the NBA, all the teams look at the last champion team and try to re-make their team in the image. One year, they want to all get big; the next they all try to find a Kobe or LeBron to mold a team around. In a year or two, they will all be trying to find a monster like Dwight Howard to build a team around.

In politics however, the winner's profile or strengths become anathema to the voters who now decide they want someone with different qualities.

By that I mean Bush won even though he mangled his words. Then the voters got tired of him and his type.

Obama won because he was eloquent and the opposite of Bush. The voters will tire of Obama so eloquence will not be at the top of the voters' demands in the next election.

So there is hope for candidates like Palin or Jindal. The voters will want a DOER OR AN INFORMED WONK (opposite of Obama).

I guarantee it.

Roberto said...

Seven - "But Marxism doesn't work. Not does its sorry, pussy second cousin, big government liberalism."

Hey, dumbfuck...we just had 8 years of the Bush administration, resulting in the biggest increase in government, debt and deficit spending in our nation's history.

Are you really this dumb?

Duh.

DaLawGiver said...

Those results were buttressed by the findings of longtime Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg. In his own dial poll, which included 50 participants of mixed gender, education and politics, Greenberg found a large swath of bipartisan support for Obama's addres.

HA HA HA!

50 whole participants?

HA HA HA!

Democratic Pollster?

Lucky, does it hurt to be so fucked up? Don't answer that nobody really cares.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Michael:

Stan Greenberg is the pollster who let Rahm Emanual live in his DC home for free.

So I would not trust or believe a poll his company conducts.

Roberto said...

AJ - Nice try.

Jindal was very strange.

Roberto said...

AJ - There were at least three polls.

Read much?

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

But Marxism doesn't work. Not does its sorry, pussy second cousin, big government liberalism.

On that we agree. You just have more faith in your fellow countrymen. For what's it worth, I hope your right.

Roberto said...

"A CBS News poll of approximately 500 people saw approval of the president rise from 62 percent before the speech to 69 percent afterward."

No Greenberg.

"Meanwhile, a poll on CNN showed that 68 percent of respondents -- who skewed a bit Democratic -- viewed the speech positively, 24 somewhat positively, and only eight percent not positively. Eighty-two percent supported the president's economic plan as outlined in the speech, while 17 percent opposed it."

No Greenberg.

Want to ignore his poll...so be it.

Anonymous said...

Goddamn, Althouse. I know you'll never read this, but you have some really sorry trolls. They're just sad. The only thing they have is stamina.

It always depresses me when I come here. How am I supposed to talk to Peter Hoh and Madison Man and John Stodder with this raw sewage floating around?

Up your game, you fucking loser(s).

Roberto said...

Seven - Okay...that's it.

No more Vaseline.

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

Dow futures down 50. Money talks. Bullshit walks.

Roberto said...

Seven Machos said..."Michael has an itchy penis...and if anybody knows how an itchy penis can wear out the inside of your mouth...I DO."

Anonymous said...

Mike -- How many times are you going to post in a row about how you want me to blow you?

Roberto said...

Seven Machos said..."Mike -- How many times are you going to post in a row about how I blew you?"

Sorry.

dualdiagnosis said...

No private jets?

Doesn't he remember what happened to all those boat making jobs when the luxury tax was passed?

Jason (the commenter) said...

Doesn't he remember what happened to all those boat making jobs when the luxury tax was passed?

Yes, but it polls well to say you are against private jets.

Anonymous said...

I am against Air Force One. Obama should fly coach. Better yet, he should fly on Southwest, pitstopping in Akron and Memphis on the way to Miami.

Roberto said...

This, from one of the most conservative (far right) blogs on the internet - Ace of Spades:

Jindal's Response...
—Ace

"Awful. He walked out like an earnest dork and has a weird inflection, trying to sound upbeat and sunny when it's clearly not his natural metier. It sounds false, and he looks false.

I don't care how much of a star Jindal is, America doesn't elect somewhat-off dorks as president."

Host with the Most said...

seven,

You want less troll stuff from me?

Fair enough.

What I want form you: Curse if you want, but stop using GD and Jesus as curse words.

Deal?

JAL said...

How is Obama going to bring the deficit down if he's planning on spending more money on all these programs?

Jason, jason, jason ...

There are no stupid question.

Except YOURS!

Anonymous said...

I like you fine, Host.

Roberto said...

Seven, since you and Host are now a "thing," does that mean you won't be worried about my itchy penis anymore?

Freeman Hunt said...

I don't care how much of a star Jindal is, America doesn't elect somewhat-off dorks as president.

Didn't we just elect Obama? That guy is a geek. People talk about him like he's the next Cary Grant born from the pages of GQ, but that guy is nerd city.

Roberto said...

Freeman - You sound just like an old Republican.

Referring to Obama as a "geek" and a "nerd."

Can I assume you don't know that geeks and nerds are in?

Jason (the commenter) said...

Didn't we just elect Obama? That guy is a geek.

Hey, I'm still here!

Beth said...

In a way, I'm in the position of the GOP folks, having to hope that the opposition executive succeeds. I mentioned Louisiana is in a $2 billion hole - the way our budget is set up, state government can cut only health and higher education to balance the budget. There is a provision that allows the governor to cut other state budget items, but only to small percentage, and only under financial exigency (cut me some slack on the terms; the broad details are accurate).

Right now, Jindal is trying to maneuver lawmakers into taking the necessary steps (a constitutional amendment) to expose the entire budget to cuts when we're in a deficit situation, so that cuts can be either across the board or strategic, depending on the sitation, but everything will be exposed fairly. To do this, he'll probably have to go through with drastic cuts to health and higher ed, and make them hurt, so all the fiefdoms across the state become harder to defend.

I don't like it, but I want a more fair budget process and thus, unlike the Party of No, I'm going to cross over my partisan objections to Jindal, and supporting him in this effort. I will vote for the amendment, should it make it to this fall's ballot.

Peter Hoh said...

In the hierarchy of high school, I think that geeks are above nerds who are above dorks.

Geeks at least have some skills.

Gore: more dorky than geeky. Cal Trillin once described Gore as a man-like object.

Freeman Hunt said...

Can I assume you don't know that geeks and nerds are in?

I'll take your word for it as the arbiter of good taste.

In other news: "Geeks and Nerds Are In!" Say Geeks and Nerds

Freeman Hunt said...

In the hierarchy of high school, I think that geeks are above nerds who are above dorks.

This sounds about right. Jindal, if he's of one of these categories, seems more nerd than dork.

Roberto said...

Exorcism anyone?

During his years at Brown University, Jindal pursued his Catholic faith with unbridled zeal. Jindal became emotionally involved with a classmate named Susan who had overcome skin cancer and struggled to cope with the suicide of a close friend. Jindal reflected in an article for a Catholic magazine (called “Beating a Demon: Physical Dimensions of Spiritual Warfare”) that “sulfuric” scents hovered over Susan everywhere she went. In the middle of a prayer meeting, Jindal claimed that Susan collapsed and began convulsing on the floor. His prayer partners gathered together on the floor, holding hands and shouting, “Satan, I command you to leave this woman!”

While under the supposed control of satanic demons, Susan lashed out at Jindal and his friends. “Whenever I concentrated long enough to begin prayer, I felt some type of physical force distracting me,” Jindal reflected. “It was as if something was pushing down on my chest, making it very hard for me to breathe… I began to think that the demon would only attack me if I tried to pray or fight back; thus, I resigned myself to leaving it alone in an attempt to find peace for myself.”

Toward the conclusion of what Jindal called “the tremendous battle between the Susan we knew and loved and some strange and evil force,” Jindal and his friends forced Susan to read passages from the Bible. “She choked on certain passages and could not finish the sentence ‘Jesus is Lord.’ Over and over, she repeated "Jesus is L..L..LL," often ending in profanities,” Jindal wrote. Finally, evil gave way to the light. “Just as suddenly as she went into the trance, Susan suddenly reappeared and claimed ‘Jesus is Lord.’ With an almost comical smile, Susan then looked up as if awakening from a deep sleep and asked, ‘Has something happened?’”

Freeman Hunt said...

Exorcism anyone?

Are you requesting one?

Penny said...

TESTING one two.

Jack said...

Ann Althouse, ultraconservative extremist, out of touch with the American people, and proud of it.

What was your overall reaction to President Obama’s speech tonight – very positive, somewhat positive, somewhat negative or very negative?
Very positive: 68%
Somewhat positive: 24%

I'll leave it to the law professor and her far-right commenters to determine what portion of the US population was unhappy with the speech.

Freeman Hunt said...

out of touch with the American people

Populism is a virtue these days? Who knew?

Chip Ahoy said...

So, let me get this straight, Obama did a speech tonight and a bunch of people showed up?

TRundgren said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
TRundgren said...

"I think the blame more properly rests on Congress."

Bingo.

A den of thieves responsible for lax oversite of regulations they impose and the first ones to blame the financial institutions for the problems they were paid off to turn a blind eye toward.

No Congressperson should be permitted to leave DC wealthier than when they arrived. In addition, a lifetime ban on lobbying for any foreign or domestic company or interest group should be the price for the privilege of public service.

Jason (the commenter) said...

Jack : Ann Althouse, ultraconservative extremist, out of touch with the American people, and proud of it.

I have to agree with Freeman Hunt, what does it matter if Althouse doesn't agree with the majority of the population?

It's only politicians, like Obama, who look at polls to decide what their positions should be.

Roberto said...

Chip Ahoy said..."So, let me get this straight, Obama did a speech tonight and a bunch of people showed up?"

Duh.

Roberto said...

Jason - Stop sucking up.

Anonymous said...

Jack -- The important thing is to agree with the majority. They're always right.

Penny said...

WATCH, and learn.

Freeman Hunt said...

I'm absolutely shocked that a majority of people were excited that someone promised to give them a whole bunch of expensive stuff for free. Whoever would have thought?

Anonymous said...

Freeman -- Absolutely. The key to getting out of financial trouble is to borrow more money to buy stuff you can't pay for. It works for individuals. It will work in a macro way, but much, much better!

Freeman Hunt said...

7Machos - Yes! As Santelli said, since the gov says we'll get back 1.5 trillion dollars for every trillion of stimulus, we should just spend a trillion every hour! Obviously the current plan is quite conservative in not doing that.

Chris Althouse Cohen said...

I'm sure it's been said, but it would be so weird if the 2012 Republican primary turned into a two-way race between Bobby Jindal and Sarah Palin. It would seem so contrived. Here's the Republican Obama and the Republican Hillary.

Jason (the commenter) said...

Here's the Republican Obama and the Republican Hillary.

I'm sure that's what racists and sexists will be saying. Because all they would see is that one of them isn't white and the other is female.

None of their supporters thinks of them in those terms.

Penny said...

It seems he gave you up for congress, Victoria.

Revenant said...

Here's the Republican Obama and the Republican Hillary.

I must have missed the part where Sarah Palin rode her husband's coattails to power.

Oh, wait, I get it -- all female politicians are the same. Carry on.

Revenant said...

Very positive: 68%
Somewhat positive: 24%

It was a pretty speech. Doesn't change the fact that the country is in serious trouble and Obama's plan will make things worse.

We'll see how happy that 92% feels when 20% of them are out of work and most of the rest haven't gotten a raise in three years. Maybe Obama can give another speech, cheer 'em up a little.

Ann Althouse said...

Seven Machos: "Goddamn, Althouse. I know you'll never read this, but you have some really sorry trolls."

I read it! I get all the comments in the email, and I only skim some of the time, but I see what's going on, and I read the commenters I know and like.

KCFleming said...

Beth:
11:48 PM comment was a shocker.



I think Michael should be telling us what his control group is for the little experiment he's running, and whether Penny is his sock puppet.

I suspect he dopes not have IRB approval though, so these results are unpublishable.

Modern Otter said...

Don't you think Jindal was way to all-about-me for the response? The profile-building power being chosen the responder is supposed to be implicit, not explicit.

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