Impact of the First Obama State of the Union

[Seamus Fermanagh]

I thought his speech was pretty well crafted and, though too long, believe it will set a decent tone. However, it is "just a speech." What do you think will be the practical impacts both in the USA and abroad?

Text of Speech

[Kadagar_AV]

I am interested how he will get away with making homosexuality open in the army...

I mean, if you want to please the right-wingers, this clearly isnt a question to put much energy in...

I am also a bit scared about the US torture camps wasnt mentioned.

[rory_20_uk]

At least the ambitions have been adjusted to serve the middle class majority, so on that front it's a winner.

[CountArach]

I am interested how he will get away with making homosexuality open in the army...

Roughly 75% of Americans support repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell:

Public sentiment on DADT has shifted dramatically since 1993. A May, 1993 poll by ABC News and the Washington Post showed that 44 percent Americans favored allowing homosexuals (their wording) who have publicly disclosed their orientation to serve in the military, as compared with 55 percent opposed. An identical poll taken in July, however, shows 75 percent in favor versus just 22 percent opposed. Other recent polling shows similar results; in May 2007, CNN showed 79 percent of Americas in favor of allowing for openly gay troops to serve to 18 percent opposed, and in March 2007, Newsweek had 63 percent in favor and 28 percent opposed.

As for practical impacts (without being able to comment on the substance of the speech, though I know for a fact that Progressives disliked it), don't expect Obama to receive a bounce in public opinion numbers.

[Kadagar_AV]

Wow CA, that is great numbers. I really had no idea

Some kudos to the US then, those numbers are not far from Scandinavian ones... I am very suprised!

I always thought sexual orientation has very little impact on ability as soldier. And from my own time in the forces, having worked alongside openly gay men, I must say I never noticed a problem (well, ok, once I opened a door without knocking and saw something I would have prefered not to, but still, my lack of manners was behind it, and a grown up should be able to see a sight or two he would prefer not to).

Have any idea of how the numbers could swing that fast? Fab 5? Gay army? TV-shows with gays has bloomed the last decade, however, I'd say they havent really shown gays in a positive light from an army stand point (but maybe its more important that the shows has showed the human standpoint?).

[KukriKhan]

Scatter-shot feel-good lecture delivered enthusiastically. Twice as long as needed. By the time he got to: "Third, we need to export more of our goods...", I'd forgotten what 'first' and 'second' were, and although I paid close attention (so as to not miss 'fourth') I can't tell you now what 'fourth' was.

Maybe he should bring a blackboard with him next time, list out the 4-5 points he wants to make, then dwell on them 10 minutes apiece, ala Uni Prof.

I notice he spanked SCOTUS for the corporate free speech thingy, didn't have much good to say about the Senate, and thanked the House several times. The scene was so long, he didn't have time to introduce the cops & soldiers sitting with Michelle - whose choice of gown really did make her butt look big.

Little to no impact, I'm afraid. The entrenched positions are just entrenched deeper.

[Husar]

Michelle - whose choice of gown really did make her butt look big.

Must be very fertile then.

[Lemur]

The scene was so long, he didn't have time to introduce the cops & soldiers sitting with Michelle [...]

Actually, I don't miss the 20-year-old trope of, "Now I'm going to talk about American farms, and to illustrate my point, I'm going to mention a chicken farmer who just happens to be here." Started with Reagan, maintained by both Bushes and Bubba Clinton, never did a damn thing to better the dialogue of the nation.

Nah, that's a cheap rhetorical device that I won't miss. Buh-bye.

[KukriKhan]

HuffPo shows the dress, and intro's the guests. I thought I remembered Carter using the "honored guests" device too... maybe I'm getting delusional. :)

[Lemur]

Well, whatever your personal take on this SOTU, it certainly polled well. Surprisingly well. (Heavenly Father forgive me for posting poll-bait for CA.)

[Vladimir]

Well, whatever your personal take on this SOTU, it certainly polled well. Surprisingly well. (Heavenly Father forgive me for posting poll-bait for CA.)

But not as well as W.

...when George W. Bush gave the State of the Union Address a year into his presidency — 85% of speech watchers approved.

[Lemur]

But not as well as W.

Yes, well, I'd imagine the SOTU address given four months after the 9/11 attacks would poll well. There was moment of national unity that had not yet been squandered.

[Vladimir]

Yes, well, I'd imagine the SOTU address given four months after the 9/11 attacks would poll well. There was moment of national unity that had not yet been squandered.

Exactly; when you praise the success of something it needs to be in context. How does it compare to similar events?

[TinCow]

I agree that I don't expect much to result directly from the SOTU, but it strongly reinforced my support of Obama. That was the first time I've ever watched a SOTU and felt like the speaker actually understood what the country needs. It might just be talk, but Obama makes be believe that he actually understands our domestic problems and is fighting to solve them. One of the things that struck me about that speech was that it came across strongly as POTUS criticizing both political parties for playing the political game without caring about the impact on the country. I think a lot of Americans are pleased to see a POTUS scold the legislative branch for embodying everything everyone hates about politicians. Obama still feels like a President who's more of a citizen than a politician. That alone is extremely welcome.

Will it change anything? Probably not, but Obama continues to keep the dim light of hope alive that our government will start working properly at some point in the future.

[Beskar]

I agree that I don't expect much to result directly from the SOTU, but it strongly reinforced my support of Obama. That was the first time I've ever watched a SOTU and felt like the speaker actually understood what the country needs. It might just be talk, but Obama makes be believe that he actually understands our domestic problems and is fighting to solve them. One of the things that struck me about that speech was that it came across strongly as POTUS criticizing both political parties for playing the political game without caring about the impact on the country. I think a lot of Americans are pleased to see a POTUS scold the legislative branch for embodying everything everyone hates about politicians. Obama still feels like a President who's more of a citizen than a politician. That alone is extremely welcome.

Will it change anything? Probably not, but Obama continues to keep the dim light of hope alive that our government will start working properly at some point in the future.

It is a shame that Obama doesn't actually write any of his own speeches, just knowing that fact admittedly makes me die a little on the inside, but I agree with your points, however manufactured they might be.

[Gregoshi]

It is a shame that Obama doesn't actually write any of his own speeches...

I thought it was standard practice these days to use "professionals" to write speeches.

[Lemur]

It is a shame that Obama doesn't actually write any of his own speeches, just knowing that fact admittedly makes me die a little on the inside [...]

Say wha? According to most credible reports, Obama does more of his own writing than any President in recent memory. Where do these nonsense memes come from?

[Beskar]

Say wha? According to most credible reports, Obama does more of his own writing than any President in recent memory. Where do these nonsense memes come from?

Well, I know for a fact Jon Favreau wrote Obama's inaugural address and many other high-profile ones. It wasn't Obama who wrote it himself.

[Gregoshi]

Sorry, double posted via a poorly chosen refresh.

[Louis VI the Fat]

What a wordless speech.

[Aemilius Paulus]

What a wordless speech.

Hmm, very interesting resource. What an embarrassment to Dubya though...

[Lemur]

Well, I know for a fact Jon Favreau wrote Obama's inaugural address and many other high-profile ones. It wasn't Obama who wrote it himself.

Read the article I linked. It's a respectable piece of reporting, not some hack work. If you believe any of the named, on-the-record sources in it, Obama does a lot of his own writing. His make-or-break race speech after the Revered Wright explosion, for example, was almost entirely him. Favreau's work was dropped, and he was relegated to typing what the candidate said and doing some line-edits.

There are plenty of legitimate places to ding Obama, but to go at him about writing is borderline insane. He's one of the very few politicians to have actually written his own books, and all reports from within his campaign and admin suggest that he does much more of his own writing than any president in the last thirty years.

[drone]

Favreau's work was dropped, and he was relegated to typing what the candidate said and doing some line-edits.

Which is a shame, I really want to hear Obama say, "Vegas, baby. Vegas."

[Lemur]

Day after polling roundup.

[Kadagar_AV]

I am def no Obama fan-boy... In fact, I think he has been pretty damn meaningless thus far.

But to bash him about speaches is just....

As mentioned:

1) one of very few who has written his own book.
2) one of very few actually having anything to do, at all, with his speaches. If you think GWB did more writing than Obama, as an example, I will have to go Triebsman on you -
3. True, he doesnt write everything on his own, he still choose what to use though, and edits it. Most presidents barely does even that.

Next point please.

[Devastatin Dave]

I notice he spanked SCOTUS for the corporate free speech thingy

Probably the most disgusting display of power envy of another branch of gevernment I've ever seen, and at a State of the Union address? This community organiser has no class. Go back to Chicago, Hawaii, Indonesia, Kenya, where ever you claim to be from when the political winds suit you, you worthless effeminate windbag.

[Devastatin Dave]

Say wha? According to most credible reports, Obama does more of his own writing than any President in recent memory. Where do these nonsense memes come from?

He also heals lepers, births unicorns, and snorts pixie dust. I'd LOVE to see this man's college transcripts and other important documents to support his self, media, and worshippers claimed genius but they won't release them. Why is that?

[Lemur]

I'd LOVE to see this man's college transcripts and other important documents to support his self, media, and worshippers claimed genius but they won't release them. Why is that?

What do his college transcripts have to do with him authoring his two books and a lot of his own speeches? Did you even glance at the link I provided? It's not morning anymore, so you're required to make some tiny amount of sense.

[Devastatin Dave]

1) one of very few who has written his own book.
.

HAHAHAHAHA!!! Obama=Ayers

[Lemur]

What does Ayers have to do with anything being discussed in this thread? DD, did you take your medication today?