Uh ... yeah ... okay ... I won't be so glib this early in the morning. ;)
Posted on 02/02/2006 6:11:22 AM PST by areafiftyone
The president's State of the Union Address will be little noted and not long remembered. There was a sense that he was talking at, not to, the country. He asserted more than he persuaded, and he chose to redeclare his beliefs rather than argue for them in any depth. If you believe, as he does, that the No. 1 priority for the American government at this point in history is to lead an international movement for political democracy, and if you believe, as he truly seems to, that political democracy is in and of itself a certain bringer of world-wide peace, than this speech was for you. If not, not. It went through a reported 30 drafts, was touched by many hands, and seemed it. Not precisely a pudding without a theme, but a thin porridge.
It was the first State of the Union Mr. Bush has given in which Congress seemed utterly pre-9/11 in terms of battle lines drawn. Exactly half the chamber repeatedly leapt to its feet to applaud this banality or that. The other half remained resolutely glued to its widely cushioned seats. It seemed a metaphor for the Democratic Party: We don't know where to stand or what to stand for, and in fact we're not good at standing for anything anyway, but at least we know we can't stand Republicans.
There was only one unforgettable moment, and that was in a cutaway shot, of Hillary Clinton, who simply must do something about her face. When the president joked that two people his father loves are turning 60 this year, himself and Bill Clinton--why does he think constant references to that relationship work for him?--it was Mrs. Clinton's job to look mildly amused, or pleasant, or relatively friendly, or nonhostile.
(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...
Y'know, I have nothing but contempt for these 'Rat Senators, especially the ones that sit on the Judiciary Committee. I like Biden better than some (Fat Bottomed Girl Clinton, Patty Murray and DiFi come to mind), but do not trust him at all.
They had ample time to get all their questions answered, and Alito did answer all substantive questions (as far as I saw). I watched most of the hearings and saw a decent, thoughtful man who was respectful of the Rule of Law.
There really was no reason to vote against him as far as I could see.
My own two Senators voted against him. One, the Dynamo from Dundalk, said she had too many unanswered questions. She must not have been doing her homework as Senator or she does not have the mental acuity to pay attention long enough.
It's unbelievable to me that such people are in positions of power.
I'm not real pleased with the guest worker program he's pushing.
I didn't go to the link, but I read what you posted. Frankly, I don't understand her complaints, unless she's gone over to the Dark (or is that Dork?) Side, which I suspect. I watched the entire speech, and thought it was just fine--not a barn-burner, but appropriate for the occasion and well-delivered. Peggy needs to compare this one with the 'Rat "response" and some of the tirades delivered by 'Rat wannabes, or even the insufferable Bill Clinton.
She does sound like a dem and a snotty one at that.
What I believe is that the Moderates are sick of the Republicans and the Democrats - I believe they will be the driving force in 2008.
I think Peggy's in the throes of menopause, or maybe we should say "mean-o-pause."
Actually I have a theory. Peggy volunteered to help out with the 2004 election as a Bush advisor. I think she was looking for a permanent position. When she didn't get the position she got a little bitter.
I think it is just a little typical genial joking about the BClinton thing. He's certainly aware that his father has made some semi-senile remarks about BC, and I think his allusion to his 'brother' and he turning sixty was hilarious.
Bush is just a person of amazing good will, annoying to those of us to aren't.
Everyone is saying that the Democratic party is imploding, yet there will still be 32 to 40% who will vote for a Democrat no matter what, add that to stupid swing voters and the Democrats are in again. I think we only have to see what the Palestinians voted for-Hamas to know that even if a party is bad news, they can still win. Folks, we could easily have another Jimmy Carter era and that scares me immensely.
How can the President's speeches be any good when she's not writing them anymore.
Hell hath no fury, etc. etc. etc.
we all know what goldwater said about moderation...
That pretty much sums it up. The old left is as hateful as ever. You don't see the same out of the old right.
If only Peggy could have written the speech. /s
"The president's State of the Union Address will be little noted and not long remembered."
I did read all that was posted here, as I did not click on the link. I didn't like what I read, thought she was wrong, and sounded maybe just a bit too much like Maureen Dowd to make it worth the effort of reading the rest at the link. Peggy can eat my grits.
While Peggy has some points, she does still fall into the pattern of disparaging any political speech that she didn't write...
Peggy Noonan has morphed into such an elitist lately I almost wrech on the floor each time I hear her 'I'm-better than-you' voice which she exudes. (It's as if she were the social ediquette queen of the world.)
Speaking of queen, Noonan obviously thinks that SHE was the only person who could ever write an inspiring speech. (ever notice she is constantly reminding us mortals that she wrote speeches for Reagan)
Thirdly, I thought GWB's speech was fabulous, and accomplished exactly what he probably wanted. The first 30 minutes of the speech was outstanding in its global scope, and in the tone whereby he used to tell the world what we must do.
As for Noonan's claim that Bush's speech will be "quickly forgotten," (Noonan thinks it dull presumably because it doesn't mention the cold war or the Soviets), I will go out on a limb and predict that this speech will be the one on which people will harken back to recall how the President, and the country in general, began making a concerted effort to wean itself off MidEast oil, and/or to begin a new round of energy exploration and research.
The sad thing is that Noonan used to seem OK, but that was before she became smarter than all us plain imbiciles.
Republicans have crazies. All parties do. But in the case of the Democrats--the leader of their party, after all, is the unhinged Howard Dean--the lunatics seem increasingly to be taking over the long-term health-care facility. Great parties die this way, or show that they are dying.
Exactly so. Peggy's still got it.
Uh ... yeah ... okay ... I won't be so glib this early in the morning. ;)
Whatever.
I was singularly unimpressed by Bush's speech also. I read nothing in Noonan's piece to earn the invective she's getting here.
I once interviewed the "Dynamo". I was not impressed. There's not a lot of stuff going on inside of her head - except for that part of her mind that concentrates on getting re-elected. And, God forgive me, she is awfully difficult to look at.
How do such people get into office? Well, they get elected. That's why I have never regretted moving from MA to VA.
I disagree with his "guestworker" program too. Then again, there's never been a President that I've found totally, 100% in agreement with me. Not even Reagan.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.