2.25.2009

Obama's speech to Congress

Regrettably, the title of this post should be “Obama v. Morpheus.”

Your negligent blogger fell asleep at 8 ET last night, while listening to Charles Dickens’ “Little Dorrit,” and missed President Obama’s address to Congress, other government officials and the American public.

Around 4 a.m. I thought to check C-SPAN, switching the TV on just in time to hear Obama say, “God bless America.” I did hear Louisiana’s Repubican governor, Bobby Jindal, give the GOP “rebuttal,” and that was just about the most pitiful thing I’ve ever heard.

Basically, Jindal told Americans the GOP had screwed things up royally, but, hey, “trust us.” That he used the word “irresponsible” (as in “fiscally irresponsible”) to define Obama’s course of action was unbelievable. That he used Hurricane Katrina as an argument for trusting his fellow Republican leaderss was unfathomable!

I recall the words of then Tennessee Congressman Harold Ford, Jr., (D.) when a female colleague, a Republican, made disparaging remarks about Congressman John Murtha (R.) on the House floor. The young Ford jumped over desks to get right up in the woman’s face and exclaimed, “You guys are pathetic!”

Frodo emailed his delight with the afterthoughts of MSNBC’s nightly team – not unexpected from Obama’s head cheerleading squad – and hardly objective.

Several post-speech polls released this morning indicate a very large percentage of Americans say they now have a better understanding of Obama’s vision. That’s good news.

I will be spending the morning reading Obama’s hour-long speech.

In the meantime, this is what’s called - in the “blogosphere” - an “open thread,” meaning I will let you, dear readers, write this post in the “comments” zone.

Please share your thoughts on both Obama’s speech and Jindal’s counterpoints.

Comments are easier to read if you just click on the post title!

Off to read the speech!

Thanks!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Frodo particularly enjoyed Chris Matthews' reference to Huey Edwin Jindal's appearance as "outsourcing" by the Republicans. The "pathetic" Congressional Republicans, who let the Bush Administration run rough-shod over them, did not have the courage to send "one of their own" up to counter the President. Instead, they tried to showcase one of their new, and improved, potential leaders for the future (see Palin, Steele, etc.). What they got was a realization that they were dealing with the "Not Ready for Prime-Time Players."
Obama, and the little girl from South Carolina, both said what Frodo wanted to hear.
"We are not quitters."

Now, somebody point out a Republican ("Just Say No") dork, because Frodo is ready to kick his ass.

B.J. said...

I finally finished reading Obama’s speech and suggest it’s not a bad idea that those who watched it go back and read it. When listening to a speech – particularly one of such duration – it is sometimes easy to get lost in the words. Reading it allows time for contemplation of each point.

The speech is perfectly crafted with one issue segueing into another and peppered with appeals to patriotism.

Above all, the entire speech appeals to our better nature, and that’s such a nice change, isn’t it?

I am sorry I am just now commenting. We might be surprised at how many Americans CHOSE not to listen at all.

No amount of sense and sensibility is going to stop the GOP propaganda machine – a power grab of the utmost vileness appealing to those who chose not to evaluate Obama’s message and vision for themselves.

TRANSCRIPT OF SPEECH

BJ

airth10 said...

Poor Jindal. He came across as a sorry version of Obama. He continued to spout the same old line dogma that sank the Republican party.

Anonymous said...

A home run for Obama and a stike out for Jindal. And from what Tiny heard from some TV replays of the Sunday talk shows, which she did not watch, even the Repugs said he struck completely out of ever becoming president. Chalk up one more for the Gang of Philistines, which sit on each end of the spectrum. Either they are to old and need to sit on the bench or still to wet behind the ears to swing the bat.

But hey, they have still one cheerleader. The ever blubbering Rush Linbaugh. If any GOPer has anything negative to say about Bobbie Jindal, he doesn't want to even hear from you - ever! Is that because Rush is the one who picked Jindal to read the teleprompter mishmash? If so, he must have been on one of those trips where you don't have to pack your bags to leave home. (Can you say hillbilly cocaine?)