Obama Speaks to the Nation: The Right Speech at the Right Time

At last! President Barack Obama boldly took his case for the American people directly to the American people.

And thank God, he ceased his unrequited groveling at the feet of tone-deaf Congressional Republicans hellbent on obstructionism no matter the cost. Instead, Obama modeled something our nation hasn't seen in almost a decade: strong, principled leadership, and with nary a divisive mention of political parties.

America loved it: MSNBC's overnight poll shows an astounding 80% approval for Obama's first State of the Union speech... when only 63% expected to like what they heard. The CBS News Poll also reflects 80% approval for the President's uplifting speech.

In awful contrast, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal's rebuttal speech crashed and burned spectacularly as Jindal whined... literally... in a freakishly Mr. Rogers-like sing-song voice about partisanship and the superiority of Republicanism. (Inexplicably, he cited the Hurricane Katrina disaster to showcase the Republican way of governance. Huh?)

You know the Republican is having a very bad moment when Fox News talking heads describe the speech as:

• Juan Williams - "... amateurish... simplistic and almost childlike."
• Nina Easton - "... not exactly terrific."
• Brit Hume - "... not Bobby Jindal's greatest oratorical moment."

President Obama's Speech to the Nation
President Obama delivered the right speech at the right moment in exactly the right tone. It was a comforting marvel to behold, not just for liberals, but for the vast majority of the country, judging by the polls and media groups.

Of course the president veered a bit left of center philosophically in this speech: that's what Americans voted for last November when the Republican presidential candidate lost by the widest margin in over two decades.

Of course, as he promised in the campaign, President Obama focused on both stimulating the economy and putting America back on track via three domestic policy areas: "energy, health care, and education."

Obama's speech contained no surprises. And it contained no new policies or promises.

What President Obama''s speech did contain were specifics about policies and plans that promise fairness and opportunity for all Americans... in stark contrast to the prospects for most Americans during the Bush administration.

And the President's speech contained hope tempered by realism, and represented a return to traditional American ideals of justice.

But most important, President Obama's words last night were those of a leader who loves America, and who loves Americans. All Americans.

No wonder America swooned over Barack Obama last night. After the untrustworthy darkness and aching dishonesty of the Bush/Cheney White House years, what's not to like?

Gov. Jindal's Rebuttal Speech to the Nation
Republican Gov. Jindal's rebuttal speech last night perfectly exemplified the state of the post-Bush Republican party:

• full of small-bore, nitpicky complaints, but
• bereft of ideas, and
• endlessly, unfathomably, divisively partisan to the core.

It's no mystery why Republican voters deserted their party in droves at the November 2008 polls, when a record-breaking nine "red states" voted Democratic blue. (See Why Red States Turned Blue in 2008.)

The sadly obvious truth about post-Bush Republican leadership is that, thus far, nothing has changed since then. Gov. Bobby Jindal's disastrous speech vividly illustrated that.

The U.S. "Will Emerge Stronger"
I trust President Obama's idea-filled vision and smart leadership, and have full confidence that he is correct when he says, as he declared last night:

" I want every American to know this: We will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before. The weight of this crisis will not determine the destiny of this nation."

Americans have confidence in Obama's vision and leadership. And our confidence is what it will take to lift our nation up out of its Bush-created doldrums.