Obama speech open thread (MINI-LIVEBLOGGING)

11:00 PM: The AP (gasp) factchecks Obama’s speech.

10:40 PM: What is with the Fox panel – especially Juan Williams? I though Jindal gave a good response (transcript here). He’s definitely not a rhetorical master like Obama, but he’s not a habitual flubster like President Bush was, either.

– I see some others were disappointed with the tone of Jindal’s speech, too. Oh well. Obama sets the bar high for people’s expectations on speeches and there aren’t many Republicans out there who are going to be able to match it for the next four years. We should get used to it.

10:25 PM: Jindal is giving his response. Congrats Obama on historic win.

Jindal talks about his family’s immigrant history.

GOP has a responsiblity to be candid about our economic future.

Talks about Katrina.

To solve our current problems, the solution is not higher taxes.

Democrats were irresponsible with stimulus bill, leaving debt to our children.

GOP believes in universal access to healthcare, not gov’t run healthcare.

10:19 PM: Excellent summary from Will Wilkinson: “Oratorywise, so good. Ideawise, so weak. Combination, so dangerous.” (via Mark Hemingway).

10:04 PM: Will the factcheckers crawl out of the woodwork to factcheck this speech like they did Bush? I hope so.

10:00 PM: I will protect this country from terrorists. I support the troops. I have closed Gitmo in order to hold strong to American values. What about other detention centers, Mr. President? “We will not torture.”

9:55 PM: I can’t stand this. Will it be over soon?

9:53 PM: Keeps taking partisan potshots – “with the deficit we inherited.” Who created that deficit, Mr. President? The US Congress, with YOUR help as both a Senator AND President.

We passed a stimulus plan “free of earmarks”? NOT.

9:51 PM: Responsibility for our childrens’ eductaion begins at home.

9:47 PM: Pounding your head on your desk? For a distraction, play the Americans for Tax Reform’s “O-Bingo” game (hat tip: ST reader forest hunter):

9:43 PM: Big healthcare will save the day.

9:40 PM: A reader emails and corrects me slightly on my prior post where I mentioned the Obama admin’s claim that Obama had “accomplished more” in 30 days that any modern president. I was skeptcial, but the reader noted that he’s probably spent more in 30 days that any modern president. Point taken.

9:38 PM: Government can help bring this country back. Must cut spending. I want to invest in energy, healthcare, and education. Wha?!

9:33 PM: The Obamessiah-tone officially arrives … savior of the country, etc.

Nancy Pelosi looks like she’s about to cry with joy.

Here’s a transcript of the speech.

9:24 PM: “95% of families will receive a tax cut” (even though 1/3rd of that don’t even pay taxes)

9:22 PM: Whitewashing the reasons for the housing crisis … sigh.

9:19 PM: “We will rebuild” – the economy.

Ugh … I see Chris Matthews has already gone off even farther off the deep end:

Matthews Declares Obama Speech ‘Churchillian’—Before It’s Delivered

9:10 PM: The President arrives.

8:57 PM: Ah! One of the few good things about this evening: Seeing Brit Hume on Fox

Showing the court jester, er, Joe Biden now, alongside Princess Pelosi.

——————-
Here’s your thread to share your thoughts on tonight’s speech, which will air at 9 ET on all the major nets. I’ll be around, but won’t be liveblogging it word for word – will just post when something really catches my attention.

The Politico has excerpts from the speech. CNN has excerpts from Gov. Jindal’s prepared post-speech response.

17 Responses to "Obama speech open thread (MINI-LIVEBLOGGING)"

NC Cop says:

February 24, 2009 at 9:18 pm

The President arrives.

I’ve suddenly lost interest.
Karma says:

February 24, 2009 at 9:39 pm

Interesting take on why our railroads were constructed, etc. IIRC, we didn’t create those things for economic prosperity, we did it for logistical reasons during times of war.

But maybe I haven’t studied my history :/
Karma says:

February 24, 2009 at 9:42 pm

9:41 — a retooled, re-imagined auto industry? So….who’s going to be retooling the UAW?
Karma says:

February 24, 2009 at 10:14 pm

9:44 — “A cure for cancer in our time…” …..Good luck with socialized medicine finding a cure for anything.

9:46 — making higher education accessible…laudable intent to make it available to all, but you know what they say about leading horses to water. Until there is some modicum of personal responsibility both on the part of the student and the teacher, it’s all just air.

9:47 — new incentives for teacher performance? What would those be? Like, maybe, accountability? What was I thinking…

9:50 — “dropping out of school is no longer an option”….?? Interesting concept, but how does one enforce it? That is, within the realm of the Constitution?

Co-sponsored education bill by Hatch and Kennedy? Man, they better get on the stick. Ted doesn’t have much time left before he goes to visit Mary Jo Kopechne’s house.

9:53 — he says “We have already identified $2 trillion worth of ineffective programs…” Um, anyone got a list? Not that there aren’t plenty but it’s kind of like foxes watching the proverbial henhouse.

9:55 — Swansong for corporate fiscal health with the cutoff of tax breaks for multinational corporations. Repeat of “promise” to not increase taxes for 95% of working families…(*sigh*).

10:10 – phew. Bobby Jindahl can’t come soon enough.
Carlos says:

February 24, 2009 at 10:23 pm

Wonder how soon the MSM will discover Republican “obstructionists” are doing less to obstruct than the donks were for 8 solid years, and that was with a prez trying his darndest to be a donkey?

The $2 trillion is all things military, of course. The upside? No more $700 toilet seats. The downside? We’ll be overrun by some tin horn jerkoff because we won’t be able to defend ourselves from an invasion by Grenada, let alone a country that has a military.

Kruschev has to be smiling.
Nina says:

February 24, 2009 at 10:38 pm

Just saw Jindall’s response. Obama’ ass is grass. Clear to the point and inspiring. You are looking at our next Preident.
Janet says:

February 24, 2009 at 10:39 pm

Here’s what I took from Obama’s speech: 1). Obama’s going to cure cancer – not sure if he will do it in first term or second term, but Ruth BG looks nervous. 2). It’s now unpatriotic to drop out of high school. 3). Some generous business guy who gave away a bunch of money to his workers is now going to get the SH*T taxed out of him to make damn sure it never happens again. I think that about covers it.
Brontefan says:

February 24, 2009 at 11:41 pm

9:47 — new incentives for teacher performance? What would those be? Like, maybe, accountability? What was I thinking…

The only thing that will improve public education is to make students accountable. In other words, go back to the days when students were expected to attend school TO LEARN. The biggest problem I ever had teaching high school was the Administration interference.
Sorry…. couldn’t force myself to watch it!
Carlos says:

February 25, 2009 at 12:27 am

And when I was teaching (several lifetimes ago) the students were anxious to learn but the admin hated it. From what I’ve seen since, not much has changed except for the subject matter and the headlong drive to mediocrity.

Jindahl’s response was pretty much spot on, but if he doesn’t improve his delivery he’ll get eaten alive in ’12. The holy one has a hard time without his teleprompter, but the only recent prez to outdo him speaking was Mr. Reagan. I hope he (Jindahl) practices and gets good coaching.

Lastly, the AP has a decent start on speech/facts, but I can hardly wait until the “facts” are backed up by hard data and all of the holy one’s assumptive “facts” are displayed for the dungheap they are.
alchemist says:

February 25, 2009 at 7:21 am

1) Watched most of it, but again, hate the standing at these things. Seriously, does congress practice squats before every presidential speech? Applaud at the END people.

2)I don’t think he’s going to develop legislation to force people to finish HighSchool, I think he is saying that there should be a societal expectation of finishing high school.
Carlos says:

February 25, 2009 at 9:48 am

Yeah, and there should be a societal expectation to stay married, and a societal expectation not to abuse a spouse or children, etc., etc. But those things (and many others) require personal responsibility, not something most libs are deep into.

Take the prez, for instance.

Please.
PointSetta says:

February 25, 2009 at 9:51 am

I thought it was good that Pres. Obama said that education begins in the home. But then I thought about it. As expansive as government is becoming, it could simply be a way to justify interfering with what parents teach their children too!

I must admit that I listened with already a definite dose of cynicism to Obama’s speech.

Wonder if Billy Joel wants to sing his song, “Honesty” these days???
Lorica says:

February 25, 2009 at 10:09 am

The $2 trillion is all things military, of course

That is absolutely correct. There is already talk of ending the F22 Raptor program, to stop all new purchases of this jet as it is “too expensive”. It is the greatest jet ever created and a dickens to bring down by our enemies. What is it with these Dems, that they always want to weaken the country for the “betterment of the world”??? Clinton selling nuke secrets to China. Clinton giving reactors to NK, so forth and so on. What next??? – Lorica
Lorica says:

February 25, 2009 at 10:12 am

I hated the speech by Obama. I can’t stand how he wants to lay our present economic problems at the feet of George W. Bush. When any fool can see that we didn’t start having problems until the Dem congress took over in 2007. If anyone is to blame it is them and the current Dem Leadership, coniving idiots each one. – Lorica
Lorica says:

February 25, 2009 at 10:14 am

Ohhh and Jindal did well, abit too much Bobby, but he is such a good guy I didn’t really mind. He is going to make an incredible President, as long as we can keep him from the establishment Republicans who like to mold everything into this twisted image of going along to get along that they happen to have…. Right Mr. McCain??? – Lorica
Rovin says:

February 25, 2009 at 10:14 am

Someone has to find the video clip of Rachel Maddow’s response to Jindal’s speech.

“ab–ab—baah-ab-ab, I’m just at a lost for words”. The three seconds of silence were priceless before Matthew’s bailed her dumbness out.
Carlos says:

February 25, 2009 at 6:13 pm

I have no doubt that Big Brother will eventually reach its poisonous tentacles into the homes of people able to teach at home, and at that point “re-education” camps will have to be set up to control those not enamored with the sweet-sounding garbage and dung that flows from the mouth of his holiness (hollowness). Also at that point the children will have been taught to turn in everyone who strays from the official party line.

See y’all in one of the camps!

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