Patterico's Pontifications

1/27/2010

State of the Union Open Thread

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 5:56 pm



Share your thoughts below.

83 Responses to “State of the Union Open Thread”

  1. Prominent display of the two cops, in uniform, who shot Major Hasan at Fort Hood in the box with Michelle Obama

    ropelight (fa8042)

  2. My TV is tuned to Squarebob Spongepants for the grandkids. At least I know for sure that is pure fantasy, although the State of the Union (STFU) (Thanks DBD) will probably be also.

    Leonardo DaFinchi (8c0a12)

  3. Speech tonight? Is there a pool on how many times Pelosi will blink?

    daleyrocks (718861)

  4. I never want to see the words “box” and “Michelle” in the same sentence again. Where’s me brain bleach…?

    Gazzer (583345)

  5. The NYT Blog — of all places — catches a blatant misstatement of the holding in Citizen’s United. Obama says it opens the door to foreign corporate advertising, when Kennedy’s opinion specifically says the decision is not intended to answer the issue of whether the government has a compelling interest in regulating foreign corporate advertisement.

    And, he’s got this straw-man as well:

    “Well I don’t think American elections should be bankrolled by America’s most powerful interests…. They should be decided by the American people…”

    First, the ban on corporate contributions to candidates remains, so corporations cannot “bankroll” elections.

    Second, elections are still “decided” by the people when they vote.

    Nice demagoguery though.

    Shipwreckedcrew (58dde3)

  6. I don’t trust him.

    ListKeeper (fc3e0a)

  7. When Obama entered the chamber my heart sank, as it always does when I see the majesty of the presidency juxtaposed against the insignificant ward healer who now fills that office. He is a cynical ideologue, a man of no vision or accomplishment, a callow and doctrinare leftist whose stubborn naivete about war and peace makes our country a target and my children less safe. There is no longer any doubt that he will be merely a one-term president. The question is, can America as we know it and love it survive that long?

    Kevin Stafford (abdb87)

  8. Pelosi the lap dog jumps up

    ListKeeper (fc3e0a)

  9. I just can’t make myself do it – think I’ll stick with reading the transcript…

    voiceofreason2 (ec9a68)

  10. Stephen Green and I are drunk blogging it … well, Stephen is drunk blogging it and I’m just drinking.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  11. #3, daleyrocks, you’re on to something. I counted Pelosi’s blink rate, it’s better than 60x/sec.

    ropelight (fa8042)

  12. he’s lying…… i can tell because his lips are moving.

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  13. the live blog at AoSHQ is hysterical….

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  14. I made a wonderful chicken salad for dinner tonight. Coarsely diced leftover roasted chicken, finely slivered dried apricots, celery, one thinly sliced serrano pepper for some heat, chopped cilantro, toasted pecan halves, and just BARELY enough mayo to make it the slightest bit ‘tacky’ to kind of stick together. A little salt and white pepper to taste, and spoon a big giant spoonful over nice fresh crispy romaine leaves to eat.

    What does this have to do with the SotU speech? Well, I couldn’t see ruining my supper, ya see, so I’ll read the transcript tomorrow morning when my stomach is already achurn from the first cup of horrible office coffee. No way it can hurt me then (physically, at least…)

    rtrski (5c372f)

  15. Sully’s “rawmuslglutes” are going all “milky mood” over at his blog. The guy is simply embarassing himself with his idol worship.

    Shipwreckedcrew (58dde3)

  16. He just blamed Bush for overspending – really?

    He just blamed tax cuts for his problem?

    He then just said we should cut spending?

    EricPWJohnson (1465de)

  17. @ #11, ropelight. Dear god, that’s like involuntary orgasm type counts….um, not that Pelosi and orgasm are words I want linked in my mind. (What do you think comes out…SAND??)

    Urp…there goes the dinner. (sigh)

    (And yes, I know neither of my comments are remotely substantive. Sorry, I don’t have substance tonight. Maybe the recipe was useful?)

    rtrski (5c372f)

  18. Twenty minutes in….and he is more craven than I could have imagined….so breathtakingly smug, so despicable in his condescension. He simply doesn’t get the lesson of Massachussets–and that will be our salvation–that this man has contempt for the people and won’t hear them. But one day he will, oh yes!

    Kevin Stafford (abdb87)

  19. 12.he’s lying…… i can tell because his lips are moving.

    Comment by redc1c4 — 1/27/2010 @ 6:46 pm

    Stole that one from Judge Judy. I can tell because you’re not clever enough to come up with a thought on your own.

    Intelliology (00d844)

  20. “the past eight years”, how many times is he going to repeat that over and over and over again. I have never heard a president blame the past president so much as Obama.

    Its pathetic. Absolutely no leadership!

    Brett (0247fc)

  21. ^Came over here because I couldn’t stand to watch anymore – but then I get this asshat instead. Which is worse, listening to a serial liar or having to read one?

    Dmac (539341)

  22. That was directed at idiotology.

    Dmac (539341)

  23. Intelliology,

    Versions of that joke have been around longer than Judge Judy, but that doesn’t spoil the humor or truthfulness of the comment, neither does your attempt at being a pain.

    MD in Philly (d4668b)

  24. Oh no he didn’t, did he just bitch slap the SCOTUS?

    I do believe he did.

    Right in Robert’s, Alito’s and Scalia’s faces.

    Love it.

    Assclown doodyheads (f0d390)

  25. Its PLATITUDE time!!!!!!11ty!!!!!

    daleyrocks (718861)

  26. Its not a bitchslap on the USSCt when you lie about the holding, Assclown.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  27. He blamed Bush for spending that Obama himself voted in favor of.

    That’s the kind of dishonesty we are coming to expect from Obama.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  28. Give Obama a fresh chicken. He wore out the first one.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  29. Any bets on whether he mentions screwing over Honduras?

    daleyrocks (718861)

  30. I guess its how I see him, but he seems to exude an annoyance at the temerity of the electorate to dare to question him.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  31. The line about nuclear power is just total horse manure. Rich Lowry had a great line on The Corner:

    On Twitter: “Fact: Iran will build a new nuclear plant before we do.”

    SPQR (26be8b)

  32. More arrogance and more lies. And a cheap shot at the majority opinion of the SCOTUS that struck down McCain-Feingold and struck a blow for free speech.

    Just the tone is off-putting.

    GeneralMalaise (d94db1)

  33. “Give Obama a fresh chicken. He wore out the first one.”

    Chicken? For God’s sake, hide the pooch!

    GeneralMalaise (d94db1)

  34. I just think it’s funny that someone thinks Judge Judy came up with that well worn joke. Or that anyone saying that joke is claiming they just made it up. Good grief.

    It’s strange to me that we put so much of our government in one room. It’s a great symbol of our nation for Obama to give the people a status report every year. That’s sweet and should be given in the House. Perhaps we should keep most of our government out of the room, though, just in case.

    Obama’s right: they spent too much money when Bush was in office. Given that most of us agree with that, Obama can be held to account if he spends that much (or much more). But Bush had so many crazy crises thrown at him. He had a recession when he took over, he had wars, he had attacks, he had disasters. If we have to practice sustainable spending when Bush is president, despite the major problems (including economic problems) he had, then of course we need to always practice sustainable spending.

    And a penny deficit is unsustainable.

    Obama has a very tough hand dealt his presidency, and I don’t expect him to be perfect. I don’t expect him to not play politics, even. But the spending is way, way irresponsible. Just because Bush also did it doesn’t make it OK now, and it’s not really productive to compare who is worse (though we all know who is worse).

    Obama had better live up to his words. Blaming Bush is already a really bad strategy, and now he’s on record that he has to eliminate the deficit. If he can do it, the entire right will be stunned and have a much harder time in elections.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  35. Glenn Reynolds is quoting from someone who is digging up lines from G.W. Bush SOTU speeches with the same promises as Obama’s. Hilarious.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  36. It’s amazing that he isn’t willing to accept the Supreme Court’s ruling. He’s a constitutional law expert, so they say, doesn’t he understand that he has to let each branch check the others? His check was appointing justices, and that’s it.

    On Twitter: “Fact: Iran will build a new nuclear plant before we do.”

    Comment by SPQR —

    That sums up a lot of elements in play.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  37. The president says that fiscal restraint is his new mantra.

    The truth: “As for the deficit, CBO shows that over the first three years of the Obama Presidency, 2009-2011, the federal government will borrow an estimated $3.7 trillion. That is more than the entire accumulated national debt for the first 225 years of U.S. history…

    In 2007, before the recession, federal expenditures reached $2.73 trillion. By 2009 expenditures had climbed to $3.52 trillion. In 2009 alone, overall federal spending rose 18%, or $536 billion. Throw in a $65 billion reduction in debt service costs due to low interest rates, and the overall spending increase was 22%.

    In one year.”

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703906204575027181656362948.html

    GeneralMalaise (d94db1)

  38. I
    M
    P
    E
    A
    C
    H

    Kevin Stafford (abdb87)

  39. “So in summation, let me be clear…

    – blame Boooosh
    – last decade there was no prosperity, none whatsoever
    – Republicans are responsible for the mess we’re in, now they must get us out of it
    – export jobs (WTF?)
    – drill offshore (watch Palin’s assplode on that one, what a dumb hillbilly she was, saying that)
    – build nukes (but it still doesn’t count when that dumb hillbilly said it previously)
    – work smarter (they were dumber before?)
    – smirk
    – smirk
    – clapping seals

    Dmac (539341)

  40. Dustin, Obama is not much of a con law expert if he has to lie about the USSCt ruling to score points.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  41. forgot to add:

    – I’m going to tax the living sh-t out of anything that moves
    – that deficit has nothing to do with me
    – I’m going to indebt your grandchildren’s grandchildren, and you can’t stop me! BWAHAHAHAHAH!

    Dmac (539341)

  42. A great line from Stephen Green: “’I have embraced the vision of John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan.’ Okay. Except you embraced the competence of Jimmy Carter & Herbert Hoover.”

    SPQR (26be8b)

  43. In a nutshell, Obama doubled down on a losing hand.

    ropelight (fa8042)

  44. Aww. How cute. Token minorities in the background. The racists in the party are not going to like this…

    Intelliology (00d844)

  45. How cute, Intelliology is calling people racists without any basis again.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  46. ^^(republican response)

    Intelliology (00d844)

  47. Again, spqr? Find the previous time and link it or admit you’re a liar and have been be-clowned forever.

    Intelliology (00d844)

  48. So you admit that you were doing it this time?

    SPQR (26be8b)

  49. Comment by SPQR — 1/27/2010 @ 7:27 pm

    Not to mention the integrity of Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton.

    JVW (aa179b)

  50. Dustin: i think the fact that we can put so much of the government in one room without worry proves how little this country needs a government.

    America is an idea, not a collection of elected and appointed bureaucrats and their horde of drone w*rkers….

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  51. The number of times I blamed others for my failures in life: once (at the age of 6). Thankfully, I had a father who quickly taught me about responsibility quickly. It’s sad to see the lesson I learned at age 6 hasn’t quite been absorbed by our “leaders”.

    And sadder yet that this particular “leader” believes Americans are dumb enough to have forgotten that we’ve “enjoyed” a Democratic Congress since ’06 – the ones who planted the seeds of the economic depression we are in. And a gutless group of Republicans in Congress before that who foolishly thought that they could play nice with Democrats.

    A Conservative Congress (the ones who write the budgets, enact the legislation, and create policy) gave us our last (relatively) balanced budget in 2001. Since then…..one big flush. Just say “no” to incumbents in November. Then we can round them all up and send them to prison for the damage they’ve done to America.

    DaveinPhoenix (2bd6c3)

  52. attention “Intelliology”:

    a self spnak is still a 5pnak….. don’t sit down for awhile.

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  53. Hillary was right! yawner

    Katnandu (32190b)

  54. So you admit you can’t find another time that I supposedly did this? What a maroon.

    And why isn’t this guy talking to us like we’re 5 like Bobby J did? Doesn’t he realize he is talking wayyy over his uneducated base?

    Intelliology (00d844)

  55. “In a nutshell, Obama doubled down on a losing hand.

    Comment by ropelight”

    Indeed, indeed. This should scare the hell out of democrats in tough races (perhaps I should just say democrats?). Massachusetts sent a message: “change this course, Obama!” His response is to double down.

    The GOP has been handed a gift, but I don’t like it. I want the country to avoid the next three years of this stubbornness.

    Intelliology, SPQR has proof you are a race baiter, right here in this thread. I’ve never seen you make a constructive point on anything. You just bash and bash. How is SPWR beclowned if he doesn’t bother to sift through thousands of comments to find more of what’s already right here in this thread? You are the kind of democrat who takes great criticism and pretends it is racism. That’s got to be because you are scared to death of the truth.

    SPQR nailed you. If you actually have some kind of stupid concept of being ‘beclowned forever’ on the internet, guess what just happened, chump?

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  56. Thankfully, we only have to put up with three more of these mind-numbing SOTU speeches from him.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  57. Find the previous time and link it or admit you’re a liar and have been be-clowned forever.
    Comment by Intelliology — 1/27/2010 @ 7:34 pm

    Here you go. Racist.

    Stashiu3 (44da70)

  58. Obama was angry, defiant, arrogant, condescending, smug and all the other negative qualities one would expect to be displayed by a fellow who wrote two autobiographies before he ever held a real job.

    GeneralMalaise (d94db1)

  59. “Thankfully, we only have to put up with three more of these mind-numbing SOTU speeches from him.”

    In his case, more like State of Confusion…

    GeneralMalaise (d94db1)

  60. No, just two more State of the Union speeches from Obama.

    Official Internet Data Office (dc2fe1)

  61. Here’s another time Intelliology did it.

    So Intelliology, we see who beclowned themselves.

    You.

    And the liar is you, as well.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  62. Intelliology,

    Have you been here before under another name? A yes or no answer will be appreciated.

    Stashiu3 (44da70)

  63. Your mom says time for your jammies, intelliology. Don’t forget the retainer, Sparky.

    GeneralMalaise (d94db1)

  64. Intelliology would really just love if this discussion didn’t focus on Obama’s deeply unpresidential address. An address where he goes way off the reservation on the Supreme Court, bashes the last president far too much, and promises all kinds of stuff he already should have done.

    I don’t blame democrats for wanting to change the topic. Quick, some lefty troll wants you to dig up some proof of something we already know! If you don’t meet the challenge he shall taunt you a second time! Your mother smells of elderberries!

    Anyway, it’s not like Obama would have been better off making a better speech. The people watching this stuff are already informed. If Obama wants to turn it around, he has to produce results. Scaring the hell out of businesses and bankers, refusing to accept responsibility for a budget he voted on, and demanding more and more spending while also promising to save money, is simply cowardly.

    It’s OK to take a side on this, and promise to move in a direction that isn’t perfect. Pretending to be all things to all people is pathetic. This is supposed to be the greatest leader this country can produce.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  65. President Ronald Reagan
    1st State of the Union, January 1982:

    “I will not ask you to balance the budget on the backs of the American taxpayer.”

    President Barack Obama
    1st State of the Union, January 2010:

    “In the next few days, I will submit a budget to Congress. So often, we have come to view these documents as simply numbers on a page or laundry lists of programs. I see this document differently. I see it as a vision for America – as a blueprint for our future.

    My budget does not attempt to solve every problem or address every issue. It reflects the stark reality of what we’ve inherited – a trillion dollar deficit, a financial crisis, and a costly recession.

    Given these realities, everyone in this chamber – Democrats and Republicans – will have to sacrifice some worthy priorities for which there are no dollars. And that includes me.”

    On the budget, Reagan’s concern was the sacrifices by American taxpayers. Obama’s concern is what Congress has to sacrifice. Does Obama even remember whose money he’s spending?

    DRJ (84a0c3)

  66. Actually, SPQR was right. It’s three more State of the Union speeches from Obama. (We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.)

    Official Internet Data Office (dc2fe1)

  67. That had to be the lamest, more boring, SOTU speech I’ve seen in a while. For someone who is supposed to be such a brilliant speaker, and a President at a crucial crossroads at this first anniversary, it was completely pathetic.

    And he seemed to have no interest in it, no enthusiasm at all.

    I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone so unhappy to be President so quickly before. George W. Bush after 8 years of unrelenting media attack started to give off this vibe but even he didn’t show the bitter streak that Obama is already starting to show.

    The Empty Suit(tm) not having fun?

    SPQR (26be8b)

  68. No, DRJ, he does not think its your money. Further, he is simply dishonest trying to blame Bush for the 20% spending increases that he voted for and signed.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  69. This should scare the hell out of democrats in tough races …

    We can only hope and pray the president decides to campaign for those democrats. He’s got a real knack for that.

    Dana (1e5ad4)

  70. He used the word “I” 89 times and “me” or “my” 18 times.

    The man’s narcissism is dangerous. Couple that with his delusional nature and it’s a recipe for disaster.

    GeneralMalaise (d94db1)

  71. “What we’ve inherited!”

    This is such a sick way of seeing the world. Obama ASKED for a job. We all knew it was a really hard job and pointed out that it would be difficult for experienced leaders and impossible for Obama.

    Bush faced huge problems too. He could have played the blame game, but he stepped up to being president because he wanted to lead. This ‘inherited’ claim is deeply irrational, anyway. The idea that the deficit is a partisan fault of the right is simply ridiculous. Obama voted for the most expensive budgets ever when he was a Senator.

    Bush isn’t being bashed like he was… fact is, people are already wishing he was president again. He took bad situations and dealt with them. Yeah, he didn’t veto dumb budgets, and played a role in awful spending. But what Obama is really mad about are tax cuts. Obama’s promised tax cuts all the time!

    It’s OUR money, and it’s clear the government has no idea how to use it well. They spend more and the jobs go away faster than ever (since 1939, anyway). They spend more and their predictions on what will happen become more and more incorrect. Would it really have been such a bad thing if massive tax cuts had starved the government from spending all this money on GM and banks and money for pretend districts?

    Not that Obama cares. It’s not his fault if he doesn’t solve the problems he said electing him would solve. He didn’t know he was going to inherit problems. It’s not his responsibility.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  72. I agree with General Malaise # 58

    He showed no awareness of what has happened the past year.

    Mike K (2cf494)

  73. “Does Obama even remember whose money he’s spending?”

    DRJ – With close to half the population not paying taxes, government revenues down 20% in 2009, I think he knows it’s mostly from rich people, corporations and the Chinese. Apart from campaign contributions, I don’t think he gives a shit about any of them.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  74. #

    He used the word “I” 89 times and “me” or “my” 18 times.

    The man’s narcissism is dangerous. Couple that with his delusional nature and it’s a recipe for disaster.

    Comment by GeneralMalaise

    Not that I’m the first to point this out by any stretch, but this is Obama holding back as much as he can to NOT talk about himself.

    Millions of people are out of work right now because the economy can’t withstand the deficit and the instability of health care reform and bank demonization, and Obama thinks this is about him.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  75. Dustin – Don’t forget about the insurance company demonization and a lack of focus on the underlying cost structure of medical care.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  76. One word: disgusting.

    Jim Rose (59a2a9)

  77. #

    Thankfully, we only have to put up with three more of these mind-numbing SOTU speeches from him.

    Comment by SPQR — 1/27/2010 @ 7:40 pm

    no we don’t: i plan on ignoring the SOB…..

    i may have to live with the results of whatever stupidity he can get done, despite my best efforts, but i sure as hell don’t have to listen to his dumb ass.

    fu*k him and the horseshit he rode in on.

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  78. Comment by MD in Philly — 1/27/2010 @ 7:02 pm

    How can you tell idiotology is lying???
    He keeps posting here.

    AD - RtR/OS! (8b1c67)

  79. Who the **** is Obama, of all people, to criticize partisan obstruction of nominees? Didn’t he support the filibuster of Alito?

    This president has absolutely no conscience. He sees absolutely nothing wrong with his Orwellian tactics. I’m not going to pretend that this was the only such tactic tonight, and I’ve hated the guy since I heard him debate Alan Keyes in 2004, but this really got me hot under the collar. What is with this guy? Does he not even care that the facts exposing his dishonesty on issue after issue are out there in plain sight for everyone to see? How can any human being not hate himself for being so transparently dishonest?

    Alan (07ccb5)

  80. The DC two step was going 90 MPH tonight.

    grog (a00285)

  81. Alan, GeneralMalaise, and everyone else,

    Even before the speech, Krauthammer (who is trained as a psychiatrist) said that Obama was “approaching clinical denial”. I think by that he meant not only was he choosing to ignore things like a politician, but his perceptions are bordering on psychopathological.

    A good psychiatrist withholds judgement while gathering information, many of us jumped to that conclusion long ago. (Thinking he could tell the oceans what to do was exhibits A through Z).

    MD in Philly (d4668b)

  82. #79, Alan asked, “How can any human being not hate himself for being so transparently dishonest?”

    Easy. Obama operates according to a system of ethics which celebrates blatant dishonesty as a core tactic for gaining advantage over an opponent constrained by the niceties of social convention. It’s like shooting fish in a barrel.

    It’s called “dissimulation” and for Obama it’s a badge of accomplishment, a source of pride, and a demonstration of superiority. He will look you in the eye, tell a transparent lie, experience the pleasure of your confusion, and pat himself on the back confident his audacious deceptions will go unexposed behind the authority and customary deference accorded his position.

    ropelight (f0c28e)

  83. It’s called “dissimulation” and for Obama it’s a badge of accomplishment, a source of pride, and a demonstration of superiority. He will look you in the eye, tell a transparent lie, experience the pleasure of your confusion, and pat himself on the back confident his audacious deceptions will go unexposed behind the authority and customary deference accorded his position.

    That’s nothing. At night he turns into a huge bat like creature and sucks the blood of his victims.

    Assclown doodyheads (f0d390)


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