After all the debates and primaries, upsets and accusations that have been taking place in the Republican primaries and that unfortunately are going to continue for a while yet, one was wondering about Obama’s approach for the State of the Union address. Yesterday evening we did not have to wait too much to realize the president was in full campaign mood with an address quite bipartisan to say the least. The intent was to portrait himself as the champion of working-class America against the wealthy elite he said the Republicans protect. To make this point he said: “It’s time to apply the same rules from top to bottom. No bailouts, no handouts, and no cop-outs. An America built to last insists on responsibility from everybody.”
The president began by talking about the withdrawal of the troops from Iraq: “For the first time in nine years, there are no Americans fighting in Iraq. ” He knew this was an applause line and he did not lingered on what sort of legacy they had left behind them, the violence and the fear of many.
Then he moved onto the Navy SEALs who had killed Osama bin Laden. There and as expected he was applauded by both the Democrats and the Republicans. And then he went into into his economic defense. He talked about the financial collapse, making sure we all knew it wasn’t on his watch that the banks and economy melted down. After some talk about immigration reform, rather cynical when you consider that in three years he has not done much about it, some more attacks about Washington being broken as if he were just an observer.
As far as his own policy initiatives, there was not much in his long speech. But of course, this State of the Union address Tuesday night was, even by the account of his own advisers more campaign document than a plan for governing. It was just about getting re-elected. And it could be clearly felt.
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