# Obama's SoTU Speech Analysis **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 28, 2010, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-sotu-speech-analysis/526715 "2010-01-28T02:10:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-sotu-speech-analysis/526715/81 "2010-01-28T15:06:21Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Tax cuts, spending increases - funny how the Bush policies go over so big delivered in blackface. > [@Shodan](#): > > This is the first I heard about Michelle picking fat kids as her campaign - has this been announced before? That is a harmless enough, non-controversial cause, especially for a [black woman](http://www.usnews.com/health/diet-fitness/diet/articles/2009/07/16/blacks-have-highest-obesity-rates-in-us.html). > > Regards, > Shodan Dude. _Really?_ ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-sotu-speech-analysis/526715/82 "2010-01-28T15:09:13Z")
- Really didn’t like the call out of the Supreme Court. He referenced Separation of Powers, then slammed them. It looked like a cheap shot to get some ammo against “Big Business” They had every right to be pissed. - Also didn’t like the off the cuff line “I thought at least some of them would clap” He had just gotten through with “Let’s work together, kum bah ya, etc.”…it just seemed like the Dems are a big club of popular kids, and the nerdy Pubs were worthy of being made fun of. It just came off as arrogant and rude. - I thought he looked rather orange, and the purple coordination of Pelosi and Biden was distracting. Plus, I hate Pelosi with the fire of a thousand suns, so her shiny, Botoxed, grimacing face was distracting as well. - What’s the deal with the Pubs senate leader? Is he always that tan and leathery? - Ginsberg looked bad. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-sotu-speech-analysis/526715/83 "2010-01-28T15:13:04Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > This is the first I heard about Michelle picking fat kids as her campaign - has this been announced before? That is a harmless enough, non-controversial cause, especially for a [black woman](http://www.usnews.com/health/diet-fitness/diet/articles/2009/07/16/blacks-have-highest-obesity-rates-in-us.html). > > Regards, > Shodan I hadn’t heard about it as her ‘campaign’ necessarily, but there has been a fair amount about healthy food promotion , Iron chef did a big deal episode about the White house vegetable garden, and her wish to teach about good, fresh, healthy stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-sotu-speech-analysis/526715/84 "2010-01-28T15:18:25Z")
Missed the speech, but listened to NPR’s fact-check session. Agree with the analyst that commented that while nuclear energy may be safer than it was, it’s still not clean. Obama’s comment strikes me as pandering. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-sotu-speech-analysis/526715/85 "2010-01-28T15:20:18Z")
Michelle Obama announced her childhood obesity campaign [last tuesday](http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2010-01-20-michelle-obama-obesity_N.htm). What her skin color has to do with it is beyond me. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-sotu-speech-analysis/526715/86 "2010-01-28T15:27:10Z")
> [@Sateryn76](#): > > - What’s the deal with the Pubs senate leader? Is he always that tan and leathery? “In the next hundred days, our bipartisan outreach will be so successful that even John Boehner will consider becoming a Democrat [to follow the footsteps of Sen. Arlen Specter who recently swtiched from the Republican]. After all, we have a lot in common. He is a person of color. Although not a color that appears in the natural world,” -Obama ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-sotu-speech-analysis/526715/87 "2010-01-28T15:32:28Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Tax cuts, spending increases - funny how the Bush policies go over so big delivered in blackface. _Splutters_ And I thought I was un-PC by American standards. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-sotu-speech-analysis/526715/88 "2010-01-28T15:34:51Z")
> [@Sateryn76](#): > > - What’s the deal with the Pubs senate leader? Is he always that tan and leathery? Yes. Boehner’s unnatural shade of orange has been a perennial source of amusement on this side of bloggerdom. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-sotu-speech-analysis/526715/89 "2010-01-28T15:36:07Z")
> [@Sateryn76](#): > > Also didn’t like the off the cuff line “I thought at least some of them would clap” He had just gotten through with “Let’s work together, kum bah ya, etc.”…it just seemed like the Dems are a big club of popular kids, and the nerdy Pubs were worthy of being made fun of. It just came off as arrogant and rude. Hmm. I was only half-paying attention at that point, but I thought he said it after talking about all the tax cuts he enacted. It seemed pretty clever and funny to me. Republicans can’t clap about tax cuts? ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-sotu-speech-analysis/526715/90 "2010-01-28T15:47:16Z")
Why do people think the SCOTUS is somehow beyond reproach? They made a fucking stupid decision and deserve to be called out for it. I was more shocked by the call for new nuclear plants. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-sotu-speech-analysis/526715/91 "2010-01-28T15:50:44Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > Why do people think the SCOTUS is somehow beyond reproach? I think it’s those robes. Makes them look all judgey and everything. I blame the robes. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-sotu-speech-analysis/526715/92 "2010-01-28T16:00:21Z")
[This is trivia, but if you look at this page you can compare the length of Obama’s speech to other state of the union addresses going back to 1966.](http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/sou_minutes.php) Obama’s speech was short-ish by Clinton standards, but longer than any other SOTU in that period except for one of Lyndon Johnson’s. I was unhappy with the Supreme Court ruling last week but Obama is allowed to comment on it. It was a major political issue long before it got to the Supreme Court. I don’t know what he’s proposing Congress do about it, but that’s all fine. When legislators talk about restricting the court’s power so they can’t make decisions the legislators don’t like, _that_ bothers me. Are you done with the jokes for now, **Shodan**? They’re not working too well. But I think you’re correct about the spending. I heard ‘spending freeze’ and wondered what he was thinking. Then he said it was a spending freeze that exempted several of the largest government programs and suddenly it didn’t mean very much. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-sotu-speech-analysis/526715/93 "2010-01-28T16:22:58Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Are you done with the jokes for now, **Shodan**? For now - maybe. > [@](#): > > But I think you’re correct about the spending. I heard ‘spending freeze’ and wondered what he was thinking. Then he said it was a spending freeze that exempted several of the largest government programs and suddenly it didn’t mean very much. I agree with the previous poster who said this sounded like Obama the candidate. If he is favor of new nuclear plants, why abandon Yucca Mountain? If he is serious about the deficit, why have such a meaningless “freeze” (and talk about more tax cuts and spending increases). A year ago he wanted to increase capital gains taxes ([cite](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/26/obama-wants-higher-capita_n_170237.html)). Now it’s a cut. He claims to be serious about reducing the deficit, but he wants to spend $30 billion of the TARP repayments on something new. If he really wanted all this, why didn’t he do it when he had a filibuster-prrof margin in the Senate? It sounds like he is back in campaign mode - promise the world and hope for the best. The part about taking a dig at SCOTUS after reneging on his promise to limit his campaign to public money was a little ironic. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-sotu-speech-analysis/526715/94 "2010-01-28T16:32:32Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > Why do people think the SCOTUS is somehow beyond reproach? They made a fucking stupid decision and deserve to be called out for it. It wasn’t stupid at all. It was simply partisan, even if they wouldn’t admit it. And not for the first time by any means. Of course they deserve reproach for it. It might act as a deterrent in the future. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-sotu-speech-analysis/526715/95 "2010-01-28T16:43:34Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > A year ago he wanted to increase capital gains taxes ([cite](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/26/obama-wants-higher-capita_n_170237.html)). Now it’s a cut. Read to the end of your cite. In the SOTU he said he cut capital gains tax cuts _on small businesses and start-up companies_. This was actually a campaign promise, so it doesn’t appear he’s being inconsistent. He didn’t say anything about the general Capital Gains tax in the SOTU, at least so far as I remember, so presumably he still plans to raise it. > [@](#): > > If he really wanted all this, why didn’t he do it when he had a filibuster-prrof margin in the Senate? It sounds like he is back in campaign mode - promise the world and hope for the best. Well, most of its more or less continuations of things that were in the first Recovery Act Bill, so I’d say he did do it while he had a super-majority in the Senate, and plans on continuing with similar efforts now that the economy continues to be in the dumps. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-sotu-speech-analysis/526715/96 "2010-01-28T16:55:39Z")
> [@tumbleddown](#): > > I didn’t hear heckling but Justice Samuel Alito, such the class act, actually backtalked the president when he smacked SCOTUS over the Citizens United ruling. A major protocol breech, there. The Reps doing an Easter Island impersonation was possibly due to their reportedly being reminded by their leadership that they couldn’t afford another “You lie!” moment. Now THAT was a protocol breach. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-sotu-speech-analysis/526715/97 "2010-01-28T17:46:10Z")
> [@brickbacon](#): > > Where were Scalia and Thomas? Historically, very FEW Supreme Court Justices have attended State of the Union addresses. For a few years, Stephen Breyer was the only one who made a habit of going. So, it’s a mistake to ask “Where’s Scalia,” as if his presence was mandatory (or expected) and he was either committing a faux pas or insulting the President by skipping it. Rather, the question is, “Why did so many Justices appear at an event most of them have always blown off?” Before anyone asks “Cite,” look here: [http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/justice-alitos-reaction/](http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/justice-alitos-reaction/) You might also note, in reading, that the ever-liberal Linda Greenhouse mentions, in passing, that Samuel Alito was RIGHT to shake his head and say “Not true.” Ms. Greenhouse can’t bring herself to say that Obama was distorting the truth or that he was ill-informed; she settles for saying he was “imprecise.” ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-sotu-speech-analysis/526715/98 "2010-01-28T17:57:25Z")
Lovely speech, Mr. President. Now, welcome to reality. [Senate rejects near-freeze on spending](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100128/ap_on_bi_ge/us_senate_spending_freeze) > [@](#): > > Just days after President Barack Obama endorsed a partial freeze on domestic spending, his Democratic allies in the Senate have rejected a plan attempting to do pretty much the same thing. > > Old-school Democrats were the driving force in killing the bipartisan legislation, sponsored by Alabama Republican Jeff Sessions and Missouri Democrat Claire McCaskill ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-sotu-speech-analysis/526715/99 "2010-01-28T17:59:10Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > You might also note, in reading, that the ever-liberal Linda Greenhouse mentions, in passing, that Samuel Alito was RIGHT to shake his head and say “Not true.” You yourself might read it more carefully. > [@](#): > > The decision would “open the floodgates for special interests — including foreign companies — to spend without limit in our elections,” Mr. Obama said, adding that “I don’t think American elections should be bankrolled by America’s most powerful interests.” > [@](#): > > [T]the court struck down a more complicated statute that barred corporations and unions from spending money directly from their treasuries — as opposed to their political action committees — on television advertising to urge a vote for or against a federal candidate in the period immediately before the election. The misrepresentation by Obama would be where? :dubious: Now it’s certainly possible that Alito forgot he wasn’t in a word-parsing contest from back in his Appeals Court days, and that his new job requires him to be aware of the consequences of his ruling, but what Obama said was true. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-sotu-speech-analysis/526715/100 "2010-01-28T19:05:44Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > The misrepresentation by Obama would be where? :dubious: The misrepresentation by Obama was particularly in the claim that the decision would open election contributions to foreign companies, per your quote. That most assuredly was not part of the decision: > [@](#): > > We need not reach the question whether the Government has a compelling interest in preventing foreign individuals or associations from influencing our Nation’s political process. Cf. 2 U. S. C. §441e (contribution and expenditure ban applied to “foreign national[s]”). Section 441b is not limited to corporations or associations that were created in foreign countries or funded predominately by foreign shareholders. Section 441b therefore would be overbroad even if we assumed, arguendo, that the Government has a compelling interest in limiting foreign influence over our political process. See Broadrick , 413 U. S., at 615. [Cite.](http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/08-205.ZO.html) In short - existing law prevented foreign donations, so when the court struck down these campaign finance laws the foreign donation ban was maintained. Claims that this decision opens the floodgates for foreign companies are simply false - whether willfully misleading or simply ignorant. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-sotu-speech-analysis/526715.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-sotu-speech-analysis/526715.md?page=6)