# W's SOTU address tonight **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 23, 2007, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128 "2007-01-23T18:42:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/21 "2007-01-24T02:07:42Z")
How considerate of the media for Hillary to sit directly behind Obama. ---
**Author:** ![Frosted\_Glass](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frosted_glass/32/3926_2.png) [@Frosted\_Glass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frosted_Glass)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/22 "2007-01-24T02:09:27Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] What’s the average figure? Does anybody know? [/QUOTE] I am not sure what channel you are watching but on WQED they said that he has very few applause (?pauses?) in his speech tonight. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/23 "2007-01-24T02:15:22Z")
[QUOTE=RTFirefly] No way I’ll watch it - if I did, I’d probably have to buy me a new TV to watch the Super Bowl on. [/QUOTE] That sounds to me like a good reason to watch it. ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/24 "2007-01-24T02:16:56Z")
Praising the first Madam Speaker, praising the people in uniform – always a good start. ---
**Author:** ![aclubs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@aclubs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aclubs)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/25 "2007-01-24T02:18:06Z")
True. I liked the intro. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/26 "2007-01-24T02:21:25Z")
[QUOTE=Frosted Glass] I am not sure what channel you are watching but on WQED they said that he has very few applause (?pauses?) in his speech tonight. [/QUOTE] You know, I wonder if this would be like football. Record it all first on the DVR, then skip all the applause. You could probably compress a 1 hour speech down to 15 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/27 "2007-01-24T02:21:52Z")
“Close the federal deficit within five years” – I translate that as “I plan to leave my successor holding the bag.” “Save Social Security” – every year the date the Social Security trust fund goes into crisis mode gets pushed out another few years. ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/28 "2007-01-24T02:23:57Z")
Will the chamber erupt in laughter when Bush claims with a straight face that: “The state of our union has never been stronger!” ---
**Author:** ![Frosted\_Glass](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frosted_glass/32/3926_2.png) [@Frosted\_Glass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frosted_Glass)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/29 "2007-01-24T02:25:45Z")
Anyone else get the feeling of an award show where the flash to all the glamorous people to see how they are reacting and what they are wearing? I feel like it is only one step away from having Melissa and Joan provide running commentary. ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/30 "2007-01-24T02:27:45Z")
Suddenly I’m hearing echos of Bill Clinton’s health care reform efforts. I agree with efforts to use IT to reduce medical errors. But a big fat tax deduction for everybody? “The best health care decisions … are made by patients and their doctors!” Again, echos of HMO-reform attempts. ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/31 "2007-01-24T02:34:00Z")
Won’t increasing the strategic oil reserve increase the amount of oil we import? ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/32 "2007-01-24T02:36:58Z")
[QUOTE=Malodorous] Won’t increasing the strategic oil reserve increase the amount of oil we import? [/QUOTE] Probably. It depends partly on how much Gulf of Mexico production capacity can be put back on line. Even so, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve isn’t enough to stabilize US consumption over a long enough period, as I recall. ---
**Author:** ![Frosted\_Glass](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frosted_glass/32/3926_2.png) [@Frosted\_Glass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frosted_Glass)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/33 "2007-01-24T03:04:24Z")
[QUOTE=Dinsdale] Any guesses on the over and under for number of times he is interrupted by applause? I’ll offer 53. Personally, no way I could make myself watch it. [/QUOTE] 61 actually. Impressive guess. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/34 "2007-01-24T03:37:13Z")
Did he **actually** talk about balancing the budget?!! 😛😛😛😛 ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/35 "2007-01-24T03:46:45Z")
Hmmm. As I understood it, the President apparrently thinks that we are currently at war, and we will remain at war until peace and love and happiness and joy are found everywhere on the planet, Hell freezes over, or there are no more terrorists. Whichever comes first. Therefore, the massive expansion of Executive Power, absolutely necessary for a Nation at War, is permanent. Anything less than a free, democratic Iraq, that freely chooses to support America and Freedom is unacceptable. Guess I’ll give the Druidic Response: Mr. President, you’re a fuckwit. We are not at war. Haven’t been since 1945. Nations go to war with other nations. Nations do not go to war with a bunch of bearded guys hitting a hookah and singing Jihad. The Iraqi People pretty much hate you, and all Americans. This is because you invaded their country without provocation, toppled their government, and hanged their President by proxy. The survival of the United States is not now at risk. Our survival as a nation was never threatened by terrorists. 100 planes hitting 100 buildings wouldn’t do that. The measures you’ve taken to counter the terrorists have done more harm to America than any terrorist ever has. Your little gulag in Cuba is a festering boil on the National Honor. The Patriot Act is an abomination. Domestic wiretapping without a warrant is shameful. Warrantless demands for library, banking, and other personal records in the name of “National Security” make us less free today than we were on September 10, 2001. Mr. President, you’ve attempted to kill an ant with a sledgehammer. And failed. Miserably. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/36 "2007-01-24T03:48:24Z")
[QUOTE=Oakminster] The Iraqi People pretty much hate you, and all Americans. This is because you invaded their country without provocation, toppled their government, and hung their President by proxy. [/QUOTE] Nitpick: **Hanged,** not hung. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/37 "2007-01-24T03:50:02Z")
[QUOTE=Oakminster] Mr. President, you’ve attempted to kill an ant with a sledgehammer. And failed. Miserably. [/QUOTE] A sledgehammer **would** kill an ant. Actually, the Admin’s strategy has been more like using a machine gun to rid a house of termites. Just like Vietnam. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/38 "2007-01-24T03:53:17Z")
[QUOTE=Frosted Glass] 61 actually. Impressive guess. [/QUOTE] You know, these SOTU addresses would be a lot easier to watch if the consensus rules of decorum were more like the British House of Commons at question time – i.e., the opposition being entirely free to hoot, jeer, boo, laugh at, or **grill** the speaker. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/39 "2007-01-24T03:54:40Z")
Well, yeah, a sledgehammer would kill an ant pretty dead. But a flyswatter would kill the ant just as dead, cost a lot less, do less collateral damage, and require less effort to wield. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2007, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128/40 "2007-01-24T04:18:22Z")
Anyone else see how fast Kerry ran out of there at the end? Think he’s still bitter? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ws-sotu-address-tonight/389128.md?page=3)