Obama on His State of the Union Speech: “I Think It Will Be Okay”
EmailOn a day of State of the Union preparations, President Obama walked from the Oval Office to the residence of the White House and expressed some muted optimism for his speech this evening to Congress.
Asked by reporters how he believes his speech is, Mr. Obama answered with a smile, “I think it will be okay. I hope so anyway.”
White House advisors Valerie Jarrett and David Axelrod, David Plouffe and Robert Gibbs walked down the Colonnade before the president.
The president will largely spend the day behind-closed-doors at the White House today. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said that Mr. Obama is expected to be tweaking his speech up until the last moment, anticipated to make some line edits well into early this evening.
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For some reason, this White House always wants us to know how hard Obama is working on his speeches. They started during the election, and they continue on. Two weeks ago, we were told several times how hard the president was working on his Tuscon speech.
It would be interesting to get a collection of “making edits right up through the last minute” quotes from the Obama people. It would also be interesting to know why thy think it is some important for us to see him as spending his time writing speeches.
Posted by: MayBee | January 25, 2011, 1:29 pm 1:29 pm
Barry is Barry’s biggest fan.
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | January 25, 2011, 2:59 pm 2:59 pm
This focus on the speeches is probably in reflection of how past presidents inspired the country by making powerful and thoughtful speeches. Great leaders know what to say to rally others or unite differences.
The president is speaking to the nation. It is important.
Posted by: TV | January 25, 2011, 4:13 pm 4:13 pm
This is the State of the Union:
Voters spoke in the Nov. 2010 midterms. Obama now gets with the program. Or at least gives the appearance of such.
There, just saved anyone three hours.
Posted by: dom youngross | January 25, 2011, 4:21 pm 4:21 pm
Why are Congresswoman Giffords medical doctors (who are making conservatively at least $ 500,000 per year) being celebrated while service surgeons in Afghanistan and Iraq (making $100,000 a year and getting shot at to boot) do the same thing EVERY DAY with no recognition?
Posted by: Nephron | January 25, 2011, 4:50 pm 4:50 pm
A Zen master, before his enlightenment, has to ponder upon the question, “What is the sound of a one-hand clap?” It’s Mr. Obama’s State of Union
Posted by: young_voter | January 25, 2011, 6:24 pm 6:24 pm
I tried doing the oBama drinking game during last year State of the Union. One drink each time he switched between the left/right teleprompters. Passed smooth out in ~2 minutes and missed the rest of the speech. On second thought, that was not such a bad idea after all.
Posted by: gk | January 25, 2011, 8:32 pm 8:32 pm
I tried doing the oBama drinking game during last year State of the Union.
Posted by: gk | Jan 25, 2011 8:32:06 PM
Juvenile mindset gets juvenile results.
Posted by: DaveM | January 25, 2011, 9:38 pm 9:38 pm
DaveM wrote:”Juvenile mindset gets juvenile results.”
.
Not much point in listening to what he SAYS (cause its just a rehash of what he has said for the last several years). You instead need to watch what he DOES. Might as well have some fun with the clown in the meantime.
Posted by: gk | January 25, 2011, 9:46 pm 9:46 pm
Not much point in listening to what he SAYS
Posted by: gk | Jan 25, 2011 9:46:43 PM
Again,juvenile mindset gets juvenile results. Form an opinion and close your mind – always the best way to learn.
Posted by: DaveM | January 25, 2011, 10:09 pm 10:09 pm
DaveM wrote:”Again,juvenile mindset gets juvenile results. Form an opinion and close your mind – always the best way to learn.”
.
Watch what he DOES… I know you only see what you believe, but you might be surprised to find that his RHETORIC does not match what he actually DOES. He only talks like a centrist since Nov 2 when the lefties got their sorry butts handed to them. But his actions are true blue lefty all the way.
Posted by: gk | January 25, 2011, 10:13 pm 10:13 pm
Great State Of The Union.. Love our President & his steadfastness for reform & his gift for unifying & bringing the US into the 21st century. He is a leader & inspires anyone w a mind, who is awake, to get on board.
YAY OBAMA!
Posted by: Kate Green | January 25, 2011, 10:19 pm 10:19 pm
Mr. Obama went from Yes We Can to Winning the Future.
Posted by: young_voter | January 25, 2011, 10:22 pm 10:22 pm
I have never heard more BS from Mr. Obama than tonight.
Posted by: tofu | January 25, 2011, 10:24 pm 10:24 pm
I thought the President did a fine job in communicating what his administration needs to be working toward with congress.
I hope the congress will heed his warning on “pork barreling”. Defense spending MUST be cut!
Posted by: Paul Lukasiewicz | January 25, 2011, 10:29 pm 10:29 pm
Kate Green wrote:”Love our President & his steadfastness for reform & his gift for unifying & bringing the US into the 21st century. He is a leader & inspires anyone w a mind, who is awake, to get on board.”
.
Too bad he did not bother with any of this during the last two years.
Posted by: gk | January 25, 2011, 10:35 pm 10:35 pm
The republican commentator-haters always have MORE negative things to say and poor excuses for how they will do it better. What a mess, everyon is STILL trying to push their way as the best!! Neither side is truly trying to work towards positive results for us! The president tries to create basic healthcare options for those without and will forever be kicked in the N*%Ts for it.
Posted by: Sara Connelly | January 25, 2011, 10:42 pm 10:42 pm
He was boring said nothing but the same garbage, worst speech ever….
Posted by: firedup49 | January 25, 2011, 10:53 pm 10:53 pm
Amazing.
Awesome.
After decades of hearing State of the Union speeches; this evening was A+
First time I sat spellbound, interested in all the praises and personal well intentions of a world leader. As a senior and a silent-majority being; I just had to speak up and post: “Wow! what powerful leadership and aspiring words to guide us in our recovery!”
Posted by: Cindy S. | January 25, 2011, 11:24 pm 11:24 pm
You must be either an Obama followers or superman to able to listen to that speech without cringing in embarassment.
Posted by: politika | January 25, 2011, 11:57 pm 11:57 pm
Lip service! Nothing about HOW HE’S GOING TO CREATE JOBS!!! Cutting DEFENSE spending is bad…bad…bad…
Cut the handouts to the other countries around the world – get on board w/getting the illegals out and take the free handouts to them to use to help LEGAL AMERICANS!!!
NOBAMA NEEDS TO GO!
Posted by: DPW | January 26, 2011, 12:40 am 12:40 am
His Speech Was Brillant! I Loved It, I Agreed With Everything He Said. Who Doesnt Want Fast Internet?
Posted by: destiny | January 26, 2011, 1:17 am 1:17 am
I’m going to buy a Mercedes Benz, and a house in Hollywood and then freeze my spending..
The speech was the usual Pres Barry rhetoric, no plan to increase jobs, no plan to cut the deficit,no leadership provided, just some pie in the sky challenges.
Posted by: bl | January 26, 2011, 9:04 am 9:04 am
I’m a 68 year old white female who has to type with one finger because my hands are twisted from RA and like our president. I really think if the all the ******* would start listening and really talking instead of acting like a bunch of 2 year olds just maby they the old and disabled can get the cost of living raise we deserve and need. Stop making us sick and help for a change
Posted by: Jan | January 26, 2011, 9:06 am 9:06 am
“Wow! what powerful leadership and aspiring words to guide us in our recovery!”
Peggy Joseph, is that you?
“I never thought this day would ever happen. I won’t have to worry about putting gas in my car. I won’t have to worry about paying my mortgage. You know. If I help [Obama], he’s gonna help me.” – Peggy Joseph at an Obama Rally, November 2008
Sound familiar? I wonder how Ms. Joseph is doing these days? Seems the media isn’t curious in the least. I wonder why that is.
Posted by: Mary | January 26, 2011, 1:00 pm 1:00 pm
I loved the speech. I thought it hit the right mixture of realism as well as showing where we need improvements. Let’s hope that Congress and the Senate can actually work out their differences to do what is right for our future. And that isn’t slashing expenditures on the needy but spending wiser and investing in the future. You can’t make money without spending money and all that. And they must cancel the tax breaks for companies that out-source, keeping that in place is just plain crazy.
We all can help this economy by buying American-made products. Companies will increase hiring here when they see increased demand for their products so read your labels, even in the grocery store! The extra few pennies or dollars you are saving are enabling the Chinese to grow their economy while our jobs and economy shrinks. Don’t complain about the high unemployment rate if you are buying Chinese products over American goods.
Maybee, I think the media stresses that Obama spent some of his time writing the State of the Union speech because of its importance, historically and how it sets the tone of the next years agenda nationally.
Granted, we don’t always have a president who can write a decent speech but we do right now.
Posted by: Lydia | January 26, 2011, 1:16 pm 1:16 pm