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Deutschmeister's avatar

Quick Hits, State of the Union Edition. Settle in with a beverage of choice and enjoy the ride.

1) Those hoping that Old Joe would show up and deflate the momentum of the speech wound up disappointed that Energetic Joe showed up instead, putting the sizzle on the steak. He was sharp, clear, and reassuring in his delivery -- perhaps a bit over-the-top a few times, but considering the alternative, we can live with that. As for his few verbal slips, it was within the margin of error – I misspeak or trip over my tongue more times during a typical 50-minute class I teach than Biden did last night, and nobody is saying that I’m too old to do my job.

2) The flash polls about how successful the speech was maybe offered a few minor insights on overall opinions, but in general seemed to parallel what people already think going into the event. Those who like Biden and his agenda already came away mostly happy, those who don’t came away displeased, and those in between pretty much stayed there. But, hey, pollsters gotta eat too, so it was a success for those who rely on such things for their job and their relevance. That counts for something. I guess.

3a) The Republican response was … a teenage angst-driven high school drama production? Fright night at the local storytellers’ meeting? Both, sharing the same small space? Gawd … I literally had to turn it off after just a few minutes, it was such an overblown melodrama trying to take itself too seriously. If it was her coming out party, I hope she goes back into the egg. Just. Too. Overplayed. On every level.

3b) Said GOP huckster tried to tell us, with something of a straight face, that “it’s been a minute since Joe Biden pumped gas, ran a carpool or even pushed a grocery cart. Meanwhile, the rest of us see our dollar and we know it doesn’t go as far. President Biden just doesn’t get it – he’s out of touch.” The jokes write themselves as to how a similarly old man who is the GOP presumptive nominee, yet again, never has been photographed that I can recall behind the wheel of a car, pumping gas himself at the Quik-E-Mart, in line at a fast food restaurant of your choice (or the post office, or the grocery store, or anywhere else you and I frequent), and getting his hands dirty spending cash money and counting the change to make sure that it is accurate.

4) I heard a post-debate spin doctor … er, analyst, claim that there was nothing in Biden’s speech for Haley supporters who might consider crossing lines to vote Democratic. Excuse me? Cutting prescription drug prices does them no good? Freezing credit card fees when our nation is carrying record personal credit card debt? Rebuilding and upgrading roads, bridges, and other vital infrastructure while expanding broadband access and otherwise bringing rural America more into the 21st century? And on and on and on. We get it that those people are trying to tell us what they want for us to hear, and to think. But sometimes what they say is just so silly that you have to think that they willfully look past everybody who actually watches the news in search of as many low- to no-information voters as they can find. In my world they call that scraping the bottom of the barrel.

5) Speaking of that world … employment remains down, job opportunities remain high, restaurant parking lots remain full or nearly so on Friday nights, attendance at ball games is up, a predicted recession continues to stay at a distance, interest rates are falling, airplanes and airports are packed as people enjoy personal travel, a pandemic continues to disappear over the horizon as new medicines and expertise-driven medical practices continue to make us safer, people of diverse backgrounds are more welcome and included than before, and other democratic nations have (much) more respect for us that they did four years ago. There’s more. You get the idea. We’re doing quite well in a lot of ways – still work to do, still room for improvement, but that’s normal.

Summary: do we want to continue to go forward, with a rising tide that seeks to float all boats? Or do we want to go back to a dark past which mostly is about one person and his own legal issues and his attempts to stay out of jail, mindless of what happens to the rest of us as long as he gets his way? Easy call, where I sit. All others: choose wisely, not quickly, and try not to listen too closely as the drama queens and spin doctors strive to convince you that what they think, largely fueled by their own self-interest, outweighs what you see with your own eyes. And vote accordingly.

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Bryan Fichter's avatar

The Republicans' Achilles Heel is the version of Joe Biden they have constructed in their minds, leading them to underestimate him time after time. It's clear from last night's speech that the old codger is either going to save America or go down swinging. Good for him.

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