“I don’t quit.”
It was a message heard around the country Jan. 28, the day after President Barack Obama’s first State of the Union address. It’s funny how the message in just a year has changed from “Yes We Can” to “I Don’t Quit.”
It seems like the president has a three-word quotable phrase from every significant speech. It could have been another one, though. His quote could have been “More Jobs Now.” Obama spent about two thirds of his address speaking to economic recovery and asking Congress to look past their respective party to pass the latest economic stimulus bill for job development.
“Do not walk away from reform,” he implored Congress. “Not now. Not when we are so close.”
For something that was intended to draw two parties together, just the response of Republican members of Congress was enough to show that Obama’s hopes might be an insurmountable task.
Consider this excerpt from The Associated Press’ report: “Republicans applauded the president when he entered the chamber, and even craned their necks and welcomed Michelle Obama when she took her seat. But the warm feelings of bipartisanship disappeared early. Democrats jumped to their feet and roared when Obama said he wanted to impose a new fee on banks, while Republicans sat stone-faced. Democrats stood and applauded when Obama mentioned the economic stimulus package passed last February. Republicans just stared.”
Talk about insurmountable tasks. An election “gone wrong” in Massachusetts. Every talking head on television news programs saying the president’s programs and agenda are stalling. An economy that is crawling back instead of running.
But as the man says, “I don’t quit.”
So we asked our readers, the ones who log on faithfully to vote in our online poll question each week, to weigh in on the address. We asked, “How would you describe the tone of President Barack Obama’s recent State of the Union address?”
For 6.14 percent of our voters, the results were “tepid.” Those readers said, “It was nothing we haven’t heard from previous administrations.” We’ve heard a lot of speeches from a lot of presidents, sure. Of course, you’ve got to give Obama a few extra points — like a bell curve grading scale. When was the last time a president faced so many obstacles in just the first year of presidency alone?
For a few more voters, 32.46 percent or about one out of three, Obama’s tone was “optimistic.” Those readers said, “He really seems like he wants to bring both parties together for a change.” And that statement might be a little optimistic, too. After all, when was the last time we saw both parties put aside politics and come together for the greater good?
And then for 61.40 percent, the supermajority the Democrats are now missing in the Senate, the answer was “defensive.” You see, these voters think Obama “seemed like he was trying to excuse away a year of poor decisions.”
The Republican response to the address seemed to mirror that. “What government should not do is pile on more taxation, regulation and litigation that kill jobs and hurt the middle class,” said Gov. Bob McDonnell of Virginia, the GOP representative chosen to respond to the speech.
We sure are on the edge of our seats to see what the next year of presidency brings and how the tone of Obama’s mid-presidency address is interpreted.
Speaking of “Big Government,” let’s talk this week about the national Tea Party movement.
Log on. Vote. E-mail me.
Misty Poe
Managing Editor
mpoe@timeswv.com
