President Obama will be giving his first State of the Union Address on Wednesday evening on 1/27/10. He gave the first year SOTU type address that new presidents give about a year ago, but the this is his first State of the Union.



I imagine, as is common with SOTU's, that there will be a lot comparison from where we are now and where we were at this time last year, and the economic recovery, albeit slow, will probably be discussed and probably deficit cutting plans will be mentioned too.

A lot is riding on what happens with the election in MA tomorrow as to whether the President's party will have passed a health care reform bill before this address. And now that he has gone there in person to campaign for Attorney General Martha Coakley in her running for US Senate, he has a lot of political capital on the line for a race where the polling looks bad. If she loses, it will be crushing, if she wins then the president can build some momentum in winning an election that was in part a referendum on him and health care reform, and passing some kind of bill before the address builds that momentum. This momentum may be used towards a jobs bill, or environmental efforts, or other domestic efforts. I'm sure bringing our troops home from Iraq next year and starting to bring them home from Afghanistan will play a large role. I for one am glad to see a shift from foreign affairs to domestic ones.

Will you be watching? Any predictions on what he'll say? Anything you want to see said? Are you relieved that it wont be interrupting the Lost premier?

1/18/2010 7:42:46 PM

^ fivethrityeight is giving Coakley a 25% chance of winning. http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2010/01/25-0.html

The article there points out that it's not 0%, and 1/4 is not that bad.

1/18/2010 7:48:05 PM

Hopefully I'll have checked out of nights in time to watch this. I think that no matter what the result of tomorrow's race, the closeness of the race in a state like Massachusetts will cause a lot of moderate Democrats to use the Senate / House reconciliation process to back out of their support for the bill.

The impending healthcare defeat will be the elephant in the room but President Obama does have a history of addressing tough issues pretty head on though (Rev. Wright for example) so it wouldn't surprise me to see him address a healthcare defeat directly.

1/18/2010 7:49:23 PM

I also have to believe that there will be a good deal discussion of the ongoing Haiti earthquake relief efforts and America at our best. With the 82nd airborne down there I'm betting a lot of North Carolina will be tuning in. Respecting Geneva, ending torture, and plans to close Gitmo probably will be discussed too.

1/18/2010 8:06:36 PM

Probably, though I'll nitpick you on the 82d since they've pretty much been perpetually deployed since 2001 so the only thing special about Haiti is that they're not actively being shot at.

Geneva and torture will probably be covered, it'll be interesting to see how he squares his promise to close Gitmo with the difficult reality of actually closing it. It'll be interesting to see how he addresses a year of reality compared to a campaign which built up expectations to an astronomical level.

1/18/2010 8:12:25 PM

Easy Prediction: Record use of the words "I", "Me" and "My"

1/18/2010 9:29:13 PM

I predict standing ovations from 59% of the audience on a 20-word average cycle and occasional halfhearted clapping from people with scornful looks on their faces.

1/18/2010 9:31:53 PM

Quote :

"Easy Prediction: Record use of the words "I", "Me" and "My""

is this like the mythical lack of obama's use of the word terror/terrorism to describe the attempted attack of last december?

1/18/2010 9:44:01 PM

everything will be blamed on bush

again.

1/18/2010 10:05:17 PM

I predict Nanci Pelosi will be replaced by a trained seal . . . and no one will notice.

[Edited on January 18, 2010 at 11:19 PM. Reason : V ahahahaha, touche.]

1/18/2010 11:12:03 PM

^
Seals blink.

1/18/2010 11:18:46 PM

Quote :

"everything will be blamed on bush again. "

this rhetoric is as tired as what it's attacking.

[Edited on January 18, 2010 at 11:19 PM. Reason : .]

1/18/2010 11:18:59 PM

I doubt we hear his name much though. More likely we'll hear the words "inherited" and "previous administration" like inherited an economy in recession that is now in recovery or inherited 2 wars which now have ends in sight, or "change of course" from the previous administration and other such language. If he goes into Bush this & Bush that it'll sound more petty than making broad comparisons between where we are now and where we were at the start of his term in office.

1/18/2010 11:43:21 PM

I can't think of any scenario where the pres would actually use the word "Bush"

and I don't see him really talking too much about inheriting anything this time around.

1/19/2010 12:05:58 AM

I firmly believe he'll cast aspersions and make comparisons and generally blame everything wrong on the previous administration.

So much so that I believe it would make a fine drinking game.

1/19/2010 12:16:23 AM

^ i bet you this drawing of a spider it doesn't work out that way:


Obama claimed more responsibility than I think he deserved for the underwear bomber. I think him and his team both know that in the State of the Union, he can't talk about anything except what he has done or will do, and why.

1/19/2010 12:33:50 AM

Quote :

"I firmly believe he'll cast aspersions and make comparisons and generally blame everything wrong on the previous administration."

Well I mean he wasn't president for the last 8 years so one can only wait and see if things change over the next 4-8 years.

1/19/2010 12:40:26 AM

I will watch this SOTU as I have every one since I was aware there was such a thing. I also don't have much time for people who say "I don't like him so I won't watch," or some variation on the theme. He's the goddamn president.

I think he's smart enough not to spend more than the usual level of time bashing the previous administration. Actually, I'll bank on him doing even less of that. There's still plenty of bushies around, no need to antagonize them excessively. The smart move is to be as friendly as possible without coming across as a pushover, though admittedly that's a narrow line.

I'll be curious to see how much attention the health care issue gets. He's already had one joint session talk about it, and he's liable to be arguing from a position of weakness on that front. So it's a choice between retreating in the face of failure or laying it all on the line in hopes of making the opposition look like a bunch of assholes. Either option could conceivably work well or backfire in a big way.

1/19/2010 2:34:54 AM

If anyone is looking for a place to watch it, here are a few SOTU parties around the triangle.

Quote :

" < 5.0 miles Rally Round Obama Wednesday, January 27 8:00 PM Ken Stolte & Josie Chadwick (Raleigh, NC) I'm hosting a TV get-together at our home to watch the State of the Union address. The price of freedom, justice, and peace is constant... State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » Barack Obama's State of the Union Address Potluck Wednesday, January 27 7:45 PM Raleigh OFA Office (Raleigh, NC) The time has come for Barack Obama to deliver his second State of the Union address to Congress. And for us involved with Organizing for... State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » < 20.0 miles SOTU Watch Party for Southern Wake County Wednesday, January 27 7:30 PM Home of Rodney and Cheryl Ellis (Fuquay Varina, NC) An opportunity to hear from our President in his first major address of the year with other supporters and friends. We will join David Plouffe... State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » Community leadership state of the union house party Wednesday, January 27 7:30 PM South West Durham (Durham, NC) This community leadership state of the union house party will be hosted by City Councilman Howard Clements. We will have with us community leaders from... State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » State of the Union Watch Party Wednesday, January 27 8:30 PM James Phillips' House (Durham, NC) Join us at James Phillips' house for the State of the Union. State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » State of the Union Watch Party Wednesday, January 27 8:00 PM Carolina Ale House (Durham, NC) Please join Durham For Obama and the Durham County Democratic Party at the Carolina Ale House(near Target/Sams Club) 8 pm 1/27. Enjoy the company of... State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » Durham County Democratic Party SOU Watch Party Wednesday, January 27 8:00 PM Carolina Ale House (Durham, NC) When the going gets tough, you pick yourself up, you dust yourself off, you roll up your sleeves, and you get back to work. State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » Duke Democrats Watch Party Wednesday, January 27 9:00 PM McClendon Tower Media Room 2 (Durham, NC) Duke Democrats Watch Party for the State of the Union State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » Traction's State of the Union Watch Party Wednesday, January 27 8:15 PM Traction HQ (Durham, NC) President Obama has been in office a little more than a year. In that time he’s set some pretty ambitious goals – healthcare reform, clean... State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » State of the Union Address Wednesday, January 27 7:30 PM The Davie Cavern (Chapel Hill, NC) Come to my place to watch the President address the nation. Lite snacks and refreshments will be provided but please feel free to bring your... State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » < 30.0 miles Fired Up and Ready to Watch! Wednesday, January 27 7:45 PM Charles Coble (Chapel Hill, NC) Please join other supporters of President Obama who are still fired up and ready to go! We will watch the President give his first State... State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » Watch the State of the Union, 1/27 Wednesday, January 27 7:30 PM Spalt's (Carrboro, NC) We'll hear from national OFA staff, give feedback and watch Obama's second State of the Union. State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » MOVING ON! Wednesday, January 27 7:30 PM Randy Voller's home (Pittsboro, NC) A 'don't lose heart,'stay fired up because you really have to now'State of the Union Watch Party. Listen to our President's assessment of his first... State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » "

You can plug in your Zip Code to find other ones around the state:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/sotuwatchparty/

1/25/2010 5:57:07 PM

^ Burlington fails

I watched a State of the Union address by W. a few years ago where he talked about going back to the moon and to Mars. Since his failure to do anything resembling anything about that I have lost faith in future addresses.

1/25/2010 7:49:09 PM

You could make it to a Carrboro, Greensboro, or Liberty SOTU watch party without going too far or schedule one yourself for Burlington if you were so inclined.

Quote :

" < 20.0 miles State of the Union Get-together Wednesday, January 27 8:45 PM Fran and Jessica's House (Greensboro, NC) My roommate and I are hosting a State of the Union gathering so that we can enjoy the event amongst like-minded individuals! We are both... State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » < 30.0 miles state of the union watch party Wednesday, January 27 9:00 PM Eubanks' home (Greensboro, NC) watch state of union speech in home State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » < 50.0 miles State of the Union - Randolph Wednesday, January 27 8:30 PM Jim and Beverly Meredith's House (Liberty, NC) State of the Union watch party at the home of Jim and Beverly Meredith. State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » "

Here are a few more around the state:

Quote :

" < 1.0 miles Asheville - State of the Union Party Wednesday, January 27 8:30 PM Asheville Brewing Co. (Asheville, NC) Join local Obama supporters for President Obama's first State of the Union address. State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » < 10.0 miles Weaverville - State of the Union party Wednesday, January 27 8:00 PM Larry's House (Weaverville, NC) Join local Obama supporters for President Obama's first State of the Union address. Contact: larrydodson@charter.net "

Quote :

" < 1.0 miles Organize in 2010 Wednesday, January 27 8:00 PM MCDP Conference Room (Charlotte, NC) Ladies and Gentlemen, Citizens are joining together on Wednesday January 27, 2010 at 9pm est to witness the President's first official State of the Union address.... State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » < 2.0 miles Lawrence Group-Health Care support Wednesday, January 27 8:00 PM Lawrence Home (Charlotte, NC) Family and Friends are invited to hear the President's State of the Union address and to talk about how we can support his agenda including... State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » < 5.0 miles State of the Union Watch Party Wednesday, January 27 12:00 PM Charlotte, NC (Charlotte, NC) I will not be hosting a State of the Union Watch Party. As an an attorney who was part of the Obama election day legal... State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » < 10.0 miles Black Political Caucus Meeting Wednesday, January 27 12:00 PM Greater Providence Baptist Church (Charlotte, NC) Pass down information from President Obama's Office at the Black Political Caucus meetings. State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » < 20.0 miles Organizing For America State of the Union Watch Wednesday, January 27 8:00 PM Ben and Fran Residence (Charlotte, NC) Diane Frederick and I welcome you to join us for viewing the STATE OF THE UNION. Let's make it a party and enjoy hearing the... State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » State of the Union Wednesday, January 27 8:30 PM Jacque's house (Concord, NC) Food, drink and great discussion provided. Let's watch Pres. Obama's first State of the Union, go back to basics and strategize once more. What happened... State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » Brandon Oaks Watch Party Wednesday, January 27 9:00 PM Lyncoya & Maria's Home (Indian Trail, NC) State of the Union Watch Party State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » Union County Watch Party Wednesday, January 27 8:00 PM Walker Residence (Waxhaw, NC) A social gathering of Union County democrats, community leaders and activist to watch the President's State of the Union address and immediately following to discuss... State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » "

Quote :

" < 10.0 miles Jacksonville for Obama Watch Party Wednesday, January 27 8:00 PM Ms. Clarks house (Jacksonville, NC) On January 27th, Organizing for America (OFA) supporters and volunteers across the country will gather together and watch the President's State of the Union Address. Join... State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » < 50.0 miles Wilmington for Obama Watch Party Wednesday, January 27 8:00 PM Richard Poole House (Wilmington, NC) On January 27th, Organizing for America (OFA) supporters and volunteers across the country will gather together and watch the President's State of the Union Address. Join... State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » Sate of the Union Watch Party Wednesday, January 27 8:00 PM Kinston, North Carolina (Kinston, NC) State of the Union Watch Party and Discussion afterwards. Refreshments served. State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » "

Quote :

" Come Watch the State of the Union - Edenton, NC Wednesday, January 27 8:00 PM Cumby Home (Edenton, NC) The State of the Union address is one of my favorite things to watch (followed closely by the Oscars). When I was in college I... State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » < 30.0 miles The End of a Decade of Change Wednesday, January 27 8:30 PM Williamston, NC (Williamston, NC) An opportunity to unite and receive an understanding of the direction our nation needs to engage in for this last year in the first decade... State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » State of the Union Watch Party! Wednesday, January 27 8:00 PM Smallwood in Washington (Washington, NC) Come and join fellow Democrats Watch The State Of The Union Address! State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » Washington Watch Party Wednesday, January 27 8:00 PM TBD (Washington, NC) On January 27th, Organizing for America (OFA) supporters and volunteers across the country will gather together and watch the President's State of the Union Address. Join... State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » State of the Union Watch Party Wednesday, January 27 12:00 PM Scarborough Cottage (Bath, NC) Gather at 1085 Bayview Road. I have room for about 15. State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » < 50.0 miles State of the Union Watch Party at Ken & Deb's Wednesday, January 27 7:00 PM Kenneth & Debbie Roberts (Elizabeth City, NC) Family,friends and other persons in the community are invited to view the President's State of the Union message on Wednesday, January 27, 2010. After he... State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » "

Quote :

" < 50.0 miles State of the Union Watch Party Wednesday, January 27 8:00 PM My House (Cameron, NC) Next Wednesday evening, President Obama will deliver his first State of the Union address. The President will lay out a clear vision of the challenges we... State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » Why Not? Wednesday, January 27 7:30 PM Our house (Fayetteville, NC) It was good to hear from David P. this morning, so when his email suggested that we either attend or host a State of the... State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » "

Quote :

" to go 2 events * Order By Date * Order By Distance < 10.0 miles Ginger's Party Wednesday, January 27 12:00 PM Murphy NC (Murphy, NC) Chips and Dip and who knows what else while we watch our favorite president deliver the State of the Union address!! State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » "

Quote :

" < 50.0 miles Support Obama Now Wednesday, January 27 7:30 PM Pirates Cove (Manteo, NC) Gather in living room to watch State of the Union address, Wednesday January 27th 8:00. Discussion at 7:30 and after the speech. Soft drinks and... State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » Support Obama Now Wednesday, January 27 7:30 PM Pirates Cove (Manteo, NC) living room gathering to watch speech, soft drinks and light refreshments provided, discussion before and after. State of the Union Watch Party RSVP » Details » "

I think between this and the list I posted before, that covers most of the ones that have been scheduled so far. I tried to weed out all the ones happening in other states near the NC border. I may have missed a few, but it still looks like there is decent coverage spread out across the state.

1/25/2010 11:25:56 PM

It's a pity that none of those seemed to encourage dissenting viewpoints. Maybe there's a similar Republican list. Well, if anybody wants to talk shit about the address and drink, hit me up.

1/25/2010 11:49:06 PM

dems seem to have little problem talking shit about obama these days. look around at the blogs.

1/25/2010 11:57:40 PM

Yeah, but there's a difference between complaining about how he hasn't done the stuff he promised and complaining that the stuff he promised is dumb.

1/26/2010 12:19:51 AM

Quote :

"Well, if anybody wants to talk shit about the address and drink, hit me up."

In Raleigh?

1/26/2010 1:46:29 AM

Yeah, in Raleigh.

1/26/2010 3:34:52 PM

I have friends coming over to play the State of the Union Address drinking game.
We should be pretty trashed by the end of it.

1/26/2010 4:00:18 PM

SOTU Bingo!



[Edited on January 26, 2010 at 4:08 PM. Reason : ]

1/26/2010 4:08:09 PM

^What, no spot for "YOU LIE!"? You know that presidential addresses to joint sessions of congress can get crazy.

1/26/2010 4:19:41 PM

It looks like I'll be stuck in the car for the first half hour of the speech, but I just checked with our branch of NPR and the WUNC Interim Program Director said they will be playing it tomorrow on 91.5 FM (88.9 FM Manteo & 90.9 FM Rocky Mount).

1/26/2010 5:40:29 PM

1/27/2010 12:43:12 AM

[Edited on January 27, 2010 at 1:11 AM. Reason : .]

1/27/2010 1:11:42 AM

I don't think that this particular SOTU will be more ridiculous than usual. I'd even go so far as to bet that most/all of the things promised get farther than just promises in the public eye (as opposed to, say, going to mars).

My real curiosity is to see if Barrack and pals have come close to learning how to play the game yet. I don't necessarily like the game, but it's pretty hilarious watching his team constantly fuck it up.

1/27/2010 1:17:46 AM

At least 2 minutes on the Supreme Courts dumbass ruling on campaign finance.

1/27/2010 3:50:11 AM

Keep in mind, when Obama calls for across the board budget freezes, that he disagreed during each presidential debate when McCain called for them.

His repeated talking point was that across the board freezes would be like using a hatchet instead of a scapel.

1/27/2010 10:29:25 AM

I'm gonna be out at the bar, maybe I'll record this. I don't want to be around while my roommate has a one man liberal love fest party for this...

1/27/2010 11:11:06 AM

I think "State of the Union" is a misleading title these days.

More like "State of this President's Administration"

It always feels more like a campaign than an actual summary of how America as a whole is doing. It shouldn't have to be the president defending this and promising that, but just tell me the current state of our country.

1/27/2010 11:54:34 AM

^^^I've heard the idea of tackling the recession with a spend now, save later approach. Maybe now that we're officially in the recovery period, we've reached the "save later" part of that. I absolutely think that if we had a budget freeze a year ago it would have been a bad idea.

I wonder if Cash for Clunkers will get a mention anywhere in this speech?


Looks like a few guests from NC on are the invite list:

Quote :

"Julia Frost (Jacksonville, NC) Julia is a former Marine bandsman trumpeter, a wife of an active duty Marine, and current student at Coastal Carolina Community College. She served a four year term with the United States Marine Corps stationed at Marine Corps Base Hawaii. Her husband, Sergeant Ryan Frost, is also a Marine bandsman, stationed at Camp Lejeune North Carolina. With the aid of the GI Bill, Julia is currently enrolled in the Elementary Education program through a partnership between Coastal Carolina Community College and the University of North Carolina, Wilmington. Julia hopes to complete her associate degree this summer and bachelors in the spring of 2012. Dr. Biden, a community college professor, first met Julia when she visited her campus last October as part of the Administration’s ongoing efforts to support America’s community colleges and their students. Ping Fu (Chapel Hill, NC) Ping Fu co-founded Geomagic, a company which pioneers technologies that fundamentally change the way products are designed, engineered and manufactured around the world from automobiles to medical devices. Geomagic, under her leadership, has been an active participant in the SBA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. Fu has led Geomagic to deliver broad-based economic impact to the US economy with tangible results – the company tripled its customer base and employment while achieving high growth and profitability. As such, the NSF awarded Geomagic the prestigious Tibbetts Award for exemplifying the very best in SBIR. Fu has more than 25 years of software industry experience in database, internet technology, and visual computing. Before Geomagic, she was the Director of Visualization at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications and is also, actively involved in promoting entrepreneurship and women in mathematics and sciences."

The list also references a gay couple adopting kids.

Quote :

"Trevor Yager (Indianapolis, IN) Trevor Yager began his career in 1995 while in college by founding TrendyMinds, a full-service advertising/public relations firm. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Anderson University and went on to work with various motor sports sponsors, team owners and sanctioning bodies. Today, at TrendyMinds, Yager provides strategic planning, business development, marketing and technology guidance and support to various local, national and international clients. In 2009 the agency grew by more than 200 percent, doubled the number of employees and gained 15 new accounts. Yager credits President Obama’s welcoming climate for small businesses, including the many initiatives under the Recovery Act, for this success. He is also passionate about helping non-profits and TrendyMinds is committed to giving back to the community by donating in-kind services to organizations throughout Indiana. Yager resides in Indianapolis with his partner of seven years, Tyler Murray. The two have recently started the process of adoption and look forward to adding a new member to their family."

[Edited on January 27, 2010 at 12:41 PM. Reason : .]

1/27/2010 12:27:02 PM

Quote :

"I wonder if Cash for Clunkers will get a mention anywhere in this speech?"

doubtful, it was a horrible program and huge waste of money.

1/27/2010 12:50:36 PM

Quote :

"Maybe now that we're officially in the recovery period"

We're not.

1/27/2010 1:07:09 PM

^^That aside, it and the first time home buyers subsidies seemed to get relatively positive media coverage.

1/27/2010 1:16:58 PM

Quote :

"Raleigh OFA Office (Raleigh, NC) The time has come for Barack Obama to deliver his second State of the Union address to Congress."

You would think that OFA would have gotten this right.

1/27/2010 2:32:07 PM

Yeah, its a pretty stupid, but understandable mistake since presidents these days are in the habit of giving State of the Union-like addresses when they start their term, which President Obama did.

1/27/2010 2:39:21 PM

I can't wait to not listen to this pointless mixture of self-aggrandizement and not-so-subtle criticism of his political opponents.

Same as it ever was (at least for the last 3 decades or so).

1/27/2010 3:15:22 PM

If anyone is looking for a place close to campus to watch it, with a few fellow students, I just got this in my inbox:

Quote :

"Hello Everyone! The College Democrats will be viewing the State of the Union Address at Player's Retreat tonight. The speech starts at 9:00...we'd like to have a big group, so we hope to see everyone there! Contact Jenna Wadsworth for more info: 919.915.0896 "

1/27/2010 7:14:06 PM

Drink a beer when the president says:

Economy
Health Care
Special Interests
Lobbyists
Wall Street
Washington

Should be a good time.

1/27/2010 9:04:51 PM

Wait, since when do we care about what the constitution says?

[Edited on January 27, 2010 at 9:12 PM. Reason : ]

1/27/2010 9:12:20 PM

Pelosi's face is freaking me out

1/27/2010 9:13:34 PM

since when does her face NOT freak people out?

1/27/2010 9:15:39 PM

awkward pause after i hated bank bailout

I don't know, but she has pretty big tits. I'm sure she was not bad looking back in the day before the surgeries

[Edited on January 27, 2010 at 9:20 PM. Reason : .]

1/27/2010 9:19:13 PM