Photographic proofs further below.
First, some Baltimore Rumble leftovers:
Here's Obama doing Play-by-Play at Georgetown - Duke game yesterday, with the most awesome climax: "I WENT TO THE REPUBLICANS HOUSE JUST YESTERDAY TO PROVE THAT I CAN GO TO MY RIGHT ONCE IN A WHILE. BUT THERE'S NO DOUBT I HAVE A STRONGER LEFT HAND".
*
*
Must See TV: Barack Obama's Finest Hour Yet
Some had characterized the event as Daniel walking into the lion's den. If so, Daniel mauled himself some lions, off teleprompter no less. Perhaps declawed is a better word. It was a feast for Democrats and hopefully for the nation to behold the President, armed with only his wits, in total and complete command but today's event need not be necessarily famine for the GOP either.
Furthermore, if they were not awed by the President's talents and penchant for detail, then simply they are not political animals. At its core, it was the most clear and poignant call to leave behind the slash and burn politics of the past and instead engage in a constructive dialogue in the interests of good governance....
...It is really must watch television, underscoring the fact that whatever the failings of leadership over the past year, Barack Obama possesses talents that few others do.Arguments may have been demolished but the edifice of state was constructed or perhaps at the very least a foundation was laid to move forward in the national interest. I'd daresay this was Barack Obama's finest hour yet. Let's hope that there is more of this to come.
The David of the Democrats:
For President Obama to be allowed 90 minutes of national television coverage speaking at the GOP retreat was historic. It was probably one of the dumbest ideas the Republican leadership has ever had.
In agreeing to a request from the White House to allow cameras to cover the President debating 140 GOP House members through a Q&A process, the GOP displayed gross overconfidence, an underestimation of this President and a totally wrong evaluation of the political implications of recent polls.
The GOP leadership felt they had Obama’s number in view of recent successes. They saw this coming together as an opportune time to move in for the political kill – a chance to embarrass Mr Obama, and finish him off in full public view.
House members of the "Party of No" were salivating in anticipation – the GOP leadership couldn’t wait – they wanted a coup de gras to politically decapitate the leader of the opposition forces.
Alas for the Republicans, when it was over, only one of the 141 combatants who engaged, was able to depart the scene with his head attached and in the right place. As historians will record and it will be remembered, the battered, demoralised troops of the GOP limped away oozing volumes of political gore, licking their wounds and rueing to all in earshot," that their original decision was a mistake ".
On retiring from the field looking like the "David of the Democrats", the President returned to the Oval office to get on with more challenging work.
In Baltimore, the GOP was in "retreat", though not in the way they had planned.
*
*
Seth Meyers on SNL Weekend Update last night:
"On Friday President Obama appeared before House Republicans in a historic televised Q & A and performed so well, afterwards GOP Aids said that allowing cameras to roll like that was a mistake. Come on Republicans, are you on such a Scott Brown high you thought you could take down Barack Obama by debating him? You realize debates are why he is President, right? Seriously, all you do is complain how Obama is all talk and then you invite him to a forum that is literally all talk. That's like saying lets see how tough Aquaman is once we get him in the water. I'm not saying you were out classed but the whole thing was like the scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark when the guy charged at Indiana Jones with the sword and he just shot him."
*
*
*
**************************************************************************
Tomorrow the president will answer questions that were left for him by Youtube users, following The SOTU address. And on Thursday, February 4, he'll answer questions from OFA members.
**************************************************************************
*
*
*
I know we all hate congress (and some will argue that president Obama hasn't done much either), but here's some surprising reality check:
There seems to be little to endear citizens to their legislature or to the president trying to influence it. It's too bad, because even with the wrench thrown in by Republican Scott Brown's election in Massachusetts, this Democratic Congress is on a path to become one of the most productive since the Great Society 89th Congress in 1965-66, and Obama already has the most legislative success of any modern president -- and that includes Ronald Reagan and Lyndon Johnson. The deep dysfunction of our politics may have produced public disdain, but it has also delivered record accomplishment.
**************************************************************************
*
*
*
*
*
*
And from that game, as promised, the president and his vice can barely stand to talk with each other. (PLEASE DON'T HOT-LINK, ESPECIALLY NOT THE GIF):*
*
*************************************************************************
Just had to separate this one. Sorry :)