Although I disagree with some of the policy choices stated in the President's speech, I was impressed by the way he so artfully fileted the Republicans, Senate and the Supreme Court. It was brilliant strategy and good politics, giving Democrats several lines of attack in the next election and putting the Republicans on the defensive.
If the Republicans continue with their present posture, and the Senate becomes the cockpit of discontent; where Americas' dreams of recovery and progress have gone to die, then the mid-terms will be very rough for the Republicans and all conservative Democrats in the Senate.
The economic policy people have to be changed. Demonstrating the new direction being proposed is not just tweaking existing policies will require a bold and active step. Sadly, no matter where you stand on the policies of the last year, Tim Geithner, Ben Bernanke and Larry Summers are the face of Wall Street within the administration and to retain them all will belie the President's word. Someone has to go...
Now, the President's communications operation needs to go into high gear. Pushing the Senate and the House to come to agreement on a way to get Health Care Reform to his desk quickly. Championing the existing Bills languishing in the Senate and pushing up the temperature generally on the Senate's obstructionists and opportunists. The jobs bill should be firmly linked to the other initiatives and sold as the greater solution that will get America back to #1. A brilliant appeal to the competitiveness and pride of the American people by the way.
The communications operation could also use an overhaul, we can not afford to have the message garbled or subsumed by lack of clarity or fumbling delivery.
The President was brilliant tonight, and he deserves great accolades for his talking over and to Congress simultaneously. This could be a watershed moment in the Obama presidency. I fervently hope so.