Reasonoids will be blogging it: You can get over the trauma of George W. Bush's final State of the Union here.
Ken Layne's exhaustive drinking game here.
9:13: I'm waiting, like a lot of people, for Bush to plug his earmarks executive order... but boy, Ramesh Ponnuru's anti-porkbusters essay never sounds truer than when Bush talks about spending much, much more on a stimulus than we'll save on cutting some earmarks.
9:17: Not that the earkmark executive order is bad. It's nice to hear Bush say it.
9:19: None of this is going to happen, is it? Not even the Republicans ovate the call to end "junk medical lawsuits."
9:20: "Trust children to learn if given the chance"? Is he coming out against NCLB?
9:21: Ah, no. He isn't. Ted Kennedy, who's pretty much responsible for passing NCLB in the Senate, sits quietly as Bush talks about what a great achievement it was.
9:26: Sweet, we're finally going to become energy independent! The news puts House energy committee chairman John Dingell to sleep.
9:27: I think we're going to see 2005-2008 as the time when climate change denialism finally died in the leadership of the GOP. Especially if John McCain wins the party's nod.
9:28: Seriously, is anyone still impressed by the earmarks thing? The pleas for new spending and fulfilled spending requests are blowing that away.
9:30: "The whim of the gavel?" Are these anthromorphic, Fantasia gavels? Michael Gerson, you are missed.
9:31: "The pursuit of happiness leads to the path of service." OK, that didn't sound as bad until he made it really, really explicit that he was talking about state-sponsored services.
9:32: I don't think Bush has ever sounded weaker than when asking Congress to "propose your solutions" entitlement spending. Maybe when he was holding that Saudi prince's hand.
9:34: Good, wistful-sounding stuff on immigration.
9:36: "Wedding guests in blood-soaked finery"? Is Rob Halford writing this speech?
9:38: Did anyone else notice the gradual change from past tense to present tense when talking about Iraq? We've won! But not yet!
9:41: The Anbar Awakening... I haven't been reading
9:42: What was Joe Biden thinking when Bush talked about progress in Iraq? I'm guessing: "You're welcome."
9:45: Ironically, as Bush talks about something he's sure to get—total funding for our glorious war—the applause gets a little less lusty.
9:52: What's the difference between this Iran section and the Iran section of 2002? Not a whole lot.
9:54: The Library Tower b.s., again?
9:56: Jesus, did any Republican not cheer when Bush talked about FISA reform and retroactive liability protection?
10:01: OK, let's let the president have his "I salute you, randomly-selected heroes of freedom" moment... but this is like sticking around for the fourth quarter of a Clippers game.
And we're out!
State of the Union Open Thread
Comments to "State of the Union Open Thread":
Jose Dorito | January 28, 2008, 9:03pm | #
I'm trying to think of one significant thing that's been accomplished during this 2nd term.I'm drawing a blank
Brian Sorgatz | January 28, 2008, 9:08pm | #
Naturally, a FOX News commentator credits Bush with "success" in Iraq over the last year.Bill Cooke | January 28, 2008, 9:09pm | #
I can't watch that B.S. and I might have a trial tomorrow so I'm not drinking tonight. I'm leaving politics for a little while. I might only come out of my hole to vote for Ron Paul.LevStrauss | January 28, 2008, 9:11pm | #
Political theatre at its worst.Brian Sorgatz | January 28, 2008, 9:12pm | #
Bipartisan cooperation is overrated. Government "gridlock" slows down government growth, and that's a good thing.Jon H | January 28, 2008, 9:13pm | #
"I'm trying to think of one significant thing that's been accomplished during this 2nd term."NASA research was 'successfully' kneecapped by his retarded Mars mission bullshit, which I expect was the point - put them to work on a Martian snipe hunt and your party hacks won't have to spend time censoring the words 'climate change' out of official reports.
H | January 28, 2008, 9:13pm | #
NANCY PELOSI IS NOT WARING A FLAG PIN! DOES THAT SURPRISE ANYONE SHE IS A COMMIE BITCH!LevStrauss | January 28, 2008, 9:15pm | #
What about spending?Jon H | January 28, 2008, 9:15pm | #
"NANCY PELOSI IS NOT WARING A FLAG PIN!"Chill. It's on her clit piercing.
Brian Sorgatz | January 28, 2008, 9:15pm | #
I'm not the first one to notice it, of course, but Dick Cheney's smile is grinchy.Brian Sorgatz | January 28, 2008, 9:17pm | #
Excellent question, LevStrauss. "Tax relief" without spending cuts means burdening taxpayers with more government debt.H is a Republican Imposter | January 28, 2008, 9:18pm | #
Who would wear one of those flag pins anyway? I love my country, but those are the things that rah, rah Iraq, Patriot Act, etc. people wear.LevStrauss | January 28, 2008, 9:19pm | #
Give more money to people that aren't financially responsible. I'm happy with my investments.Brian Sorgatz | January 28, 2008, 9:19pm | #
"Expanding consumer choice, not government control." Oh, if only Bush really meant what he said there!Huckachobee | January 28, 2008, 9:23pm | #
I liked what Mike Huckabee said about the stimulus plan, namely that we take a loan from the Chinese and use it to give people $600 checks, which are then supposed to be used to buy cheap stuff from China.Hits the nail on the head no?
LevStrauss | January 28, 2008, 9:24pm | #
What Bush really meant:By having bigger government, we need more government buildings, built my mexicans and we are solving the DC schools problem by sending them to MD and VA. Help us solve the DC school "problem."
Adamness | January 28, 2008, 9:25pm | #
Purveyors of false populism?Ahaha, that's so lame. Just call Chavez a dick and move on.
Did Pelosi just have her middle finger up as she was clapping with the booklet in her hand? Did any one else catch that?
Brian Sorgatz | January 28, 2008, 9:31pm | #
I missed that, mtc. If so, I hope it shows up on YouTube.AGAIN! She actually had her middle and ring fingers up at first, and then took her ring finger down.
LevStrauss | January 28, 2008, 9:33pm | #
I like how Cheney doesn't give a damn about these things anymore. He just threw the booklet on the table and he gave up. He looks like he is in pain.Brian Sorgatz | January 28, 2008, 9:35pm | #
People are trying not to look bored.drawnasunder | January 28, 2008, 9:39pm | #
Fuck this, I'm watching Stargate.LevStrauss | January 28, 2008, 9:40pm | #
Do we know the speech writer, or do we have to guess? Who's still peddling the "Freedom Spreadin" stuff these days?No islamonazis? That narrows the pool down a bit if it holds up.
Brian Sorgatz | January 28, 2008, 9:40pm | #
I would be playing along at home with Jeopardy! right now, if the SOTU weren't on instead.Brian Sorgatz | January 28, 2008, 9:43pm | #
Joe Biden is about to cry for some reason.Brian Sorgatz | January 28, 2008, 9:46pm | #
Somebody yawned!LevStrauss | January 28, 2008, 9:47pm | #
Right when he spoke of funding the war, there was a huge yawn. The guy didn't even cover his mouth. Some people have no manners.LevStrauss | January 28, 2008, 9:48pm | #
But I fully agree with the yawner on the issue.Brian Sorgatz | January 28, 2008, 9:51pm | #
"We will not rest!" I thought of Leslie Nielsen in The Naked Gun: "We won't rest one minute until we catch the criminal! Now let's get something to eat."Shem | January 28, 2008, 9:52pm | #
You can get over the trauma of George W. Bush's final State of the Union here.Doesn't he give next year's SotU too?
LevStrauss | January 28, 2008, 9:52pm | #
Does anyone notice how Bush and Cheney are feebly trying to court Log Cabin Republicans with their Red, White, and Blue color coordination?God dammit. I don't think anything pisses me off more about George Bush than the way he pronounces "nuclear." It's not nu-cu-lar. It's nu-cle-ar.
wha? | January 28, 2008, 9:53pm | #
Yawn...The Pure BS meter spiked about thirty seconds after Junior opened his piehole.
Hey, Hugh Hefner and his girlfriends are on E!
SIV | January 28, 2008, 9:54pm | #
Anybody watching wrestling?I should be
Michael Chertoff looks like that Nazi officer in the Fritz Lang movie Hangmen Also Die.
Brian Sorgatz | January 28, 2008, 9:55pm | #
They're hoping the Log Cabin guys will forget about all the valuable military personnel who were fired for being gay.Eric Dumbdero | January 28, 2008, 9:57pm | #
BEST SPEECH EVER!Brian Sorgatz | January 28, 2008, 9:57pm | #
Hey, Hugh Hefner and his girlfriends are on E!Now more than ever, I wish I had cable.
Jon H | January 28, 2008, 9:57pm | #
"Doesn't he give next year's SotU too?"It's his option, if he wants to give one before the next President is inaugurated.
If he does, and a Democrat is next, I'd like for the Dem to hold his own SOTU shortly after inauguration to lay out the real situation.
But it'll never happen.
Jon H | January 28, 2008, 9:59pm | #
"Hey, Hugh Hefner and his girlfriends are on E!"Manny, Moe, and Jack?
Mr. Nice Guy | January 28, 2008, 9:59pm | #
SIVJohn Cena is back, he won the Royal Rumble.
Junior wants funding for this and funding for that... and yet he's bitching and crying about earmarks! Hey dumbass - PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH!
Boring, uninspired speech full of Republican boilerplate. *yawns*
LevStrauss | January 28, 2008, 10:01pm | #
He really wants wiretap the rabble.Sudan, the next Dem's war, just have to wait for the body count to get higher.
Foreign Aid, everybody's going to be rich!!!
Bob Dole is a bad omen for Republicans.
Ronaldo Pablo | January 28, 2008, 10:01pm | #
John Cena jumped the shark when he went from rapper to soldier.Kolohe | January 28, 2008, 10:01pm | #
Helloooooooo, nurse!Cesar | January 28, 2008, 10:02pm | #
Dubya should be struck by lightning right now for saying "The Constitutional Convention of 1787 in Philadelphia..."Seriously. If there was a God, that would've happened just now.
Jon H | January 28, 2008, 10:03pm | #
"9:30: "The whim of the gavel?" Are these anthromorphic, Fantasia gavels? Michael Gerson, you are missed."Cue Monty Python skit: 'I banged me gavel!'
"I'm waiting, like a lot of people, for Bush to plug his earmarks executive order"
Is that even, like, Constitutional?
Brian Sorgatz | January 28, 2008, 10:03pm | #
Way back in the '90s, Dennis Miller did his best to wisecrack during a SOTU address. He ran out of ideas and had to say, "Where are Tom Servo and Crow when you need them?"Brian Sorgatz | January 28, 2008, 10:05pm | #
FOX News is hushed to listen to Bush hob-nob with the crowd after the speech. What groupies!Brian Sorgatz | January 28, 2008, 10:07pm | #
PBS is doing pretty much the same. Go figure.I will say I give points to President Bush for pushing free trade agreements with various Latin American countries. I'm glad he did that.
Malto Dextrin | January 28, 2008, 10:07pm | #
He is the ruler, and we are his subjects.God save the President!
LevStrauss | January 28, 2008, 10:08pm | #
MSNBC is downplaying it. Basically saying its BS. Olbermann's laying on Dem talking points.LevStrauss | January 28, 2008, 10:14pm | #
MSNBC now segways to McCain and says the speech was about him. Now they act like it is no longer BS.Jon H | January 28, 2008, 10:15pm | #
"I will say I give points to President Bush for pushing free trade agreements with various Latin American countries"Free trade, but trucks coming over the border will be run through poison gas (after the driver gets out) in order to avoid any unwanted human cargo.
Brian Sorgatz | January 28, 2008, 10:17pm | #
The governor of Kansas is giving the Democratic response.Parisian | January 28, 2008, 10:18pm | #
The governor of Kansas's son made a game called don't drop the soap.That's hot.
Brian Sorgatz | January 28, 2008, 10:19pm | #
She's basically complaining that Bush isn't utopian enough.Roger | January 28, 2008, 10:20pm | #
That's a hot video you linked to, Dave. Kewel. I like the singer's alternating heal-lifting dance-singing. Too sexy.LevStrauss | January 28, 2008, 10:22pm | #
This is the tornado lady. Now I remember her. Too long ago Dems, bad pick.dodsworth | January 28, 2008, 10:25pm | #
Did Bush state the case for the Protect America Act? Was Cato's Roger Pilon shown applauding from the audience?ki | January 28, 2008, 10:25pm | #
Why not Deval Patrick? He's black.SIV | January 28, 2008, 10:28pm | #
MNG,Cena back must have been a surprise I thought he was still injured. The Flair/MVP match highlights from the looked good. I'll have to look for a torrent of the PPV.
LevStrauss | January 28, 2008, 10:28pm | #
No word on mars, the housing market is bad enough here.LevStrauss | January 28, 2008, 10:29pm | #
McCain on MSNBCClick 'n' Learn | January 28, 2008, 10:29pm | #
What Weigel calls "good" and "wistful", I reveal to be corrupt happy talk. Is anyone surprised that Weigel would get it so wrong?LevStrauss | January 28, 2008, 10:31pm | #
Is McCain flubbing on the economy on purpose? He bumbles like a fool. Just to create a narrative? Say it aint so John?Monkey Of Fear | January 28, 2008, 10:36pm | #
I was watching the homoerotically tinged classic "Chuck and Buck" during the SOTU.Andrew Revard | January 28, 2008, 10:39pm | #
What baffles me about supporters of the War in Iraq, is the way the define the "war on terrorism." You listen to Bush, McCain, Hannity, or any other person who supports the War in Iraq, and they will define the "war on terror" as a war against "Islamofascism." I always ask them this: how was Saddam and the Baath Party considered "Islamofascist?" If you wanted to take out Islamic extremists, why did we not attack Sudan, Somalia or even Iran? These people make no sense.Also, I am stuck at home listening to my father blame every problem on illegal immigrants. Healthcare, the economy, crime and etc. are all caused by illegal immigrants. Shut up dad...with much respect.
d[-_-]b
stephen the goldberger | January 28, 2008, 10:45pm | #
John Cena will always be the Professor of Thuganomics in my eyes.Happy Jack | January 28, 2008, 10:46pm | #
Now more than ever, I wish I had cable.I don't know why. You get to watch the same thing on SPIKE. But instead of calling it the SOTU, for some reason they're referring to it as Tommy Boy.
I can tell Hilldog was thinking something along the lines of, "I'd be the President next year too if it wasn't for that meddling kid!"
saharvey | January 28, 2008, 11:11pm | #
"Also, I am stuck at home listening to my father blame every problem on illegal immigrants. Healthcare, the economy, crime and etc. are all caused by illegal immigrants. Shut up dad...with much respect. "Yeah, what is it about boomers that makes them hate illegal immigrants so much? My wife is half japanesse. My mother in law can watch Fox News all day and rail against immigrants, while sitting next to her immigrant husband of 35 years. The guy is a little 5'4" Vietnam Vet and I am just waiting for the day he reaches over backhands her.
Chris Potter | January 28, 2008, 11:22pm | #
Andrew Revard,Republicans : Illegal immigration ::
Democrats : Global warming ::
Catholics : Satan
JayDubya | January 28, 2008, 11:25pm | #
I did like the "The IRS takes check or money order" line.smokeyJoe | January 28, 2008, 11:26pm | #
Happy Jack,But Tommy Boy eventually learns how to do the job and saves the factory. I don't Georgie boy becoming a good president in the next year.
I know I'm way out on a limb on that one.
Malto Dextrin | January 28, 2008, 11:29pm | #
missed the speech. are we still going to Mars?No, we're outlawing biotech research instead.
dodsworth | January 28, 2008, 11:31pm | #
Matt, David, Julian,Nick, etc. etc.When do you guys intend to do an "investigative" story on why Cato not only tolerates, but features, the anti-civil libertarian ideas of Roger Pilon? News flash: this didn't happen back in 1992. It is happening now. Heck, none of you guys has even seen fit to writing a blog about this.
yoshi | January 28, 2008, 11:40pm | #
all i heard was bigger government and more spending - and this guy is a republican? the only thing worse I can imaging is hillary or ron paul as president.I am trying to ad up how many times POTUS said "Nukyaler." I'll have to add it up on my calcleator.
Syd | January 28, 2008, 11:53pm | #
Dave W. | January 28, 2008, 10:25pm | #missed the speech. are we still going to Mars?
No, Mars is coming here for a special limited engagement.
The Wine Commonsewer | January 29, 2008, 12:49am | #
I'm watching Stargate.Strangest thing. We met one of the producers on the Road to Hana a few years ago. Naturally, I thought it was all BS (cuz lame-oh me had never heard of Stargate), but he and his wife and kids were very cool and very fun. We went to the Red Sand Beach, had drinks back at our place, and met them at the beach the next day.
Back home. Google. Turns out to be true.
My 15 minutes. Well, one of my 15 minutes anyway.
Course he isn't a libertarian, so screw him and the horse he came to town on.
thoreau | January 29, 2008, 12:55am | #
Caught a few minutes of a rerun. Is it just me, or is Pelosi reading a novel.I should do the same, instead of watching that damn thing.
Also, the Republicans roared like college football fans watching their team beat the rivals when Bush called for passage of the wiretap bill. Fuck them.
Possibly the largest gathering of fake smiles in one place we'll see all year.
Jim Bob | January 29, 2008, 6:56am | #
Michael Chertoff looks like that Nazi officer in the Fritz Lang movie Hangmen Also Die.I do try to refrain from commenting on people's personal appearance, but you're right: Chertoff looks like he never eats, and it's a bit unnerving.
Jacob | January 29, 2008, 8:09am | #
I would love to see Reason stand up for principle and call Cato out on this shit. Even if it's just a blog post. Cato is a storied libertarian institution that has been central to the movement for years. Now, one of their writers is lining up with the neocons on government surveillance powers. A post from Reason would send angry traffic their way that wasn't the foaming-at-the-mouth Rockwell type.Jacob | January 29, 2008, 8:10am | #
Sorry, wrong thread. If you're wondering what I was talking about:http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=9119
Reinmoose | January 29, 2008, 8:21am | #
I was totally screwed with my SOTUA drinking game. The rules we had down that did us in the most were1. Drink every time they show a presidential candidate
2. Drink every mention of the "Surge"
3. Drink every time Bush mispronounces a word.
Man. That speach was a blurr...
John-David | January 29, 2008, 8:51am | #
Wow, I can't believe how many people noticed that Bush can't pronounce "nuclear". Like, nobody has EVER commented on that before.Welcome to the party, ladies.
joe | January 29, 2008, 9:27am | #
I can tell Hilldog was thinking something along the lines of, "I'd be the President next year too if it wasn't for that meddling kid!"Steee-eeee-eeee-ttttchhhhhhhh...Snap!
*Gasp* Hillary Clinton!
Al Federber | January 29, 2008, 9:40am | #
These are the lamest H&R posts I've ever read.Dr. State | January 29, 2008, 10:02am | #
9:19: None of this is going to happen, is it? Not even the Republicans ovate the call to end "junk medical lawsuits."If there is any issue that can motivate me to vote a straight R ballot come Nov., it is the threat of Socialized Medicine.
If the Republicans cannot convince the American people that it was government meddling which created this health care crisis to begin with, and that adding more government will only make things worse and will lead to the absolute ruination of medicine, then they should just hang it up.
Here's Dr. Paul speaking at the Las Vegas conference:
Congressman Ron Paul, MD (R-Texas) shared his provocative insights regarding the overexpansive breadth of the government's role in health and medicine today. His message of the restoration of personal healthcare freedoms received a standing ovation from the audience.
Jon H | January 29, 2008, 11:19am | #
"*Gasp* Hillary Clinton!"I thought for sure it'd be Sonny Bono.
whit | January 29, 2008, 11:57am | #
"Yeah, what is it about boomers that makes them hate illegal immigrants so much? "wanting to enforce immigration laws doesn't mean you HATE illegal immigrants.
"My wife is half japanesse."
and this relates to ILLEGAL immigrants how?
" My mother in law can watch Fox News all day and rail against immigrants,"
illegal immigrants or immigrants?
" while sitting next to her immigrant husband of 35 years. The guy is a little 5'4" Vietnam Vet and I am just waiting for the day he reaches over backhands her."
immigrants =/= illegal immigrants.
hth
joe | January 29, 2008, 12:00pm | #
I'm not against speech; just illegal speech.I'm not against gun ownership; just illegal gun ownership.
I'm not against drinking alocohol; just illegal alcohol.
*stiffens neck, furrows brow a bit* What part of "illegal" don't you understand?
TrickyVic | January 29, 2008, 12:54pm | #
"""all i heard was bigger government and more spending - and this guy is a republican?""""Limbaugh and a couple of others are claiming this may be the end for republicanism. It might be more correct to say this may be the end of conservatism (at least the popularity of). The irony is that it wasn't killed by illegals crossing the border or by some left wing conspiracy, but that it was murdered by the republicans themselves.
zig zag man | January 29, 2008, 1:09pm | #
Did anyone bother to count the number of times "liberty" was evoked by our "Fearless Leader"? GWB even gave us a civics lesson about the mindset of the Founding Fathers.Prediction:
Actual liberties returned to us are inversely proportional to the number of times GWB mentions it in the SOTU.
whit | January 29, 2008, 1:20pm | #
joe, way to ignore the issue.conflating illegal immigration with immigration is like comparing trespassing with standing on your own land.
it's intellectually dishonest, or lazy depending on your intent.
one can make rational arguments against our immigration policy w/o falsely pretending two different things are the same.
iow, it's a way to ignore the actual issues, demonize people you disagree with, and fail to address the distinctions that make the policy debate.
Chris Potter | January 29, 2008, 1:54pm | #
joe,There are legitimate interests for govt restricting each of those things in particular circumstances. For instance, libel is "illegal speech", a mentally ill person owning a gun is "illegal gun ownership", etc.
Are you claiming that govt has NO legitimate interest in controlling immigration?
whit | January 29, 2008, 2:10pm | #
an analogy would be calling somebody racist, or claiming they hated minorities if they were against racial preferences.are you against racial preferences? i am
does that mean you HATE the recipients of racial preferences? of course not.
similarly, one can be against illegal immigration, but not hate illegal immigrants.
joe | January 29, 2008, 2:38pm | #
conflating illegal immigration with immigration is like comparing trespassing with standing on your own land.No, whit, it is not. The government is not forbidding people from entering onto its land; it's forbidding people from entering onto my land, even if I approve of them being there.
The government's actions are much more similar to banning alcohol.
Chris Potter,
Are you claiming that govt has NO legitimate interest in controlling immigration?
No. The only comparison, stated, implied, or intended, was to the difference between the legal thing and the illegal thing being purely a matter of the government's action. As opposed to the trespassing example whit gave, where there is the real-world difference between standing in a public place and a private one.
whit, you're babbling, and nothing in your comment is remotely applicable to what I wrote.
whit | January 29, 2008, 2:47pm | #
"No, whit, it is not. The government is not forbidding people from entering onto its land; it's forbidding people from entering onto my land, even if I approve of them being there."only if issues of national sovereignty mean nothing to you. sadly, they do for too many.
"The government's actions are much more similar to banning alcohol."
not really.
comparing banning alcohol to protecting the borders of a soverein nation?
ridiculous analogy.
whit | January 29, 2008, 2:50pm | #
"No. The only comparison, stated, implied, or intended, was to the difference between the legal thing and the illegal thing being purely a matter of the government's action."it has to do with national sovereignty. the govt gets to decide who comes into a country. that's true of every nation on earth. it's hardly an earth shattering concept.
" As opposed to the trespassing example whit gave, where there is the real-world difference between standing in a public place and a private one"
and there is also a difference between entering a country legally vs. illegally, just as there is a difference between owning a property and squatting/trespassing on it.
like it or not, govt. regulates both. you can't just walk into a national park and proclaim 10 acres "mine mine mine". that's illegal.
similarly, you can't just walk into the US and not be breaking the law. there are rules of entry just like there are rules for private property within our borders.
you may WANT open borders, and that's fine. that's a policy disagreement. but misrepresenting those who oppose illegal immigration as hating immigrants, or any such bilge is intellectually dishonest.
Gus | January 29, 2008, 5:36pm | #
"Reasonoids will be blogging it: You can get over the trauma of George W. Bush's final State of the Union here."Trauma??? Jezuz, Weigel, are you really as emotionally driven as a 5-year-old girl?