The Daddy Speech: SOTU Liveblog

 UPDATE: The Daddy Speech


-6 pm--I'm at PBS cuz I can't stand any of the usual talking heads. Rahm! Napolitano!. Lots and lots of black people and other minorities on camera, Nice.
David Brooks is babbling, why it's celebrity city. Susan Rice. Michelle in something purpley.
Shields, "he's got to be optimistic but he's got to be realistic...does he acknowledge mistakes...inconceivable that the Dems would walk away from health care."
Blah-blah.
Lots of colorful contrariennes, red, bright blue, yellow, orange. The door.
Opens. Photogs enter. No Melina. Will have to look at the Wapo and see if she's shooting.
Steny, Reid, where's Patty? She's probably too short to see.
He's kissing women along the way..did W do that?
Sonia! Gary Locke.
Fruit salad boys. Wow, Tom Foley's there. What kind of lobbying is he doing?
Nancy in lavender.
6:11
Our const declares that from time to time the prex shall give the nation and it's leaders...for 220 years...looking back, tempting to assume our progress was inevitable--but victory in doubt often, Bull Run, WWII, Bloody Sunday civil rights...
tested our fears but we chose to move forward as one nation, one people..he took office facing The List...one year later the worst of the storm is past...but it's not over...
--recession compounded what Am. families have been dealing with for decades...these struggles are the reason I ran for president...Biden nods...
angry, frustrated "tired of the partisanship and the pettiness"
--want Dems and R's to work through our differences...our anxieties the same, and our aspirations "most of all the ability to give their children a better life" and a stubborn resiliance in the face of diversity
our strength and decency reason "I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight"
--first standing O
---It begins with our economy---first task" but when I ran for president I promised I wouldn't always do waht was popular
---took over TARP and made it more transparent and accountable and recovered most of the money, therefore the fee on the banks--if these firms can afford to pay out big bonuses again, they can afford to pay our the taxpayers who rescued them in their time of need
--another standing O--are those not clapping Rs?
---25 different tax cuts---for 95 percent of working families---we cut taxes for--you name it, we cut taxes--repetitive "I thought I'd get some applause on that one" Boener sees camera on him, claps, the fucker
---we havent' raised income taxes by a single dime on a single person
---about 2 mil Am who would otherwise be unemplyed right now are working--cops, teachers---on track for another 1.5 mil by end of year, R's refuse to pplud "the recovery act, " McCain is throwing up in his mouth
--names the small businesses who and individuals who benefitted--
--after two years of recession, the economy is growing again---
--BUT
lots still hurting Boener and R's willing ao applaud "I'm calling for a new jobs bill tonight"
---true engine of job creation will always be America's businesses--standing O
---govt can create "We should start where most new jobs do, in small businesses"
(Hi, Adele!)
--most banks still lending to big biz--$30 b to help small businesses to stay afloat--R's won't applaud
--new small business tax credit
---elim all cap gains tax on all small biz investment--
---SMALL BIZ, SMALL BIZ
Jobs--we can put americans to work today building the infrastructure of tomorrow
---going to Tampa where new high speed RR about to break ground (old man Dingell smiling)
---clean energy facilities, rebates for home energy improvements---slash tax breaks for companies that shift jobs overseas
---House bill includes some of these steps---urges Senate to do the same as first order of business---and I know they will
----I want a jobs bill on my desk without delay
BUT---won't make up for 7 mil jobs lost
new foundation for long term economic growth---
---not like the "lost decade"--income declined, jobs grew more slowly -- housing bubble and speculation
----too hard?---"How long should America put its future on hold"
---China's not waiting, Germany, India---these nations aren't playing for second place
---"I do not accept second place for the UsA"
standing O
---Financial reform--House has already passed "and the lobbyists are trying to kill it" -- he will "send it back until we get it right" if it doesn't meet test of real reform
-----Encourage innovation---no area is more ripe for innovation than energy
new generation of safe clean nuke plants, tough decisions about new offshore oil and gas development, biofuels and clean coal technologies, and new clean climate bill (no R's stand for that_
--again, House has passed---climate change--even if you doubt the evidence, but the nation that leads the clean energy economy is the nation that leads the global economy and america must be that nation
---Exports---more products, more jobs--double exports over next five years, 2 million jobs (Gary Locke?)--
make trading partners play by rules, aggressive seek new markets--South Korea, Panama, Columbia--
--4--invest in skills and education of people, did it this year with national competition, reward success, invest in reform (Bill Gates?)
the best anti poverty program around is a world class education
--renew elem and secondary education act---expand to all states, again follow House and approve bill to revitalize community colleges
career path for working families, and end unwarranted taxpayer subsidies to banks that make student loans, give families 10K tax benefit for four years---student only required to pay 10 percent of income toward loans, forgive after 20 years, after 10 if public service
0--Biden's task force on working families
this year will step up refinancing so homeowners can move into more affordable mortgages
---HCR! HCR!--reduce burden on families--we still need it
"Now let's clear a few things up..." "By now it should be obvious because it was good politics"--but because of suffering--"After nearly a century of trying...closer than ever...protect every Am from worst practices of the ins industry"
--Michelle's childhood obesity initiative--"thank you honey"
Michelle gestures and tells people to sit down
---very folksy--"she gets embarrassed"
--cites CBO that both parties acknowledge as unbiased---reduce deficit 1T--over 20 years
--I take my share of the blame for not explaining it better to the American people--
deficit will grow, premiums go up, sm
"I will not walk away from these Americans and neither should the people in this chamber"
--standing O
so, "I want everyone to take another look at the plan we've proposed"
if anyone from either party has a better approach (he lists his requirments) let me know"
--"I'm eager to see it"--"Don't walk away from reform, not now, not when we are so close...let's get it done"
(Olympa stood for that)
--health care reform to dig us out of our deficit--one that's been
re: govt spending---set the record straight---surplus to deficit--Most of this was the result of not paying for two wars, two tax cuts and not paying for a prescription drug program
--"All this was before I walked in the door"...some protest "just stating the facts"
---our efforts added another 1 tril to natl debt---families tightening belts, "the fed govt should do the same"
---specific steps to pay for that 1 trillion---
Discretionary spending--if I have to enforce this discipline by veto, I will (so much for Congress not going along) -- id 20 b in savings for 2011
---not continue tax cuts for oil cos...those making more than 250Kyr--and somebody else--
---wants bipartisan fiscal commission modelled in Gregg/Conrad proposal---specific set of
will issue executive order after Senate block
---(this was predicted)
--pay as you go law---should be restored--reason surpluses in the 90s
---Ds argue can't do this--why it won't take effect until next year--R's laugh, he says "that's how budgeting works"
(he talks back to them as he goes, good planning)
---R's arguement--"the problem is, that's what we did for eight years"
---dialogue--that's what helped us into these deficits---
something new "let's invest in our people without leaing them a mountain of debt"
---
"We face a deficit of trust" deep and corrosive doubts
--end outsized influence of lobbyists, do our work openly
---HOW?--WH visitors posted online, no lobbyists on commissions
strict limits on contributions---SC decision--i believe will open the floogates for lobbyists, including foreign interests--urges a bill to correct some of these problems
--also continue down the path of earmark reform---
D's and R's---have done some change, but restoring the public trust requires more--publish all earmarks online before there's a vote--so the am people can see how their money is being spent
---reform how we work with one another---I knew that noth parties have fed divisions that are entrenched---disagreements about role of govt---have been taking place for over 200 years
---but what frustrates the am people is that every day is election day "neither party should delay or obsruct every bill just because they can...I'm speaking to both parties now...
---false, malicious---sews further division--further mistrust
"I'm trying to change the tone of our politics"
"We still need to govern" -- the people expect us to solve problems, not run for the hills
--to R's -- if leadership is going to insist that 60 votes...then the responsibility to govern is yours as well---
---"Let's show the Am people that we can do it together" he wants to begin montly meetings with both leaderships "I know you can't wait"
SECURITY--I know that all of us love this country, all of us are committed to its defense"
--put aside differences---
--in last year 100s of AQ fighres and affiliates--killed or captured, many more than in 2008--
--Afghans--allies and partners---"I am absolutely confident we will succeed"
as candidate promised to end the war in Iraq--all comat troops out by August
--"Make no mistake, this war is ending and all of our troops are coming home"
Support the troops, support the troops when they come home
--that's why we made the largest increase for vets in decades last year
--Michelle and Joe--natl commission to support military families
--with two wars
greatest danger NUKES
calls out JFK and RR--farthest reaching arms control treaty in two decades, in April, conference
to secure all vulnerable nukes around the world (I didn't see Hillary)
--N. Korea, Iran -- they too will face growing consequences, that is a promise--engagement that advances security of all people
---gone from bystander to leader in climate change
---new initiative to respond faster and more effectively to bioterrorism or disease
----we also do it because it is right
Haiti--is that their president, must be
--America must always stand on the side of freedom and human dignity
--ourgreatest source of strength is our ideas--equality,
---must continue renew -- civil rights division strengthened--
new laws protect ag hate  crime
DADT--will work this year with cong and military to repeal, more crackdown with equal pay laws, immigration laws
-- American values---citizens have lost faith--in institutions---
---I campaigned on the promise of change...many americans not sure we still belive "or that I can deliver" never promised easy, "or that I can do it alone"
---can play it safe by avoiding hard truths and playing it safe
----Joe nodding along, "the only reason we are here is because generations of Americans were not afraid to do what is hard"
---political setbacks, "and some of them were deserved" but nothing compared to what families -- still a spirit of determination, optimism
---quotes a letter--"We are strong, we are resilient, we are American"
"We don't quit, I don't quit, let's seize this moment,.."

Damned good speaker, better than 2004, which I thought was overblown.
Let's see what Brooks and Shields have to say
----------
UPDATE: Shields still can't find the lead even though he's had 15 minutes to review his notes.
TPM says it's :
Obama to Dems: Get With It!
Obama to Repubs: Play Nice!

Like I said, The Daddy Speech. And a good one.