The truth is, the State of the Union is divided– and the president’s speech won’t unite it.
“It’s the right thing to do, it’s the right thing to do,” said President Obama.
This was really a re-State of the Union, because the president has been revealing his key policy points for days, trying to build support.
As usual, they’ll delight Democrats and dismay the GOP–whom the president wants to position as a party protecting the wealthy, and unconcerned about income inequality.
The president is on a roll. His bold executive orders on immigration and Cuba have increased his popularity….so while he was talking for the first time to a Congress controlled by Republicans, he talked as if he, and Democrats, won the last election:
“So the verdict is clear,” said the president. “Middle-class economics works. Expanding opportunity works. And these policies will continue to work, as long as politics don’t get in the way.”
But politics is the way in Washington, so this was more a campaign speech for Democrats in the next election than a speech aimed at compromise with Republicans now.
And before Republicans agree to virtually anything the president proposed tonight, you’ll see the Olympics in Boston.