State of the Union Live Blogging

Here is an excerpt of tonight's State of the Union address. The President Barack Obama that wanted to cut entitlements is not present. Obama is targeting his speech at the 99 percent.

“Think about the America within our reach: A country that leads the world in educating its people. An America that attracts a new generation of high-tech manufacturing and high-paying jobs. A future where we’re in control of our own energy, and our security and prosperity aren’t so tied to unstable parts of the world. An economy built to last, where hard work pays off, and responsibility is rewarded. “
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“….The defining issue of our time is how to keep that promise alive. No challenge is more urgent. No debate is more important. We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well, while a growing number of Americans barely get by. Or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules. What’s at stake are not Democratic values or Republican values, but American values. We have to reclaim them.”
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“As long as I’m President, I will work with anyone in this chamber to build on this momentum. But I intend to fight obstruction with action, and I will oppose any effort to return to the very same policies that brought on this economic crisis in the first place.

No, we will not go back to an economy weakened by outsourcing, bad debt, and phony financial profits. Tonight, I want to speak about how we move forward, and lay out a blueprint for an economy that’s built to last – an economy built on American manufacturing, American energy, skills for American workers, and a renewal of American values.”
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“Let’s never forget: Millions of Americans who work hard and play by the rules every day deserve a government and a financial system that do the same. It’s time to apply the same rules from top to bottom: No bailouts, no handouts, and no copouts. An America built to last insists on responsibility from everybody.”

What is interesting is that Obama says he will fight Republican obstruction. Hopefully, Obama's naivety that Ryan Lizza showed in internal White House memos is gone. The sheer stupidity of Obama's assessment of the Republicans is staggering.

In Obama's world he equates Nancy Pelosi to convicted felon Tom Delay. In Obama's world, religious fundamentalists that discriminate are the same as gay rights activist. In Obama's world, the award-winning New York Times is equal to the political propaganda of Fox News. Obama stated so in his book the "Audacity of Hope."

Tom DeLay or Nancy Pelosi, big oil or greedy trial lawyers, religious zealots or gay activists, Fox News or the New York Times.

Obama is not a smart man.

8:52 Gottalaff wasn't kidding. John Boehner is really extra orange tonight.

8:53 Ladies, Mitch McConnell is in the house. Control yourselves.

8:55 Secretary Tom Vilsack is the one cabinet member not at the SOTU.

8:56 Gabby Giffords gets a standing ovation.

8:59 Joe Biden and Michelle Obama wave at each other. Matt Drudge should post a rumor in about 5 minutes.

9:00 Good God! More Brian Williams. I had enough of him last night.

Benjamin Kirby is live blogging.

9:06 Obama is in the house.

Peter Schorsch makes note about how political followers like to turn the SOTU and debates into a drinking game.

It's getting to the point where there is a political drinking game every damn night of the week.

Schorsch is live blogging the debate.

9:13 Obama points out that Osama bin Laden is dead. Big cheers. Obama will hammer Republicans on that.

9:14 After last night's Republican debate, it is interesting to hear the striking gap the GOP candidates have with Obama's speaking skills.

9:18 Obama bashing Wall Street. This is the Occupy Wall Street election.

9:19 Obama should not brag about the watered-down Dodd-Frank bill.

9:20 Cash for Clunkers did work. I was against it.

9:22 This speech is Obama being defensive. Obama is saying the economy is rebounding. Believe that when I see it.

9:26 Obama is selling in-sourcing of businesses.

Funny tweet from Kevin Drum.

Sort of amusing watching Boehner's painfully reluctant applause.

9:30 Obama: "It's time to turn our unemployment system into a reemployment system." Who know Obama was Bob Dylan?

9:33 Am I the only one who notices that the Republicans are on their best behavior?

9:34 Obama talks about work study. I was on a work study program in high school.

9:36 Obama bringing up the Dream Act. This is bold the risk adverse Obama. Republicans boo. GOP, kiss Hispanic votes goodbye.

9:37 Obama: "Women should earn equal pay for equal work." Are the Obamabots going to say they love deficit commission era Obama better?

9:42 Both parties are starting to fall to sleep listening to Obama talk about car batteries.

9:43 Yes! Get rid of the oil subsidies!

9:46 Obama is pitching infrastructure projects. The Republicans will not support it because building highways is socialist.

9:47 Obama say the banks have a "deficit of trust."

9:48 Both parties about to shit themselves when Obama talks about new regulations on banks. Those banks are who Congress represents.

9:51 I'm fearing that Obama truly believes that Dodd-Frank would prevent another market crash.

9:54 No applause from either party for Obama's proposal of financial crimes unit. Congress really hearts the banks.

9:55 Obama: "Do we want to keep these tax cuts." Republicans will fight tooth and nail to keep the Bush tax cuts.

9:59 Ginger Lee makes fun of the likely Republican response.

13.9% is fair, Barry. Stop trying to take money away from people that didn't work hard for it!

10:01 Obama gets booed for wanting to ban insider trading in Congress. Hysterical.

10:05 Obama talks about the Arab Spring and Libya regine change. Republicans are going to have problems attacking him on foreign policy.

10:09 Jill Filipovic's reaction to inexclusive Obama surprised me

"Christians, Muslims and Jews." Um... crap.

It comes off as pandering but the SOTU is all about pandering.

10:12 Standing ovation for the "people in uniform."

10:13 Obama proposes a Veterans jobs corp to employ military vets.

Please no.... Obama making his pitching for bipartisanship. Give it up.

State of the Union over.

Peter Schorsch is wrong about this being Obama's worst SOTU speech. It was a good speech. Most over all it was a great campaign speech. Obama is staking a clear contrast between himself and the GOP candidates. With the exception of the end, Obama didn't try to triangulate. Obama has learn that the Dick Morris strategy doesn't work.

John Boehner looks extremely uncomfortable as Obama proposes legislation on lobbying and members of Congress owning stocks in companies they regulate.



10:30 Mitch Daniels starts the SOTU response by saying nice thing about Obama. Daniels admits that Obama didn't start the economic crisis. Smart move politically.

10:31 Daniels compares America's economy to the European Euro crisis. The Daniels answer is less regulation.

10:33 People are rightly pointing out that Daniels had horrible policies as President Bush's budget director. Daniels can hardly brag about his fiscal conservatism by preceding over record deficits.

10:37 Daniels talks about bipartisanship and then attacks Obama. A true bipartisan statesman.

10:38 Mitch Daniels sound like a David Brooks op-ed.

10:39 Daniels is talking about cutting entitlements. The Republicans want to run against Obama on cutting Social Security and Medicare. This is what happens when a party goes to the extreme right. They think the American peoplke are the tea party.