President Biden started right in, when he got started. FDR's 1941 SOTU. The comparison was apt. As was the Civil War analogy. It was a dramatic, calibrated beginning. But on its course from 1861 or 1941 to 2024 Biden's address got gummed up in Snickers bars.
I wrote last night that the speech lasted about a half hour too long. What are SOTU addresses, about an hour? I don't know but once the president got started his speech lasted almost exactly an hour. I don't know the exact time but it seemed to me that about 20 mins in the president said, "The State of the Union is good and getting better!" and that's when I thought the speech should have ended. The half hour delay at the beginning extended the telecast to beyond 10:30 pm. I tuned out at that time.
Punctuality matters to me and to people like me. It doesn't override substance but it puts me in a negative mood before the person even begins. Biden has a problem with punctuality. I tuned in at exactly 9. Members of Congress were just lolling about. Eleven was watching with me and stepped on the keyboard several times which froze my computer and compelled me to reload the feed. I missed by a few seconds the entry of the Cabinet. That was about 9:15. Finally, "Mr. Speaker, the President of the United States!". Finally, the interminable walk down the aisle to the rostrum, inevitably delayed by greetmaking, handshaking, backslapping, and selfietaking. Rep. Tim Burchett, Republican Tennessee, engaged the president in conversation, apparently amiable. It was a nice scene but there was engagement, reengagement, and an attempt at re-reengagement that by the time the president moved past him I had the thought that Burchett had done it deliberately to further delay Biden. Schumer, behind Biden, looked to me annoyed at this slowwalking.
George Santos was present. He still has floor privileges and will continue to have until he is convicted of crimes.
The highlight of the evening for me was UAW president Shawn Fain. When Biden pointed him out Fain rose and pointed at the president shouting "You!"
Biden's best moment, aside from that beginning, was "The Affordable Care Act, previously known as Obamacare, is still a big deal", a reference to Biden's hot mic "This is a big fucking deal" to President Obama before Obama announced the legislation. That generated laughter and applause from the Democratic side.
Republicans were on good behavior. There were no interruptions, as there were in 2023, which gave Biden then his best moments. Marjorie Taylor Greene was bedecked in red MAGA-wear from head to toe. "Look at this" the president said good-naturedly as he walked by her.
Speaker Mike Johnson was respectful, even polite, visibly clapping and nodding his head at the president's mention of Ukraine, clapping underneath the rostrum at other points, shaking his head gently at others.
Dems set the bar awfully low for this speech, at "forceful" and non-stumbling. The president cleared that bar.
