Thought I'd gear up for Bush's SOTU--Gosh, is it only the seventh? Seems like it's been forever--by posting the picture at left, and removing any small objects I can throw from the immediate vicinity. With the bucket placed right beside the computer, I should be OK! Anyone got any good drinking games? Or should we just drink?

Think Progress spoils all the fun with a transcript, so now you can follow the bouncing weasel at home. (I love the way Bush calls the SOTU a "rite of custom" when in fact it's Constitutionally mandated; ArticleII, section 3. They just never give up, do they?)

Here's the live feed from WaPo.

Applause. Leadfoot's wearing red. It makes her look heavy.

[Jeebus, I'm reading this thing--reminds me of Clinton on school uniforms. Not that there's anything wrong with that.]

[Heh heh, even NPR is talking from the "embargoed" version.]

Bush enters; Lieberman gives him some tongue. [Just kidding!]

The speech starts.

Bush deviates from the text for the first time: "I congratulate the Democrat majority." The embargoed text had, correctly, "Democratic" majority." Bush just can't help himself, can he?

Now comes a massive demonstration of Winger Amnesiac Syndrome, as Bush promises to balance the budget, fix earmarks, and destroy fix Social Security. Since the Republicans didn't even think about doing any of this when they had total power, why would we believe them now?

Dems give a standing O to "a future of hope and opportunity that all our citizens have affordable and available health care"--before Bush makes a proposal. When he makes his stupid tax code proposal, Pelosi doesn't applaud. Lieberman does.

Pelosi rises to applaud immigration reform. So, she can throw Bush an anvil...

Here's Cheney smiling during Bush's discussion of a "stable supply of energy." Nothing good can come of this.

Now the waronterra. Big list of plots. Presumably they are all as debunked or debunkable as the WMD stories.

"This war is more than a clash of arms -- it is a decisive ideological struggle." [I have never understood this; they're going to force the United States to convert to Islam? What does this "ideological struggle" mean? It seems like the winger think tanks are just recycling all their Cold War memos.]

And now Bush shifts back to domestic politics, and speaks directly to the Christianist base:

[S]ocieties where men and women make their own choices, answer to their own conscience, and live by their hopes instead of their resentments. Free people are not drawn to violent and malignant ideologies — and most will choose a better way when they are given a chance.

Oops, I'm sorry. Bush was talking about Islamists, not Christianists. Sorry.

We did not drive al Qaeda out of their safe haven in Afghanistan only to let them set up a new safe haven in a free Iraq.

Heck, we know that. Te safe havens are provided by our good friends, the Pakistanis.

I thought Reid declared this one Dead on Arrival?

Both parties and both branches should work in close consultation. And this is why I propose to establish a special advisory council on the war on terror, made up of leaders in Congress from both political parties. We will share ideas for how to position America to meet every challenge that confronts us. And we will show our enemies abroad that we are united in the goal of victory.

Another DOA idea: A militarized AmeriCorps:

A second task we can take on together is to design and establish a volunteer Civilian Reserve Corps. Such a corps would function much like our military reserve. It would ease the burden on the Armed Forces by allowing us to hire civilians with critical skills to serve on missions abroad when America needs them. And it would give people across America who do not wear the uniform a chance to serve in the defining struggle of our time.

We don't have enough mercenaries already? Why not just privatize the whole fucking Army?

This is a decent and honorable country — and resilient, too.

Well, I hope we're resilient. Because decent and honorable countries don't torture. And it's going to take a long time to undue the damage Bush has done.

Next deviation from the text:

God Bless

Instead of "Thank you." Sweet Jeebus, it isn't even "May God bless the United States of America," but "God bless," like he's a priest blessing me personally. Yech.

Webb

Two areas of contradiction:

1. Economy: strength, proper sharing

2. Iraq: Bring to a proper conclusion

1. Two worlds in economy: Not fairly shared. CEO 20 to 400x of what average work does. Wages and salaries at all time low though productivity highest. Manufacturing dismantled. Middle class is losing its place at the table. Workers now through painful experiences. Professionals learning.

Andrew Jackson: Measure health from base, not from apex. Not Wall Street, Main Street.

2. Foreign policy: Patiently endured a mismanaged war. I and others warned of strategic vulnerability. My father's picture reminds me of sacrifices. Proud to serve, in Vietnam. My son serves in Iraq. Like so many others, we serve, not for political reasons, but because love our country. We trusted the judgment of our national leaders. Measured value of our lives against the national interest. We owed our loyalty. They owed us judgment, thinking. President was reckless. Ignored many, many with great integrity. Now held hostage to the predictable and predicted consequences, especially blood of citizens. Majority of country, military, country does not support. Take off streets. Diplomacy.

Economy: Roosevelt in the age of the robber barons. Drifting away across class lines.

Iraq: Eisenhower. "When comes the end?" As soon as he became President, brought to and end.

These Presidents did the right thing. If this President takes the right action, we will be with him. If he does not, we will show him the way.

Not so bad! Gravitas!

NPR: EJ Dionne: Very tough.

DURBIN: Webb powerful, simple, straightforward. But never heard a more "dispirited" SOTU.

NPR: 60 votes for non-binding resolution?

DURBIN: I think so.

NPR: Failure?

DURBIN: 3000 dead, billions. President's strategy has already been tried three or four times.

DURBIN: Good to hear Bush bring up energy again [snicker]

(Great slip from NPR announcer: "President Butch." Now, why didn't I think of that?]

Now they're interviewing people from a microbrew pub in Seattle.

"BRIAN" Very little to agree with on Iraq. Not much to applaud. Tone less condescending than normal, but nothing new. Found the bipartisan commission idea possibly encouraging [sucker!] but I have very little faith.

Now to Capitol Hill in "Statuary Hall" with Andrea somebody or other.

NPR: This year, Republicans haven't swept out to defend Bush; they are skeptical too, and saying it on camera!

NPR: Talking points: Health care plan, tax breaks DOA. On Iraq, of course everyone wants to win, but what does that mean? Comes from Republicans too, a big question mark.

NPR: All Republicans are questioning idea of surge/escalation/augmentation. Standing right next to me is Rahm Emmanuel.

RAHM: In the last two weeks we produced legislation with average of 63 Republican votes, so show we can work bipartisan. Happen to think his initiatives don't measure up to the challenges.

RAHM: Principal we hold is nation of laws, nation of immigrants.

RAHM: Health care. The tax code solution doesn't measure up to the crisis. Doesn't deal with spiralling costs.