I had been thinking about it, just vaguely, as this month as rolled on.
Isn’t it time for the SOTU?
Last Thursday, Barry Crimmins also thought about it;
“Take a look at the MSNBC Political Calendar
JANUARY 2008
24 NBC Republican debate, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida
26 South Carolina Democratic primary
29 Florida primary
30 Republican debate, Reagan Library, Simi Valley, California
31 Democratic debate, Los Angeles, CAThat’s it for the balance of the month. Three debates and two primaries. But for you trivia fans out there, there is one other upcoming event that is generally considered extremely political yet it isn’t mentioned.
If you guessed the State of the Union Address, go to the head of your home school. The reason people don’t realize Bush came back from his extended trip abroad is because no one noticed him leave. The state of this presidency is obvious, which is why the next week’s address has become The Super Bowl of Impertinence.”
Quite right.
Past SOTU’s, when the GOP orgy was in full swing, and the Bush Grindhouse in full swagger, the SOTU was trumpeted, hyped and otherwise blared across the land, making the Super Bowl look like a pee-wee flag football event.
If Nancy Pelosi had any balls (or, at least a table), when the Sargent of Arms calls out “Madam Speaker, the President of the United States”, she should shout back “No, don’t let him in!”.
Or, to spare us all, of what, undoubtedly will be a bitch session, blaming the Democrats for everything, continuing his delusional spin (and lying) on how great things are going in Iraq (I suppose, the only sense of mystery will be how many times, if at all, he mentions Afghanistan or Pakistan), and, of course, boasting of his breadcrumbs Stimulus Package, he should mail it in.
Literally.
It is not a requirement that the President deliver the SOTU live, in a joint session of Congress, merely that he deliver one to Congress.
The “Must View SOTU” didn’t go all Elvis-is-in-the-building until Woodrow Wilson;
“This changed in 1913. Wilson believed the presidency was more than a impersonal institution; that instead the presidency is dynamic, alive, and personal (see Tulis). In articulating this philosophy, Wilson delivered an oral message to Congress. Heath reasons prevented Wilson from addressing Congress in 1919 and 1920, but Harding’s two messages (1921 and 1922) and Coolidge’s first (1923) were also oral messages. In the strict constructionist style of 19th Century presidents, Coolidge’s remaining State of the Unions (1924-28) and all four of Hoover’s (1929-32) were written. Franklin D. Roosevelt established the modern tradition of delivering an oral State of the Union beginning with his first in 1934. Exceptions include Truman’s 1st (1946) and last (1953), Eisenhower’s last (1961), Carter’s last (1981), and Nixon’s 4th (1973). In addition, Roosevelt’s last (1945) and Eisenhower’s 4th (1956) were technically written messages although they addressed the American people via radio summarizing their reports. Any research design should recognize these facts.”
So, on Monday evening, go back into your Hurricane Katrina mode, Mr. The Commander Guy, and just stay away.
Bonus SOTU Riffs
Notes from the Uber Rally … Err, the State of the Union (The very first Garlic post)
