SOTU Response and reaction

You have to feel bad for anyone that has to follow the President with their party's rebuttal to the annual State Of The Union Address, especially after last night's from Obama was a little longer than usual and featured as gifted an orator as Obama.

Bob McDonnell of Virginia gave a decent response though, hitting all the right talking points for his party and showing himself to be a fresh face on a party currently on the rise. He wasn't combative, and as a moderate next door to Washington, there's probably a lot he and the President can share. It seems that the GOP theme right now is that they have Obama and The Democrats right where they want them and so now is not the time for the cooperation the president called for in his speech. It may be good optics to work through compromises on health care and jobs, but it's not smart politics when you can just delay and obstruct as long as possible, hoping that your party can be the one making the rules within the next year.

Here's some more reaction to Obama's state of the Union: NY Times, Washington Post, The Atlantic, And I thought Jonathan Chait from The New Republic had a great analysis here.

In short: It wasn't soaring or lofty or inspriational, or claiming any of the usual adjectives assigned to Obama's other high profile speeches. However it did have some of the neccessary energy he needed to unite his nervous party, and sober plans for bipartisanship and middle of the road concessions that appeal to independent voters.