The Cherry Orchard

Live blogging of the Jan 28 2008 State of the Union continues:

9:32: What’s happening in New Orleans? A Phish concert? I missed what he said.

9:33: Immigration. Again, I don’t have big problems with what he’s saying here.

9:35: Here comes Iraq.

9:35: Liar.

9:36: He looks scared.

9:36: Liar. “Evil men”. For the final time, lunkhead, this is not a Will Smith movie.

9:39: I agree that defeating the Taliban is critical for our security. I wish we had ever made that one of our objectives.

9:41: This guy is just in too deep. I hate losing wars. I hate Presidents who lose wars.

9:41: I should say, I also hate wars. Not just losing them.

9:42: Depressed.

9:43: “The enemy is still dangerous.” Uh, duh, yeah. The question is, does the enemy still think we’re dangerous?

9:43: Joe Biden looks pretty good. Been relaxing, I guess. I always liked him okay.

9:44: Liar. Fool.

9:44: “Al Qaeda is on the run in Iraq”. Does saying it make it so?

9:47: Whatever, George. Whatever.

9:47: Some guy yawning.

9:48: If I ever see this shoe salesman and his fat friend again after Inaguaration Day 2009, it’ll be too soon.

9:48: “More than 20,000 of our troops are coming home.” This administration’s reputation for truth is not good, so I don’t have any sense that this means 20,000 fewer troops will actually be in Iraq. Something tells me another 20,000 are going in.

9:51: “A free Iraq will deny Al Qaeda a safe haven”. I just doubt it. Anyway, they already have Pakistan and Afghanistan, so they’re doing fine for safe havens.

9:52: I guess I’m starting to get sick of my own sarcastic nonsense. I’m also starting to get really sick of this speech, and I would like to do something else. I wish this were over.

9:54: Now he’s getting tough with Iran.

9:55: I wish this speech would end. This is a very boring show.

9:57: “America opposes genocide in Sudan.” Well, okay. Good.

9:58: I’m going to skip out of here, and I hope I don’t miss anything big in the last few minutes. I apologize for filling my commentary with such trifling and conventional sarcasm. I deeply hope we will have a more peaceful world in the future, and I hope George Bush’s dreams come true.

But I gotta say, a competent and intelligent President can’t show up in Washington soon enough for me. NEXT!

Live Blog Out

Live blogging of the Jan 28 2008 State of the Union continues:

9:18: I forgot Hillary was here! She claps for George W. Bush’s health care vision with very litle enthusiasm.

9:19: Barack Obama is not clapping at all.

9:19: Dick Cheney’s going to knock himself out with all that clapping.

9:20: Okay, Bush, we get the point: THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE IN USA HEALTH CARE THIS YEAR. That’s sad, but we get it and you can stop saying it.

food break

9:23: Yay, we will approve free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea. Show me the money.

9:26: Okay, at least he’s putting the environment into the speech (renewable energy sources, reducing greenhouse gases). No argument on any of these points, George.

9:27: Barack is applauding.

9:27: If Bush really devotes himself to energy/environmental initiatives in his final year, instead of pretending he’s going to create peace between Palestine and Israel, he could actually have a good final year.

9:28: Are we going to talk about abortion now? I get the feeling he’s steering that way.

9:30: He skirted abortion, nice move actually George. Now, this thing about selling, cloning etc. of human life — that’s some tricky stuff, but I think it’s good Bush is bringing these thorny questions into the national debate.

Not a bad quarter for the President. But we didn’t get to Iraq yet, so hang on for more.

I’ve always wanted to live-blog some televised political event. This might become a bad habit here. Okay, it’s the State of the Union, let’s get started.

Dateline: Washington DC, January 28 2008, 9 pm. Every channel. Speaker: George W. Bush, President of the United States.

8:59: What is this, a fucking red carpet?

9:00: Condoleeza Rice looks nervous.

9:05: (responding to pre-speech CNN voiceover) I’m sick of this “he will work hard for an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement” nonsense. It’s a screen for Bush to drink tea with old friends and look important as he rides out his last year. He does not have the standing within the Middle East to broker a significant peace agreement. That requires trust and a reputation for wisdom.

9:06: Still waiting for the President to walk in the room.

9:06: Is somebody getting married? I see the groom.

9:09: And there’s his fat friend, Dick Cheney.

9:10: “In the past seven years our country has been challenged in ways we never dreamed possible.” Yeah, you were our President.

9:12: I’m already bored.

9:15: “Any taxes come across my desk, I will veto it.” This should be a hell of a productive year.

First quarter over, nothing much yet. More to follow.