I Heard There Was A Speech Today, Given By The Leader Of Our Country. How Fared He?

Actually, I saw it, and I'm glad I did. It was typically brilliant.

It's so good to have a President that talks to me instead of at me. I'd forgotten like that's like.

My favorite part was the views of Republicans sitting there line little kids with stern looks on their faces, still getting used to the fact that someone took their ball away. Nice PR, guys!

In a statement I wish he'd said, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Naturally), stated that "We've had a full airing of the President's policies, and we are sure that we have him right where he wants us."

In a related story, Louisiana Gov Bobby "Teleprompter" Jindal delivered a Republican response that was forgotten about as fast as it was delivered, except by FOX News.

I'd also like to say that I'm in full support of Jindal/Palin 2012 (Or Palin/Jindal, if you prefer. Makes little difference)! You can just hand 'em talking points and send 'em off. They'll save ya money!

All I've got are plaudits, so here's some links I found speaking much more deeply on it than I did:

• Chuck Butcher, who really takes Gov Teleprompter out behind the woodshed
• The Rev Currie, who applauds the speech while raising the bar. I remember when all pastors used to be like him.
• Blue Oregon, where Gov Jindal got his new name and Rep Earl tweets!.
• Preemptive Karma, where they have the text of Senator Merkley's reaction to the President's speech. Not only am I prouder than ever to say I voted Obama and Merkley, it just feels good to say "Senator Merkley".
  

Locke for Commerce? Good Choice. (Updated)

It's still frustratingly a buzz, but one with weight, that former Washington Gov Gary Locke's name has bobbed to the top of the bobbing-for-Secretary-of-Commerce tub.

He may not be the best, but is certainly less worse than anyone who's been nommed so far.

Update, to provide a bit of a brighter perspective:

There's no denying the success of his tenure, though, both politically and economically. Washington State farmers and manufacturers remember his governorship as a time of new markets opening to new products. His efforts on behalf of our agricultural interests, in particular, helped him make political inroads east of the Cascade Curtain that are still producing benefits to our Party, and created new jobs (good union jobs, mostly) on the docks and ships that are so critical to our economy. Commerce? I think Gary's always spelled it with a capital "C."

There should be no bar to confirmation here. Gary's not the kind of guy who's left a trail of uncrossed 't's behind himself. He's such an Eagle Scout that he actually is an Eagle Scout.

Kyped from UpperLeft. That line about being an Eagle Scout? Wish I'd have said it.

Happy Presidents' Day

Here's to Presidents' Day.

The holiday was originally celebrated as Washington's Birthday, and was orignally celebrated on George's actual birthday, 22 February. It has since expanded to honor not only Washington but Lincoln, who was also born in February and is arguably a more admired figure in American history (not to say that GW was any slouch ... he rocked as well!)

In 1968, to increast the number of three-day holidays afforded to Federal employees, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act was signed into law. Most germanely, it set Washington's Birthday as the third Monday in February (of course, regardless of the actual date of Washington's birth).

During the 1980s (saith Wikipedia) the holiday sort of evolved through commercial pressure into a combined celebraton of Washington and Lincoln (born 12 February). It's not officialy Presidents Day on the Fedreral level actually, that's still Washington's, and not every state celebrates it the same: some call it "Washington and Lincoln Day", and in Virginia it's even known as "George Washington Day".

I imagine that no matter what day they call it, it's White Sale Day all over the nation. Money talks, baby.

But I suggest you use Presidents Day as an inspirational theme. Today, find out about Presidents. Find out what they're really supposed to do (not what the Right Wing or compliant faux-liberal press tell you). Go use an actual book in an actual library that doesn't look like it has an agenda. Teach yourself one interesting thing about United States Presidents that doesn't skew left, or skew right.

Learn about the Executive Branch.

Arm yourself with your own Central Intelligence.

(This offer not available to FOX News viewers. Well, actually it is, but you won't take us up on it, and if you do, you'll just screw it up. Sorry. That's just the facts there.)