Ok before we say what the president’s speech was, lets talk about what it was not.
It was NOT an attempt to persuade the American people. I suspect they tuned out in droves, with 100 channels out there and Fox putting out regular programing, and plenty of baseball out there, not to mention millions of TV’s across the land devoted to day one of Beatles Rock Band I suspect only the junkies like me were watching.
It was NOT an attempt to bring Republicans on board, republicans in the house and senate are not only able to count votes in congress but can count votes in their districts and they know that their seats depend on their opposition to this bill.
This speech had one purpose, it was designed to give the democrats that Jane Hamsher might target cover to support some kind of plan, any plan to make sure he can say he passed “health care reform”. That is also the purpose of this CNN poll. I suspect they will push these results:
What was your overall reaction to President Obama’s speech tonight – very positive, somewhat
positive, somewhat negative or very negative?Sept. 9, 2009
Very positive 56%
Somewhat positive 21%
Somewhat negative 12%
Very negative 9%
Both/mixed (vol.) 2%
No opinion 1%
Without emphasizing this polling sample:
18% of the respondents who participated in tonight’s survey
identified themselves as Republicans, 45% identified themselves
as Democrats, and 37% identified themselves as Independents.
Soooo less than 1 in 5 polled were republicans and almost 1 in 2 who were polled were democrats.
The president’s emphasizes were specifically aimed toward blue dogs, no additional costs, no illegal immigrants, no abortion. These promises were made to give those blue dogs cover.
I wouldn’t bet the farm on it from the reaction such as this:
I don’t know how others will read this, but I was looking for something to show the President understood his credibility with Democrats has been badly damaged by precisely this kind of ambiguity. The fact that he continues this mode means he and those around him don’t get it or they don’t think it matters.
The next week will tell.
Update: The Anchoress proves me right in spades.
Tepid political theater is no match for a good ballgame. And if I have a choice between looking at Nancy Pelosi or looking at Derek Jeter, who do you think I’m going to choose?
and she saw history being made.
BTW that represents hits as a Yankee. Wade Boggs, Rickey Henderson, Dave Winfield and Paul Warner are all members of the 3000 hit club and former Yankees. If Jeter gets to 3000 hits he will be the first person to get 3000 hits in a Yankee uniform.
Update 2: Hot air headlines notices the poll sample
Da Techguy's (no longer backup) Blog 