The President's Speech

Full disclosure: I didn't hear President Obama's speech about the deficit and budget policy yesterday. I just heard about it and read about it later. But it seems to have been a pretty good speech, none of the stuttering or embarrassingly weak statements we have come to expect from him.

He did defend Democratic principles in a fairly robust way and that was a pleasant surprise. It certainly was not what I had expected, nor I think what many had expected from this president who never saw a compromise he didn't like, especially if it is one that causes him to backtrack on everything he's ever SAID that he believes in.

Of course, we knew he could give a good speech. The test will be whether he can live up to it. Can he stand firm in defense of those principles he expounded on so eloquently? You'll forgive me if I don't wager any money on it.

Our experience has been that as soon as the Republicans start attacking, he will start backpedaling, trying to appease them, and the final product of any "negotiations" will wind up squarely in territory defended by Republicans. I hope that this time will be different, but that is all I've got left - hope. The history of the last two years gives me no basis or assurance for it.

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