The kind of jaded and paranoid cynicism which serves LH as an excuse for not engaging has nothing to do with the SOU address, which was excellent.

It was not excellent because it addressed every wee upset or disagreement any individual who wants to carp and bitch has with the present administration. Nor because it addressed in detail the diatribes of those who want to blame Obama for Bush's deficits, fueled by Bush's wars.   It was excellent because, as a national annual address from the President should do it provided a point of view from which the tasks and condition of the Union can be understood and a path toward the future made visible. It was excellent because for once, an important leader has identified the ridiculous folloes of hard-core partisanship and called them out. It was excellenet because it slapped the wrist of a partisan Supreme Court, whose sacred-cow status has shielded it from such reprimands in the past. It was excellent because it was insightful, responsible, articulate, balanced and compassionate. It showed a decent man shouldering extremely tricky and heavy burdens and intending to make good from them, whose essential qualities of care and humanity should make his jaded and yammering detractors crawl into the night in shame for their own shortsightedness.


A