As Pete says, Obama fired some well-aimed arrows in the direction of Mitt Romney in his State of the Union address. But it was also a clear attempt to outline Obama’s re-election message, which would, I think, be the same no matter who he faces in November.
The idea is to stress that Obama, unlike the corrupt Republicans who nearly bankrupted America, is a ‘fair shake’ candidate, who stands for hard work and responsibility. It is hypocritical rubbish, as I tried to point out last month. The idea of Obama as the straight-shooting, anti-corruption candidate is absurd. President Obama has proved to be a very different politician to the progressive champion whom liberals had fantasised about. His administration has simply shovelled federal billions towards the lobbyists and pressure groups who happen to be more sympatico towards the Democrats, instead of the lobbyists who cosied up the to the Bush II-era Republican party.
But, here’s the depressing bit for the American right, no matter how hammy and false Obama’s message, it’s infinitely better presented — and more impressively delivered — than anything Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich can muster. Compare and contrast last night’s speech with Romney’s last weekend. ‘I believe in an America where millions of Americans believe in an America that’s the America millions of Americans believe in,’ said Romney on Saturday. ‘That’s the America I love.’
It’s not hard to better that.
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