9:50 PM: “All this was before I walked in the door.”
9:51 PM: He’s got some fire.
9:53 PM: Boo Senate, Boo Senate.
9:54 PM: Nelson and Lieberman sitting together in axis of weasels.
9:56 PM: TPM Reader JT chimes in: “Someone in the WH speechwriting office, or communications shop, or on the political team, told him to be the “real” down-to-earth Barack, not the cool, distant, aloof Barack. I think that’s what the KD reader was feeling with the “interactivity.” As a Dem dying, like those House members, to cheer, I’m loving this advice. I’m ready to start challenging my friends again when they say that they’re down on this presidency. If that was even a tertiary goal of this SOTU, it worked.”
9:59 PM: I should have registered earmarks.com.
10:01 PM: Message one: Jobs. Message two: Senate sucks.
10:02 PM: “Not run for the hills.” That should be the key message of the evening.
10:03 PM: I think one of the key things the president and the White House were trying to do with this speech is show the president doesn’t feel beaten.
10:05 PM: Sheesh, how’d Al Franken get to seat with the Joint Chiefs?
10:11 PM: One of the weirdest things about tonight has been watching John Boehner’s reactions to the president.
10:19 PM: Lot of Republicans snarking Obama, just not yelling. Even Republican SCOTUS Justices. We’ll bring you more on that shortly.
10:30 PM: When does that Jindal guy speak?
10:34 PM: I’m probably not the best judge. But I’m not sure this live McDonnell live speech works. Even though it’s always a little underwhelming watching like the Minority Leader speaking from a closet in the Capitol. But why are we listening to this speech? Who is he speaking to? Weird.
10:38 PM: All this McDonnell’s friends seem to be black.
10:49 PM: Pretend president.
11:03 PM: TPM Reader BL thought it seemed a little funny too: “Looking at the “other guy” talking tonight, it had the feel of a late-night infomercial. The African-American lady apluading on the left, the Asian guy nodding approval on the right. There was even a guy dressed in some military uniform wildly clapping. I was waiting for the 1-800 Number to call before midnight tonight. ”
11:10 PM: TPM Reader AF agrees: “The audience looks like they’re at an infomercial. Hooray for the ginzo knives!”
When Obama criticized the Citizens United decision, Justice Alito shook his head and appeared to say “not true.” Watch.
An interesting take from TPM Reader SR …
Maybe it’s just because I’m a poli sci major turned lawyer, but that moment when he turned to the Supremes and took them directly to task for
Dred Scott IIthe Citizens United opinion, and then watching the majority look completely taken aback as the other branch of government stood up, looked at them and cheered actually stunned me a bit.
From the AP, James O’Keefe’s lawyer is now saying not only was he not trying to bug Landrieu, they weren’t even trying to tamper with the phones.
Michael Madigan, O’Keefe’s lawyer, said Wednesday that his client was not trying to wiretap or interfere with Landrieu’s phones, but he would not explain why O’Keefe was there. He also would not say whether O’Keefe was working for someone or was on his own.
”The truth will come out,” said Madigan, a Washington lawyer who represented Sen. Howard Baker, the Republican who famously asked during the Watergate investigation, ”What did the President know and when did he know it?”
A moment of drama for the evening was the set-to between President Obama and Justice Alito. Jeff Zeleny at the Times thinks it was Obama’s reference to the opening the new decision gives to foreign spending into US campaigns that Alito said wasn’t true. But he then seems to misstate or perhaps misunderstand what Obama was referencing, claiming that the majority didn’t find a constitutional right for foreign companies to spend on US elections. For more on how the new decision does open the floodgates to foreign financing of US elections see this Monday post by our Zack Roth.
Meanwhile, Linda Greenhouse of the Times thinks it was Obama’s reference to a “century of law” which Alito was quibbling with.
Who would have thought that the kinder, gentler “You Lie!” moment would come from the folks in the robes?
That’s not judicial restraint I can believe in.