On Jan. 27, President Obama stood before the country and delivered a strong, yet surprisingly bipartisan message to the public. The President’s first State of the Union address focused primarily on the economy, an issue as important to Republicans as it is to Democrats.
Obama backed his stimulus in the hope of garnering bipartisan support, and heavily stressed the need for job creation. He was quick to point out that the country had weathered the worst of the economic storm, but that decreasing unemployment and a rebound of the economy would not come overnight.
The portion of the address that focused on the economy was both a hopeful, and a specific outline of how America can and will rebound from the recession.
He promised that bailout money would not find its way into the pockets of Wall Street executives, and reaffirmed his promise of a tax cut for 95 percent of Americans. He detailed his economic plan, and did not simply make empty promises.
While the economic portion was largely bipartisan, Obama toughened his message when he needed to. The president directly addressed conservatives in relation to the passage of the healthcare bill, bluntly stating that “healthcare reform cannot wait, it must not wait, and it will not wait another year.”
He then directly called out Senate republicans, saying that “neither party should delay or obstruct every single bill just because they can.” Realizing that the conservatives now have the 41 seats required for a filibuster, Obama put the burden on the republicans’ shoulders by stating that a simple “no” is not a solution to healthcare.
Reaching out to all parts of the population both on the economy and other issues was another aspect that made the speech successful. The President discussed how he reads 10 letters from the general population everyday, and the profound impact that the stories of average Americans have on him.
He even read a letter from a young girl in South Carolina, who begged for a school that didn’t leak and was properly funded. In this, Obama exhibited deep understanding, empathy and showed that he cares for the country.
Finally, Obama did not waver on, or shy away from potentially volatile, militaristic issues. He called for the end of the Iraq war and the elimination of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” These goals show the President’s strong commitment to alleviate the problems created by former President George W. Bush.
With gridlock preventing his most important piece of legislation from passing, and the country still feeling the aftershocks of the economic downturn, President Obama was faced with tough choices regarding the direction of his State of the Union. While he could have solely focused on undermining the conservatives, Obama successfully juggled a bipartisan message with a no-nonsense approach to passing healthcare.
Instead of further dividing a country that is in the midst of a political schism, Obama encouraged Americans to be optimistic and unified, and for conservatives to work with him on his goals.
But even if the Republicans don’t, Obama showed that he will not back down. “We are not quitters,” he said.
