The Last State Of The Union

++It was one of the last times we will hear President Obama unfiltered with an audience of about 35 million people. It was said that this would be President Obama's own version of what a State of the Union should be like.

++He ran through his achievements in the economy. He would have done better by using Matt Winkler's piece in Bloomberg News which summarized the long term implications of what Obama has done. President Obama alluded to the changing economy and what people are frustrated or anxious. But he refrained from mentioning what changes will come on line in the short term.

++He took on climate deniers and then remarked about the change in our energy market. But he didn't mention the numbers for the change on solar energy or thermal which are striking.

++He mentioned a few loose items he will be attacking and like Richard Nixon he promised to cure cancer. Joe Biden is put in charge of this project.

++He rejected the notion he had a weak foreign policy and said that America was the strongest country in the world.Period. and our military was the strongest in the history of the world. He did mention his attacks on terrorists and how bin Laden knew we would pursue everyone who attacks Americans.

++What was surprising is that he never mentioned any of his special guests, some of whom were survivors of gun violence. In fact, he never mentioned domestic gun violence.

++He did mention how money was corrupting the system and urged the American citizen to participate everyday in the political community.

++He was too conciliatory to his political enemies. He was very strong on religious and racial tolerance and here he went after Donald Trump indirectly and the rhetoric of the whole Republican field.

++He talked about the future America but I felt he left the details home and just sought an aspirational tone. 

++It was a good speech but not among his best. I hope we get another one.

++The President is going to hit the road and take his cabinet members with him. They are to hit over 20 cities. I imagine in one of them he will let rip--tonight he felt constrained and not as exuberant as we were led to believe. 
It was not a farewell speech but one that had alot of shrugs and lacunae.