State of the Union Quick Recap

More to come later, but here's a recap for now:

I found the speech to be simultaneously predictable boilerplate but also quite effective. Obama seems to have grown into his role as president, or - as John King just put it on CNN - "the guy in the middle." He wants to be the reasonable guy in the center of the circle, surrounded by the screaming nincompoops on each side. Ever since November, with the crushing at the polls, he seems to have found somewhat of a stride - first with the lame duck, then with his speech in Tucson, and finally with tonight.

I got the sense that he relishes the coming congressional session. Two months ago, the conventional wisdom was that he would be bloodied and battered and terrified of legislative battles with an emboldened Republican Party. But I don't think that's the case. This has given him the opportunity to stretch his legs and, as one commentator put it, be the president he's always wanted to be.

On policy - yawn. No earth-shattering, New Frontier-like proposals or anything. But I applaud the focus on renewable energy, education and the economy. They are, of course, intertwined, and altogether represent the most important issue(s) facing our country.

I'll post a roundup of reactions and analysis later tonight and tomorrow. But for now, dinner!

President Obama's 2nd State of the Union

I've been in Oscar mode all day (and what a mode to be in, seriously) so I haven't been focusing as closely on tonight's State of the Union. Here are a few last-minute predictions:

1. Daniel Hernandez, the "hero intern" from the Giffords shooting, will get a standing ovation (he'll be sitting with Michelle Obama).
2. Obama will make a reference to Republicans and Democrats sitting together.
3. Obama will acknowledge Speaker Boehner in his new gig, and welcome the freshmen to Congress.
4. Somebody somewhere will say something about the economy.
5. The "state of our union" will either be "strong" or, as it was last year, "getting stronger every day" (or something along those lines).
6. If you're playing a drinking game that involves drinking on the words "economy," "come together" or "spending," you're gonna get wasted.