Regardless of what polls may say (and a poll can be constructed well or poorly, emphasizing the response the pollster wants), this is a GREAT President. He is courageous, full of heart, and so well prepared for this moment due to his years of experience. He is the right leader for this moment in history. It is up to us to make the American public more understanding and aware of the immense good he has done with his steady and competent, even bold leadership. He is in the same league as Harry Truman, one of the greatest Presidents of all time. Remember that, like Biden, Truman was underestimated.
Agreed, and can Democrats just please stop asking this great president to step down? He is not demented, and the chances are that in the next 5 years he will not develop dementia (you can usually see it way ahead clinically). In the unlikely event he dies in office, others can pick up and follow in his footsteps.
I will be interested to see what Dr. Reich has to say regarding Biden's poll numbers, but I think these just go up and down, depending on what people are "feeling" in any given moment. If you separately poll people if they themselves are doing well, 80% of Americans say yes (see Krugman). So, there is a disconnect, most likely because we have all been through the ringer in the last 3 years with Covid, lockdowns, mass shootings, severe inflation, stock market tanking, 401Ks declining, and all the rest. Most of us are doing OK, but we are all exhausted and I think the poll numbers are just a projection.
Settle down kids, the speech was just great, Biden will do just fine, the future is Green and Democratic. Get used to it, and stop the muttering.
Michael, I could not have stated that more effectively. I hope Biden will run again and will continue to mentor younger politicians to help them learn how to rethink old ideas and positions. The person who is suffering most from aging is Trump, yet his public does not seem to notice. He has been showing signs of dementia for years but a whole lot of people still want him back as president, and for what! He did nothing positive for them while he was in office. They like the idea of him rather than the reality. Go Biden! Keep up the good work!
Thank you, Michael, for stating the obvious. Biden is no more suffering from dementia than I am, and I'm ten years older. He's also in good physical condition. As far as polls are concerned: they take an exceedingly small sampling (usually 1500 to 3500) and claim statistical significance within a 4 to 5% margin of error. As Dr. Reich so often says Rubbish!!. there are 350,000,000 million people in the Country spread over 50 States, and 3500 can represent us????
It's harder to get a sample that is representative of our population since users of land phones & cellphones represent a very different segment of the population. Also who will respond & whether they respond truthfully varies considerably from 1 group to the next.
It may be harder to get a sample, Jaime, but that doesn't change what these "pollsters" are imaginatively calling "statistically significant". Maybe if they polled 35 million I wouldn't be as skeptical, maybe not. They might as well say "This is my opinion" - that, at least, would be truthful.
A further comment on "stating the obvious" sometimes this is taken as an insult, but in this case 'stating the obvious' is something we need to do repeatedly. Why? Because although it is obvious to most of us, it is not to everyone . So keep repeating the obvious as often and in as many different ways as we can - and maybe, some day, it might spark a light in someone else's stone dead brain.
True. Many people believe the opposite of what is true because they follow & swallow unreliable sources & disinformational propaganda. The only way to counter it is to keep repeating the truth.
Michael, I believe u said it best! Young families are really still struggling bec of inflation but older retired families struggle too with paying for their meds & Heathcare costs & not finding what they want or need on the grocery shelves. Supply chain disruptions along with inflation hurt all of us equally. I agree this SOTU speech was as good as any in recent years & as good as any that Obama gave! The best part was when Biden said “let’s stand up for seniors! “ That got him some screams & agreement plus he promised there will be no cuts to Social Security & Medicare, our earned benefits. There’s many more people working & paying into Soc Sec now with those 12 million new jobs that have been created so the Trust Fund should be in much better shape for future retirees. We were very worried that those radical right wing nuts would shut down the government over the debt ceiling if they didn’t get their way but not so much after tonight’s speech. We were both working parents & would lose 2 SS checks, a military pension & a Federal Gov pension if the government is shut down! Savings wouldn’t keep us afloat very long I’m afraid but we aren’t worried any longer. A great speech that didn’t put anyone to sleep!
The problem? The left and center are TERRIBLE at messaging! Why do you think 100% of media AND social media are run by the alt right? They have NO policy ideas, so the entirety of their time can be spent on false messaging.
I would give you 10 hearts if I could! I’m so tired of Democrats bashing Biden for everything that he isn’t doing. He has accomplished all this yet people still think it’s not enough. And the fact that many people say he’s too old. It’s not his sole job to accomplish everything on our wish list. Congress plays a massive role in creating policy, yet at every turn the GOP shut it down. ie. Congress put forth an immigration reform package - the GOP shot it down! Trump is only 4 years younger and showing real signs of cognitive decline. Feinstein is 90 and Chuck Grassley is 89. Stop the muttering!
Rita, I agree that Biden has been maligned for not doing everything progressives wanted done. He surely did a whole lot and despite what people told pollsters, they are doing better this year than last year when we were just coming out of the pandemic. People's memories are not great, as has been demonstrated over and over through research, but the media latched onto the ridiculous polls and put out the word of how weak Biden is. He isn't weak and his age has given him wisdom, some pain that he has converted into a desire to make change, and a strong ability to negotiate on the things that matter (not the debt ceiling, though which is a good thing). Republicans have nothing positive to offer anyone. They do whine a lot and complain with no suggestions of how to make things better. Yet, the media covers Republicans as though what they say and do is as valuable as what Democrats and Biden have done. They fought in every way they could to make sure as little of Biden's agenda as possible would get done. They and a couple of Democrats who also forgot the American people, voted to keep the filibuster in place which McConnell wielded every day against everything he could. How is that Biden's fault?
That's crazy. Sanders, in her response to the State of the Union said that there are crazies out there impacting what is happening in our society. She implied it was the Democrats while being fully aware herself that it is currently Republicans that fit that label of crazy, maybe some of the media fit it too.
Ruth- thank you for your reply. I agree with everything you stated. My statement from now on to people stating Biden needs to have better sound bites referring to his wins are such:
Biden is very busy creating policy; Republicans are busy with angertainment.
Rita, Oooo, I like it, Biden working on policy and Republicans involved with angertainment. I would love it if the media were to pick up those terms too.
So much depends on context and how the polling questions are framed. Those questions can always can be spun to get the answers for which the pollsters are angling.
David, excellent assessment of Biden and his role. I agree that he is the president for the time. I am not sure how we get the people to see it. Going for the negative is always easier and may make people seem more aware or something. For some reason, approval is harder.
From where I am (NZ) Joe Biden has been quietly impressive in the way he has led the US back to a place of where America can again be considered the leader of the free world. The rest of the democratic world feels a much safer and better place once more.
I hope he stands again and has one more term. I think he is a great example of aging well and gracefully.
David, you are 100% correct. The Dems need to get this message out to the general population. The DNC should spend some of our contribution money on broadcast time, letting America know what he's accomplished in two years. FDR used "fireside chats". Joe Biden could use TV for monthly broadcasts. Ten minutes of air time, paid by DNC.
The DNC seems to be quite content with the status quo, unfortunately. For really great messaging, they should take lessons from the Lincoln Project. Those guys know how to message! Dems probably couldn't copy them...Repubbies can get away with pillorying their own. That same type of attack might not be quite as acceptable coming from the 'other side'.
The State of the Union speech given by President Biden was all in all a good effort regardless of what the Republicans had to say about it. Sarah Huckleberry Sanders was her old Trump-loving self. How does a person carry a name like that around without suffering from some sort of complex? It sounds like a cross between a Mark Twain story and a fried chicken franchise. It matters not because her position was like Trump switched bodies and jumped into a woman's personality devoid of all sense of humanity. She got off on President Biden for the terrible shape of the economy. The Republicans, no matter who is spouting the misinformation, all spit out the same crap. The Economy suffers because the major oil concerns, who have their hands gently held by big business-minded Republicans, artificially inflated the prices of their products to hurt the public in an attempt to lower support for the Biden administration just prior to the mid-term elections. A dirty little ploy from big business to help a stumbling political party gain ground in a race where they were sucking the hindquarters of a rather obese farm animal. The increased price of oil trickled down logistically to all the goods being shipped across the county. Everything that needed oil to move saw an increase in price because of the Republican's need to darken the image of the Democrats just before the mid-terms. Sarah Huckleberry Sanders, that name either makes me want to read a kid's story or go out and get something to eat that started life as something covered in feathers, her problem lies in the fact no matter what she says it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Lie after lie spews from her lips, somehow I get the feeling she had an affair with some guy named Santos. Nothing she had to say reflected any sense of a positive spin that either party could use to go forward. Negativity prompted by the ghost of Trump left her regurgitating the same old crap the Republicans have been spreading through a number of sick podcasts offered by a group of even sicker hosts. From Bannon to Jones their material would be unsuitable for the public to hear on any level. President Biden gave a good speech that was promptly rejected by the weak-minded members of the House like Greene and others. It's almost like they don't want this country to continue. Shame on them, one and all.
David, couldn't agree with you more! As i was listening to Biden's speech, a quote from 12th Night occurred to me: "Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em." Biden is the second type; Zelensky is the third; let's celebrate these great men!
I was shocked to see Marjorie Taylor Greene heckle our President. She acted like a drunken high school kid who didn't know how to conduct herself at her first exposure to adult life. Rudely interrupting the President while he was talking. She has absolutely no respect for our country's history. I have never been so embarrassed for someone else's actions. Her conduct was disgraceful, totally unbecoming that of an elected official. She doesn't belong in our capital, unless she is cleaning toilets as part of the cleaning crew. Even then, "as I throw my bones, I see chicken feet."
Agree with your views on MTG, but suggesting she be sent to "cleaning toilets" is demeaning to the people who do that work day in and day out. She does not belong anywhere near the capital in any capacity. period.
Donald, alas, there is a group of people, often rural ones who think that if someone has a big loud mouth and insults people constantly, they must be strong and know something. They are nearly always wrong because people who know how to do things do not have to resort to insults, rudeness, and being just plain obnoxious and without a real cause. Greene does not even belong in the Capitol at all. It would be an insult to the cleaning crew to have her incompetence on their team. I admit I am glad Green showed her rudeness because it gave Biden a chance to respond in a way that got Republicans to commit to not trying to harm Social Security and Medicare. That was big and they have it on tape. Every time Greene opens her mouth, she proves her ignorance. She should be ashamed, but people with no moral compass do not feel shame, and she has no moral compass.
"...there is a group of people, often rural ones who think that if someone has a big loud mouth and insults people constantly, they must be strong and know something."
Often rural ones??? Not this "rural one"! I see those who heckled President Biden for the low class rubes they are.
Oh, then this must be the first speech given by a Democratic politician with MTG in the audience that you've watched. This is standard behavior for her. Her fans just love it! You should've seen what a dynamic duo she & Lauren Boebert made before their falling out. Yes, with the current crop of characters, the House has become wilder & more entertaining than a circus. However, not everyone wants that from Congress.
I agree with you, Donald, but why were you shocked. She behaved exactly as she always does. A big mouth with no brains. She is the living example of an "airhead"
I agree, but on the floor of the House acting like she was a member of Parliament where common curtesy hasn't been born yet, isn't that why they call it the house of commons?
And McCarthy is saying things about her like, I will always take care of her and I will never leave that woman. Sounds more like something you'd say to your wife.
What is even more troubling is that she claims to be a Christian. True Christians have a high standard of conduct which she clearly demonstrates not to have.
Elias, the sad thing for me as a UCC minister is how many Republicans claim to be "Christian" while they lie, cheat, gaslight, display acts of hatred, fearmongering, and deliberate misinformation. They despise rather than love their neighbor as they love themselves, and have created a religion of money-grubbing and accumulation of wealth that was never part of Jesus' message. As for caring for the poor and those imprisoned, it is as though those things were never in the Gospels at all. I am not sure how they justify their actions unless they regularly lie to themselves, which would make sense since they lie to everyone else.
I emailed my Congressional rep to begin impeachment proceedings against her. One bright note: ex-husband Perry Greene and three daughters have got her out of their daily lives. Now she's all ours.
I'm sure Perry is on the road to recovery, after that ordeal he is in need of some quality R&R, and a good woman to comfort him. Evidentially something he's never had.
Tere WERE people who DID clean up OUR capitol after HER people, literally and figuratively, used it as a toilet. She needed to have heloed them with that disgusting task after encouraging the desecration.
I don't understand why you were shocked, this is who she is and has proven to be. We must accept people's characters instead of 'hoping' they'll act like they should. She's also an idiot but the bar is very low for republicans.
Janet, fancy you should call Greene trash. My sister commented when she first heard one of her rants, "OMG, she is the embodiment of what trailer trash must be like." It makes me sad that Greene is representing anyone in Congress. Her constituents must be truly pathetic to think she was someone they should vote for.
Janet, Biden sure did hold his own against the Greene crowd. She just proved how ignorant and rude she is and unworthy of the position she is holding. That was one of the best State of the Union addresses I have heard and I have heard a whole lot of them.
MTG isn't Charlie* McCarthy's girlfriend: she's his dominatrix, and MTG calls the shots.
*For the younger folks, Charlie McCarthy was Edgar Bergen's puppet. As Bergen's puppet, Charlie McCarthy was incapable of saying anything that Edgar Bergen didn't say for him. Kevin McCarthy is the puppet of MTG and Lauren Boebert, except that they walk over McCarthy carrying a whip and wearing steel-tipped stilettos!
I'm sure McCarthy had coached his fools to do exactly as you said. If Biden brought up the subject the party in unison was to aggressively reject the idea of touching SS and MC because if they did on that stage it would hurt them in the coming 2024 election.
Ol' Kev isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, but it's possible he could see the snare President Biden was laying for those unruly Reps. In addition, their 'acting out' on live, prime-time television showed the GQP in a most unflattering manner. They looked and acted like the hooligans that they so clearly are.
Trump's state of the union was packed with lies. Biden told facts. By the Kavanaugh insurrections, you mean the trump backed plot to cut off the investigation of him? The FBI failed to follow thousands of leads. Other people wanted to testify against him but the republicans cut them off.
I had to laugh, make that a guffaw, when he pinned all Repubs down to not cutting Social Security or Medicare. God Bless Joe Biden. Gee whiz, as my preschooler grandkids say “they are silly”, and, a reminder to all grands, “Mimi, you can’t say stupid, it’s not nice”...out of the mouths of the 3 and 4 year olds. They get it. Now, as JB says, Keep the Faith...or as his grandmother said, “Joey, go spread it”.
And, he did it with good humor. It was clear that President Biden was enjoying himself and never let the crass heckling of the misbehaving middle schoolers (looking at you Empty Greene) who have unaccountably been elected to positions for which they are clearly unfit, slow him down.
I thought he had a very strong message and showed exceptional strength of leadership. Hopefully, this will raise his ratings but the MAGA Republicans will likely find fault even if they have to invent it.
Karen, yes, Republicans, particularly the MAGAs will invent something to whine about. What else do they have? They have no ideas, no interest in learning, and only lies, hate, and fearmongering to fall back on when their incompetence starts to show who they really are.
And of course, their goal is an authoritarian regime. Their heroes are Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and Kim Il Jong - just ask the trumpster. They do have a goal, if not a platform. The only thing they lack is a strong charismatic leader. Let's hope they don't find one.
Americans are politically fatigued. News reports share very few specifics of recent achievements, such as those the President described tonight. In fact, news reporting has been replaced by excessive talk on television and we aren't listening. President Biden is doing a very admirable job.
I agree totally. The MSM is immersed in inconsequential, sensationalist tripe meant to divert the public attention from the issues that really affect their lives. Like the over-the-top coverage of a pro football player having a heart attack and his remarkable recovery. Of what consequence is this to someone struggling with runaway inflation brought about by the greed of the wealthy and powerful. Where is the coverage of that? Of course, it is they who control what the media puts out.
Newspapers that are owned by republicons do not want to report on Biden's accomplishments. They are setting the stage for another republicon president who will further cut the taxes of the wealthy.
CNN, etc are not news. They are pundits working for cable networks run by magas. If they tell the truth they will be fired. Watch The Meidas Touch Network on Youtube if you want to hear the truth.
The only reason America does not give our President his due is because of lies from the right. What a great speech, well delivered. I wanted to slap McCarthy upside the head. Could he have looked more bored?
PeggyJo, McCarthy was bored because he didn't understand most of what was said and he was angry that his troops entered into a vocal challenge with Biden they couldn't win. McCarthy was smart enough to know that much.
It's a *guaranteed* recipe for success: assure deflation of expectations, ensure they aren't met (especially if the other guy is getting the credit), and then insure another round of the same (because who could honestly expect any differently after the fact?). The urge to violence is simply a natural consequence...
Whatever the resistance, i thought President Biden gave one of the best State of the Union addresses I have ever heard (and I've heard quite a few). I felt it was a dare to the Republicans which they will be hard pressed to repudiate. I loved watching Kevin McCarthy, who clearly has his back to the wall. I loved the people he highlighted, and the way he did it. I thought his delivery was exceptional. Of course, most Republicans probably didn't watch, and the right wing media will be attacking (probably is as I write). I want to hear what you have to say tomorrow, professor, but I couldn't turn in without expressing my approval. I want to savor the optimism the President evoked, the clear attacks on gun and police violence, the need to care for all our people, the support for school teachers, the will to support Ukraine, he just kept going...He made no bones about his support for Social Security, medical care and drug price relief, and addressing cancer. And, of course, he attacked corporate greed and the need to tax the wealthiest among us. It was more than I ever expected, and I'm glad I watched.
Progwoman, I also appreciated Biden's speech for its inclusiveness. Already, Republicans are on the attack as Sanders was in her Republican response. It was a whiny speech that tried to counter everything Biden said but landed no hits of substance. She just continued her lying that seems her constituents like, you know, the lying she perfected or at least worked hard on while in the White House. I guess they wanted to showcase a young woman to contrast an older man. It didn't work. It just looked like she was the inexperienced airhead she actually is. She only got to be governor because of her daddy. She was proud that she signed an executive order against teaching CRT, when she clearly has no idea what it is. She just showed her racist bonafides, something each Republican has to do, particularly during Black History Month. They get extra points if they do it in February.
I loved it.He killed it!I think that a lot of the problem with his so-called unpopularity is the negative portrait that the mainstream media has painted of him. That they( media) are still talking about TFG as a normal political prospective candidate for POTUS is unbelievable. They should be touting Biden’s many accomplishments and spearheading Trump’s failure, lies and corruption. I refuse to listen to Sarah Phuckabee Sanders and her lying gruel and I hope the media skewers her as much as they have Biden throughout his whole term as our POTUS.
I greatly admire President Biden and all that he has accomplished. And I strongly object to all of the focus on ( what I believe are) faulty polls. Mainstream media gives more weight to them than is deserved. Even NPR gives a slanted view on their validity.
Elizabeth, I am also frustrated with all the polls, particularly when covered on NPR. I usually trust what I am hearing on NPR, but in the past couple of years, they have not done a good job reporting the truth when they felt they had to cover the Republican lies. That is disturbing because what NPR covers holds a lot of weight for a lot of people. They have not been very positive about Biden since he ran for office. I don't get it, but I am guessing it has something to do with who runs NPR and decides how the news will be presented.
You are so right about the polls! Look how far off they were in the midterms! They had everyone convinced the Republicans would be taking over the House AND the Senate!
Mr. Reich you are leaning too heavily on poll numbers. Polls are not reliable and are, most often, wrong. Who wrote the questions? Who was polled? How many were polled? Who paid for the poll?
Polls are, IMO, pure bullshit. But...the main stream media loves them so tonight, even on PBS Newshour, Jeff Bennett brought up the 62% poll number. I will ask again...please do not quote polls as being legitimate unless you are drawing attention to the lack of validity in every single poll.
Rebel408, the last two election cycles proved polls are basically worthless. Survey questions can always be worded to garner a desired result. That is not information; it's propaganda. I've pretty much given up tv altogether. Most cable shows are basically opinion even the ones I like. I also am tired of the doom and gloom. The shows just have different people preaching the same messages everyday. I read a variety of sources and the newsletters and comments various Substack writers. I find the commenters extremely knowledgeable, and I learn from them as well as the authors of the newsletters.
But I am so glad the President did such a wonderful job tonight. He is normal in this Alice Through the Looking Glass world we live in now where up is down and everything is backward.
Good mornng JennSH from NC. My hubby and I are in total agreement with your assessment of the main stream media. We stopped watching CNN and MSNBC long ago, along with the national news channels. News channels that used to "report" the news now opt to distort the news to draw more viewers, hence higher ratings which lead to more advertising dollars. I read as you do and support as many non-profit, investigative journalism sites as we can afford to do.
The bottom line for me is that I cannot, and will not, give up and give in to the forces that would shred our democracy and take us down the path of fascism. I am greatly appreciative of people like Mr. Reich and Heather Cox Richardson for not shying away from telling the truth. When all is said and done, truth will triumph. It just may take a while to get there.
I thought it was a rousing speech. As good as I’ve ever seen! He was so good and right. MTG et al we’re disgusting. Speaker was entirely partisan but not incendiary. If only we could work on and agree on what the problems are and what to do about them!
I think America will and does agree. It’s all good. The other side is “silly”...as my preschool grandchildren say. They also remind me we aren’t allowed to say anyone is “stupid” because that’s not nice. Our President is NICE, and smart, and will “finish the job”.
I think so many were and are just tired of the Republican circus. Biden is like the favorite sweater! All in the very best way. We must stay focused and continue to support rights of all.
Most Americans aren’t blind, and yes he has brought competent people. People are just busy, overwhelmed and we all can do a better job like our President did tonight explaining things, instead of talking at them. Your comments are important. Thank you.
On the other side of that coin though, I wish he had not left in place tRump appointees, for example Jerome Powell and Louis DeJoy. (Yes, I do know he cannot directly fire DeJoy, but he can use influence and pressure or other features of being President.)
I would like to know Robert Reich's opinion of those two and of their still being in the positions tRump put them in.
Also, is Immigration (DHS) being well handled? I think this is an area of lax reporting because I follow the news as effectively as I can but I really can't say I am informed about what the current policies are on illegal immigration.
Regardless of what polls may say (and a poll can be constructed well or poorly, emphasizing the response the pollster wants), this is a GREAT President. He is courageous, full of heart, and so well prepared for this moment due to his years of experience. He is the right leader for this moment in history. It is up to us to make the American public more understanding and aware of the immense good he has done with his steady and competent, even bold leadership. He is in the same league as Harry Truman, one of the greatest Presidents of all time. Remember that, like Biden, Truman was underestimated.
Agreed, and can Democrats just please stop asking this great president to step down? He is not demented, and the chances are that in the next 5 years he will not develop dementia (you can usually see it way ahead clinically). In the unlikely event he dies in office, others can pick up and follow in his footsteps.
I will be interested to see what Dr. Reich has to say regarding Biden's poll numbers, but I think these just go up and down, depending on what people are "feeling" in any given moment. If you separately poll people if they themselves are doing well, 80% of Americans say yes (see Krugman). So, there is a disconnect, most likely because we have all been through the ringer in the last 3 years with Covid, lockdowns, mass shootings, severe inflation, stock market tanking, 401Ks declining, and all the rest. Most of us are doing OK, but we are all exhausted and I think the poll numbers are just a projection.
Settle down kids, the speech was just great, Biden will do just fine, the future is Green and Democratic. Get used to it, and stop the muttering.
Michael, I could not have stated that more effectively. I hope Biden will run again and will continue to mentor younger politicians to help them learn how to rethink old ideas and positions. The person who is suffering most from aging is Trump, yet his public does not seem to notice. He has been showing signs of dementia for years but a whole lot of people still want him back as president, and for what! He did nothing positive for them while he was in office. They like the idea of him rather than the reality. Go Biden! Keep up the good work!
Thank you, Michael, for stating the obvious. Biden is no more suffering from dementia than I am, and I'm ten years older. He's also in good physical condition. As far as polls are concerned: they take an exceedingly small sampling (usually 1500 to 3500) and claim statistical significance within a 4 to 5% margin of error. As Dr. Reich so often says Rubbish!!. there are 350,000,000 million people in the Country spread over 50 States, and 3500 can represent us????
It's harder to get a sample that is representative of our population since users of land phones & cellphones represent a very different segment of the population. Also who will respond & whether they respond truthfully varies considerably from 1 group to the next.
It may be harder to get a sample, Jaime, but that doesn't change what these "pollsters" are imaginatively calling "statistically significant". Maybe if they polled 35 million I wouldn't be as skeptical, maybe not. They might as well say "This is my opinion" - that, at least, would be truthful.
I think they should at least expand the range of statistical significance to take in account these increased uncertainties.
A further comment on "stating the obvious" sometimes this is taken as an insult, but in this case 'stating the obvious' is something we need to do repeatedly. Why? Because although it is obvious to most of us, it is not to everyone . So keep repeating the obvious as often and in as many different ways as we can - and maybe, some day, it might spark a light in someone else's stone dead brain.
True. Many people believe the opposite of what is true because they follow & swallow unreliable sources & disinformational propaganda. The only way to counter it is to keep repeating the truth.
Michael, I believe u said it best! Young families are really still struggling bec of inflation but older retired families struggle too with paying for their meds & Heathcare costs & not finding what they want or need on the grocery shelves. Supply chain disruptions along with inflation hurt all of us equally. I agree this SOTU speech was as good as any in recent years & as good as any that Obama gave! The best part was when Biden said “let’s stand up for seniors! “ That got him some screams & agreement plus he promised there will be no cuts to Social Security & Medicare, our earned benefits. There’s many more people working & paying into Soc Sec now with those 12 million new jobs that have been created so the Trust Fund should be in much better shape for future retirees. We were very worried that those radical right wing nuts would shut down the government over the debt ceiling if they didn’t get their way but not so much after tonight’s speech. We were both working parents & would lose 2 SS checks, a military pension & a Federal Gov pension if the government is shut down! Savings wouldn’t keep us afloat very long I’m afraid but we aren’t worried any longer. A great speech that didn’t put anyone to sleep!
The problem? The left and center are TERRIBLE at messaging! Why do you think 100% of media AND social media are run by the alt right? They have NO policy ideas, so the entirety of their time can be spent on false messaging.
I would give you 10 hearts if I could! I’m so tired of Democrats bashing Biden for everything that he isn’t doing. He has accomplished all this yet people still think it’s not enough. And the fact that many people say he’s too old. It’s not his sole job to accomplish everything on our wish list. Congress plays a massive role in creating policy, yet at every turn the GOP shut it down. ie. Congress put forth an immigration reform package - the GOP shot it down! Trump is only 4 years younger and showing real signs of cognitive decline. Feinstein is 90 and Chuck Grassley is 89. Stop the muttering!
Rita, I agree that Biden has been maligned for not doing everything progressives wanted done. He surely did a whole lot and despite what people told pollsters, they are doing better this year than last year when we were just coming out of the pandemic. People's memories are not great, as has been demonstrated over and over through research, but the media latched onto the ridiculous polls and put out the word of how weak Biden is. He isn't weak and his age has given him wisdom, some pain that he has converted into a desire to make change, and a strong ability to negotiate on the things that matter (not the debt ceiling, though which is a good thing). Republicans have nothing positive to offer anyone. They do whine a lot and complain with no suggestions of how to make things better. Yet, the media covers Republicans as though what they say and do is as valuable as what Democrats and Biden have done. They fought in every way they could to make sure as little of Biden's agenda as possible would get done. They and a couple of Democrats who also forgot the American people, voted to keep the filibuster in place which McConnell wielded every day against everything he could. How is that Biden's fault?
That's crazy. Sanders, in her response to the State of the Union said that there are crazies out there impacting what is happening in our society. She implied it was the Democrats while being fully aware herself that it is currently Republicans that fit that label of crazy, maybe some of the media fit it too.
Ruth- thank you for your reply. I agree with everything you stated. My statement from now on to people stating Biden needs to have better sound bites referring to his wins are such:
Biden is very busy creating policy; Republicans are busy with angertainment.
Rita, Oooo, I like it, Biden working on policy and Republicans involved with angertainment. I would love it if the media were to pick up those terms too.
Thank you! We all should repeat and post far and wide.
So much depends on context and how the polling questions are framed. Those questions can always can be spun to get the answers for which the pollsters are angling.
David, excellent assessment of Biden and his role. I agree that he is the president for the time. I am not sure how we get the people to see it. Going for the negative is always easier and may make people seem more aware or something. For some reason, approval is harder.
May your analysis become reality.
From where I am (NZ) Joe Biden has been quietly impressive in the way he has led the US back to a place of where America can again be considered the leader of the free world. The rest of the democratic world feels a much safer and better place once more.
I hope he stands again and has one more term. I think he is a great example of aging well and gracefully.
We do not live in the USA and I believe you have captured your President really really well.
plus, he has the most diverse cabinet ever!
David, you are 100% correct. The Dems need to get this message out to the general population. The DNC should spend some of our contribution money on broadcast time, letting America know what he's accomplished in two years. FDR used "fireside chats". Joe Biden could use TV for monthly broadcasts. Ten minutes of air time, paid by DNC.
The DNC seems to be quite content with the status quo, unfortunately. For really great messaging, they should take lessons from the Lincoln Project. Those guys know how to message! Dems probably couldn't copy them...Repubbies can get away with pillorying their own. That same type of attack might not be quite as acceptable coming from the 'other side'.
Totally agree.
Yes he is a GREAT President for the leaders of the World Economic Forum.
Bravo!
he State of the Union.
Donald Hodgins <silencenotbad@gmail.com>
5:02 AM (0 minutes ago)
The State of the Union speech given by President Biden was all in all a good effort regardless of what the Republicans had to say about it. Sarah Huckleberry Sanders was her old Trump-loving self. How does a person carry a name like that around without suffering from some sort of complex? It sounds like a cross between a Mark Twain story and a fried chicken franchise. It matters not because her position was like Trump switched bodies and jumped into a woman's personality devoid of all sense of humanity. She got off on President Biden for the terrible shape of the economy. The Republicans, no matter who is spouting the misinformation, all spit out the same crap. The Economy suffers because the major oil concerns, who have their hands gently held by big business-minded Republicans, artificially inflated the prices of their products to hurt the public in an attempt to lower support for the Biden administration just prior to the mid-term elections. A dirty little ploy from big business to help a stumbling political party gain ground in a race where they were sucking the hindquarters of a rather obese farm animal. The increased price of oil trickled down logistically to all the goods being shipped across the county. Everything that needed oil to move saw an increase in price because of the Republican's need to darken the image of the Democrats just before the mid-terms. Sarah Huckleberry Sanders, that name either makes me want to read a kid's story or go out and get something to eat that started life as something covered in feathers, her problem lies in the fact no matter what she says it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Lie after lie spews from her lips, somehow I get the feeling she had an affair with some guy named Santos. Nothing she had to say reflected any sense of a positive spin that either party could use to go forward. Negativity prompted by the ghost of Trump left her regurgitating the same old crap the Republicans have been spreading through a number of sick podcasts offered by a group of even sicker hosts. From Bannon to Jones their material would be unsuitable for the public to hear on any level. President Biden gave a good speech that was promptly rejected by the weak-minded members of the House like Greene and others. It's almost like they don't want this country to continue. Shame on them, one and all.
Hucklerberry Saunders was appalling.
Represented the previous Administration really really well.
Really really well said.
David, couldn't agree with you more! As i was listening to Biden's speech, a quote from 12th Night occurred to me: "Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em." Biden is the second type; Zelensky is the third; let's celebrate these great men!
I'm in complete agreement however, I'm not David.
Sorry Donald!!!
I forgive you. LOL.
Upon further musing, I feel it must be said the Dr. Robert Reich is clearly the first type--he's always great!!!
I was shocked to see Marjorie Taylor Greene heckle our President. She acted like a drunken high school kid who didn't know how to conduct herself at her first exposure to adult life. Rudely interrupting the President while he was talking. She has absolutely no respect for our country's history. I have never been so embarrassed for someone else's actions. Her conduct was disgraceful, totally unbecoming that of an elected official. She doesn't belong in our capital, unless she is cleaning toilets as part of the cleaning crew. Even then, "as I throw my bones, I see chicken feet."
Agree with your views on MTG, but suggesting she be sent to "cleaning toilets" is demeaning to the people who do that work day in and day out. She does not belong anywhere near the capital in any capacity. period.
Good point, I stand amended.
Good point. Support the National Domestic Workers' movement.
Donald, alas, there is a group of people, often rural ones who think that if someone has a big loud mouth and insults people constantly, they must be strong and know something. They are nearly always wrong because people who know how to do things do not have to resort to insults, rudeness, and being just plain obnoxious and without a real cause. Greene does not even belong in the Capitol at all. It would be an insult to the cleaning crew to have her incompetence on their team. I admit I am glad Green showed her rudeness because it gave Biden a chance to respond in a way that got Republicans to commit to not trying to harm Social Security and Medicare. That was big and they have it on tape. Every time Greene opens her mouth, she proves her ignorance. She should be ashamed, but people with no moral compass do not feel shame, and she has no moral compass.
Which means she will never find any true direction.
Watch out for those rural citizens.
"...there is a group of people, often rural ones who think that if someone has a big loud mouth and insults people constantly, they must be strong and know something."
Often rural ones??? Not this "rural one"! I see those who heckled President Biden for the low class rubes they are.
Oh, then this must be the first speech given by a Democratic politician with MTG in the audience that you've watched. This is standard behavior for her. Her fans just love it! You should've seen what a dynamic duo she & Lauren Boebert made before their falling out. Yes, with the current crop of characters, the House has become wilder & more entertaining than a circus. However, not everyone wants that from Congress.
Well said.
I agree with you, Donald, but why were you shocked. She behaved exactly as she always does. A big mouth with no brains. She is the living example of an "airhead"
I agree, but on the floor of the House acting like she was a member of Parliament where common curtesy hasn't been born yet, isn't that why they call it the house of commons?
Well, we ALL know what kind of person we're dealing with when MTG's husband divorced her because of "serial infidelities".
The ink on the divorce decree wasn't dry before MTG was bonking another guy!
No wonder MTG supports Trump. Birds of a feather, flock together.
Are you spelling the word "flock" correctly?
And McCarthy is saying things about her like, I will always take care of her and I will never leave that woman. Sounds more like something you'd say to your wife.
Mr. Comer is just her type, he's covered in KY.
What is even more troubling is that she claims to be a Christian. True Christians have a high standard of conduct which she clearly demonstrates not to have.
Elias, the sad thing for me as a UCC minister is how many Republicans claim to be "Christian" while they lie, cheat, gaslight, display acts of hatred, fearmongering, and deliberate misinformation. They despise rather than love their neighbor as they love themselves, and have created a religion of money-grubbing and accumulation of wealth that was never part of Jesus' message. As for caring for the poor and those imprisoned, it is as though those things were never in the Gospels at all. I am not sure how they justify their actions unless they regularly lie to themselves, which would make sense since they lie to everyone else.
Your description of her puts much too kind a face on it.
I emailed my Congressional rep to begin impeachment proceedings against her. One bright note: ex-husband Perry Greene and three daughters have got her out of their daily lives. Now she's all ours.
I'm sure Perry is on the road to recovery, after that ordeal he is in need of some quality R&R, and a good woman to comfort him. Evidentially something he's never had.
Tere WERE people who DID clean up OUR capitol after HER people, literally and figuratively, used it as a toilet. She needed to have heloed them with that disgusting task after encouraging the desecration.
I don't understand why you were shocked, this is who she is and has proven to be. We must accept people's characters instead of 'hoping' they'll act like they should. She's also an idiot but the bar is very low for republicans.
The reiteration of my previous comment applies. MTG is the lowest rung on the ladder, what do you expect.
Janet, fancy you should call Greene trash. My sister commented when she first heard one of her rants, "OMG, she is the embodiment of what trailer trash must be like." It makes me sad that Greene is representing anyone in Congress. Her constituents must be truly pathetic to think she was someone they should vote for.
Ever ladder has a bottom rung, need I say more?
Janet, Biden sure did hold his own against the Greene crowd. She just proved how ignorant and rude she is and unworthy of the position she is holding. That was one of the best State of the Union addresses I have heard and I have heard a whole lot of them.
Yes, I was pleased how he engaged with & handled them, quite amicably, turning their heckles into a consensus for his views.
MTG isn't Charlie* McCarthy's girlfriend: she's his dominatrix, and MTG calls the shots.
*For the younger folks, Charlie McCarthy was Edgar Bergen's puppet. As Bergen's puppet, Charlie McCarthy was incapable of saying anything that Edgar Bergen didn't say for him. Kevin McCarthy is the puppet of MTG and Lauren Boebert, except that they walk over McCarthy carrying a whip and wearing steel-tipped stilettos!
That was a brilliant trap laid out by the speech writers. They knew how the republicans would react. Biden more than held his own. He owned them.
I'm sure McCarthy had coached his fools to do exactly as you said. If Biden brought up the subject the party in unison was to aggressively reject the idea of touching SS and MC because if they did on that stage it would hurt them in the coming 2024 election.
MTG and others fell head first.
Yeah, MTG is an embarrassment to her party.
To women in general.
To Americans in general. Can you imagine how people outside of our country react upon seeing behavior like that?
Ol' Kev isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, but it's possible he could see the snare President Biden was laying for those unruly Reps. In addition, their 'acting out' on live, prime-time television showed the GQP in a most unflattering manner. They looked and acted like the hooligans that they so clearly are.
Children do make mistakes.
Not a whisper about Pelozi ripping up her copy of.the State of the Union Address or the Kavenaugh Insurrections.
Trump's state of the union was packed with lies. Biden told facts. By the Kavanaugh insurrections, you mean the trump backed plot to cut off the investigation of him? The FBI failed to follow thousands of leads. Other people wanted to testify against him but the republicans cut them off.
At the time the Republican party had the ball.
It was a minor expression of how distasteful those proceedings were.
Yes to distasteful, but perhaps not in the same way you saw it. I changed parties from D to I out of embarassment.
I had to laugh, make that a guffaw, when he pinned all Repubs down to not cutting Social Security or Medicare. God Bless Joe Biden. Gee whiz, as my preschooler grandkids say “they are silly”, and, a reminder to all grands, “Mimi, you can’t say stupid, it’s not nice”...out of the mouths of the 3 and 4 year olds. They get it. Now, as JB says, Keep the Faith...or as his grandmother said, “Joey, go spread it”.
Ted Cruz's face was priceless .............. in fact his body language was priceless!
He had slunk into his chair and was the anonymous Man that he really is!
And, he did it with good humor. It was clear that President Biden was enjoying himself and never let the crass heckling of the misbehaving middle schoolers (looking at you Empty Greene) who have unaccountably been elected to positions for which they are clearly unfit, slow him down.
I love it: https://youtu.be/qVfOuSYcCBw
https://youtu.be/An86W8YvriM
I thought he had a very strong message and showed exceptional strength of leadership. Hopefully, this will raise his ratings but the MAGA Republicans will likely find fault even if they have to invent it.
Karen, yes, Republicans, particularly the MAGAs will invent something to whine about. What else do they have? They have no ideas, no interest in learning, and only lies, hate, and fearmongering to fall back on when their incompetence starts to show who they really are.
And of course, their goal is an authoritarian regime. Their heroes are Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and Kim Il Jong - just ask the trumpster. They do have a goal, if not a platform. The only thing they lack is a strong charismatic leader. Let's hope they don't find one.
Well the Magas are “silly”.
Very kind of you to call them "silly."
I stay true to my grandkids. 😎
Americans are politically fatigued. News reports share very few specifics of recent achievements, such as those the President described tonight. In fact, news reporting has been replaced by excessive talk on television and we aren't listening. President Biden is doing a very admirable job.
I agree totally. The MSM is immersed in inconsequential, sensationalist tripe meant to divert the public attention from the issues that really affect their lives. Like the over-the-top coverage of a pro football player having a heart attack and his remarkable recovery. Of what consequence is this to someone struggling with runaway inflation brought about by the greed of the wealthy and powerful. Where is the coverage of that? Of course, it is they who control what the media puts out.
Newspapers that are owned by republicons do not want to report on Biden's accomplishments. They are setting the stage for another republicon president who will further cut the taxes of the wealthy.
You are totally correct. I wish more people will get that!
CNN, etc are not news. They are pundits working for cable networks run by magas. If they tell the truth they will be fired. Watch The Meidas Touch Network on Youtube if you want to hear the truth.
New reported by CNN and MSNBC are told with the data that makes that news. Run by Magas? You have your stations mixed up.
CNN is now being run by a different, much more conservative man who has shifted their political slant strongly rightward.
You are correct. And...he is a trump supporter.
MSNBC is still ok but CNN is now right wing. Any reporters that bucked the new boss were terminated when he took over.
One can only guess what may have caused that political fatigue...
:face_with_rolling_eyes:
The only reason America does not give our President his due is because of lies from the right. What a great speech, well delivered. I wanted to slap McCarthy upside the head. Could he have looked more bored?
PeggyJo, McCarthy was bored because he didn't understand most of what was said and he was angry that his troops entered into a vocal challenge with Biden they couldn't win. McCarthy was smart enough to know that much.
Right you are Ruth!
McCarthy was so unprofessional...not to mention very disrespectful with rolling his eyes and his sneers.
A good swift kick somewhere would have been good.
It's a *guaranteed* recipe for success: assure deflation of expectations, ensure they aren't met (especially if the other guy is getting the credit), and then insure another round of the same (because who could honestly expect any differently after the fact?). The urge to violence is simply a natural consequence...
= /
Whatever the resistance, i thought President Biden gave one of the best State of the Union addresses I have ever heard (and I've heard quite a few). I felt it was a dare to the Republicans which they will be hard pressed to repudiate. I loved watching Kevin McCarthy, who clearly has his back to the wall. I loved the people he highlighted, and the way he did it. I thought his delivery was exceptional. Of course, most Republicans probably didn't watch, and the right wing media will be attacking (probably is as I write). I want to hear what you have to say tomorrow, professor, but I couldn't turn in without expressing my approval. I want to savor the optimism the President evoked, the clear attacks on gun and police violence, the need to care for all our people, the support for school teachers, the will to support Ukraine, he just kept going...He made no bones about his support for Social Security, medical care and drug price relief, and addressing cancer. And, of course, he attacked corporate greed and the need to tax the wealthiest among us. It was more than I ever expected, and I'm glad I watched.
I agree about the speech, one of the best I've ever heard. Anyone can write a speech, but its all in the delivery....and boy can Biden adlib!
Progwoman, I also appreciated Biden's speech for its inclusiveness. Already, Republicans are on the attack as Sanders was in her Republican response. It was a whiny speech that tried to counter everything Biden said but landed no hits of substance. She just continued her lying that seems her constituents like, you know, the lying she perfected or at least worked hard on while in the White House. I guess they wanted to showcase a young woman to contrast an older man. It didn't work. It just looked like she was the inexperienced airhead she actually is. She only got to be governor because of her daddy. She was proud that she signed an executive order against teaching CRT, when she clearly has no idea what it is. She just showed her racist bonafides, something each Republican has to do, particularly during Black History Month. They get extra points if they do it in February.
Love your last point, but it makes me sad. I was happy to see that this Congress looks a little darker than the last one.
I loved it.He killed it!I think that a lot of the problem with his so-called unpopularity is the negative portrait that the mainstream media has painted of him. That they( media) are still talking about TFG as a normal political prospective candidate for POTUS is unbelievable. They should be touting Biden’s many accomplishments and spearheading Trump’s failure, lies and corruption. I refuse to listen to Sarah Phuckabee Sanders and her lying gruel and I hope the media skewers her as much as they have Biden throughout his whole term as our POTUS.
YES YES YES! The media!
Agree. He hit it out of the ball park.
GOAL!!!
I greatly admire President Biden and all that he has accomplished. And I strongly object to all of the focus on ( what I believe are) faulty polls. Mainstream media gives more weight to them than is deserved. Even NPR gives a slanted view on their validity.
Elizabeth, I am also frustrated with all the polls, particularly when covered on NPR. I usually trust what I am hearing on NPR, but in the past couple of years, they have not done a good job reporting the truth when they felt they had to cover the Republican lies. That is disturbing because what NPR covers holds a lot of weight for a lot of people. They have not been very positive about Biden since he ran for office. I don't get it, but I am guessing it has something to do with who runs NPR and decides how the news will be presented.
You are so right about the polls! Look how far off they were in the midterms! They had everyone convinced the Republicans would be taking over the House AND the Senate!
They created the subterfuge that their maga bosses told them to create. It was not based on polls, it was based on gaslighting.
Wonderful speech. I’m for him 100%
Mr. Reich you are leaning too heavily on poll numbers. Polls are not reliable and are, most often, wrong. Who wrote the questions? Who was polled? How many were polled? Who paid for the poll?
Polls are, IMO, pure bullshit. But...the main stream media loves them so tonight, even on PBS Newshour, Jeff Bennett brought up the 62% poll number. I will ask again...please do not quote polls as being legitimate unless you are drawing attention to the lack of validity in every single poll.
And, as someone else posted, it's the media.
Thank you, Mr. Reich.
Rebel408, the last two election cycles proved polls are basically worthless. Survey questions can always be worded to garner a desired result. That is not information; it's propaganda. I've pretty much given up tv altogether. Most cable shows are basically opinion even the ones I like. I also am tired of the doom and gloom. The shows just have different people preaching the same messages everyday. I read a variety of sources and the newsletters and comments various Substack writers. I find the commenters extremely knowledgeable, and I learn from them as well as the authors of the newsletters.
But I am so glad the President did such a wonderful job tonight. He is normal in this Alice Through the Looking Glass world we live in now where up is down and everything is backward.
Good mornng JennSH from NC. My hubby and I are in total agreement with your assessment of the main stream media. We stopped watching CNN and MSNBC long ago, along with the national news channels. News channels that used to "report" the news now opt to distort the news to draw more viewers, hence higher ratings which lead to more advertising dollars. I read as you do and support as many non-profit, investigative journalism sites as we can afford to do.
The bottom line for me is that I cannot, and will not, give up and give in to the forces that would shred our democracy and take us down the path of fascism. I am greatly appreciative of people like Mr. Reich and Heather Cox Richardson for not shying away from telling the truth. When all is said and done, truth will triumph. It just may take a while to get there.
I thought it was a rousing speech. As good as I’ve ever seen! He was so good and right. MTG et al we’re disgusting. Speaker was entirely partisan but not incendiary. If only we could work on and agree on what the problems are and what to do about them!
I think America will and does agree. It’s all good. The other side is “silly”...as my preschool grandchildren say. They also remind me we aren’t allowed to say anyone is “stupid” because that’s not nice. Our President is NICE, and smart, and will “finish the job”.
He gave a resounding SOTU address.
It's the media.
If Obama had a third term he could have fixed that too-
= )
I think so many were and are just tired of the Republican circus. Biden is like the favorite sweater! All in the very best way. We must stay focused and continue to support rights of all.
“He has brought competent people into government.” This is the thing that matters most. The average American is blind. Competent people matter.
Most Americans aren’t blind, and yes he has brought competent people. People are just busy, overwhelmed and we all can do a better job like our President did tonight explaining things, instead of talking at them. Your comments are important. Thank you.
On the other side of that coin though, I wish he had not left in place tRump appointees, for example Jerome Powell and Louis DeJoy. (Yes, I do know he cannot directly fire DeJoy, but he can use influence and pressure or other features of being President.)
I would like to know Robert Reich's opinion of those two and of their still being in the positions tRump put them in.
Also, is Immigration (DHS) being well handled? I think this is an area of lax reporting because I follow the news as effectively as I can but I really can't say I am informed about what the current policies are on illegal immigration.
You may find this article informative: https://www.theimmigrantsjournal.com/the-u-s-immigration-debate/