Okay, a little more rational now.

Feeling a little better now that the Dems have released some grownup responses.

John Kerry: "President Bush tonight described a very different state of our union than the one most Americans live with every day. In fact, he described a fantasyland....

President Bush uses national security as a political weapon while day by day we become less secure. We’re bogged down in Iraq where there were no weapons of mass destruction while Osama bin Laden is still on the loose, North Korea has quadrupled its nuclear weapons, Iran is closer to nuclear weapons, and Hamas has come to power. Our brave men and women in uniform deserve presidential leadership equal to their sacrifice. Americans deserve the truth. President Bush needs to stop retreating from reality. We can’t afford leadership that still cuts and runs from the truth."

Harry Reid: "As Americans, we are hopeful about our future, but the reality is our future is threatened by leadership that puts special interests, not families, first.....

Finally, there’s no honor in going around the law. The President has the authority to wiretap any calls from al Qaeda....."

Feeling a little better, so just going to throw some quick notes on the speech before I head off to bed.

First, what was with the ties on the rostrum? Red, blue, red? Are they an acapella group now?

Did anyone notice the weird and smasmodic blinking after the "never surrender to evil" line. The most forceful line in the speech.

And credit to the speechwriters for sticking clause that would draw applause from both sides at the end of controversial passages. I have a plan for victory and we all support our troops.

And the religious imagery was all over the place. That one and the goal of "delivering the oppressed."

Interesting descriptor used twice regarding Iraqi forces. They are "increasing." A positive word and yet without any real measure or level of success.

Then there was the "isolationism" strawman. Who exactly is saying that the US should pull back to within it's borders and not trade with the world?

And Saudi is a democracy? And Egypt held fair elections?

He's gonna cut the deficit in half by 2009, the first year he's out of office. No accountability problem there.

I also liked the vague republican base assuaging talk on establishing a culture of civility and love. Especially as the speech foloowed Fear Factor on one of the networks.

Last. I agree with coal gassification. It is, in fact, a superior and more efficient technology with greatly reduced emissions. I don't like the plan of subsidizing the conversion pay paying billions to the power companies, but this is something we can do to greatly reduce carbon emissions.

And maybe I'm wrong, but the applause from the right didn't seem as raucous.

Thinkprogress has a more fact based critique if that's what you're looking for. (that's why they're gonna win the Koufax I was nominated for.) Just thought I'd throw down some quick thoughts.

Just as a final, did anyone else think it strange with all this recent talk of empire, that Bush had a bomb-sniffing dog and his military handler present, at his invitation, in the House of Representatives? Did anybody elese do a Caligula double take on that?