Drivel. I just heard a lot of it.

[Laelth]

The least he could have said would have been, "Ken Salazar failed us all, and I am firing him as of this moment." Instead, he praised Salazar and invited us to pray our way out of this mess.

Did I miss something?

:shrug:

:dem:

-Laelth


Edit:Laelth--typo.

[katandmoon]

1. He praised the troops!

[Laelth]

79. Yes. That made me feel a lot better.

:sarcasm:

He also praised Salazar. That made me quite angry. Salazar should be fired, not praised.

:dem:

-Laelth

[muntrv]

2. Howard Fineman on MSNBC said the Pres. should have acted like commander in chief.

[moondust]

33. What a lot of these guys want is a big military operation.

A big show of strength to remind us how powerful we are rather than how feeble we look.

General Honore even has a battle plan ready. Send in the 82nd Airborne! (Alongside the tourists.)

:eyes:

[Luminous Animal]

44. Why? He is not OUR commander in chief.

Most of the citizens in the U.S. are not in the military.

[Laelth]

82. We were all expecting him to do some "ass-kicking."

After all, that's what he said he was looking for--the right asses to kick. Instead, he praises Salazar, and gives the nation a gentle, Mr. Rogers-style lecture about how we need to break our addiction to fossil fuels (much like Jimmy Carter did 30 years ago).

That was, simply, not enough.

:dem:

-Laelth

[JuniperLea]

3. I'd say you missed a massive amount of information...

But then, that's what you wanted, right?

[XemaSab]

10. What, specifically?

:shrug:

[Laelth]

12. I heard that he will listen to all options to get us out of our oil addiction.

I heard that it will be painful to break our addiction to oil.
I heard, "Life goes on, and our faith in God will sustain us."

I heard no real plan, no new initiative, nothing I haven't heard before.

:dem:

-Laelth

[JuniperLea]

19. Then you missed the whole part about holding BP's feet to the flame...

And not taking "it can't be done" for an answer.

[Laelth]

26. Hasn't he said that before? I didn't think that was new.

I really was looking for something new.

:dem:

-Laelth

[elocs]

65. You mean outrage and tough talk are not enough?

Boy, some people are hard to please.

[Smashcut]

63. "Holding BP's feet to the flame"

"Not taking 'it can't be done' as an answer"

What do these things mean in concrete terms? NOTHING

[Bluebear]

21. 'our faith in God will sustain us'???? Yish.

[JuniperLea]

25. He was speaking directly to the people in the South...

I got that. Faith in God does sustain some people... for many, it's the knot in the end of their rope. I don't fault people for following that particular human instinct. I don't go there myself, but I don't fault others for it.

[Bluebear]

27. Oh, OK, I thought it was a speech to the nation

[JuniperLea]

31. He was... in that particular part he was singling out the South...

And what they are going through... and what they had told him during his visits there...

Please don't be obtuse. I really like you when you are above board.

[Bluebear]

34. Hey I'm at work

I didn't hear it, just tryin' to find a transcript and I'm relying on everyone's take :)

[JuniperLea]

47. Here ya go, sugarfoot... read up...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x339927

I'd like to be a fly on the wall at the BP meeting...

[Bluebear]

55. Thank you so much!

My favorite paragraph is regarding the Interior Dept.'s ineptness... I don't know who Michael Bromwich is but I hope some real change is made and pronto!

[JuniperLea]

58. I liked that too...

And the bits about peak oil, renewable energy, etc.

[MineralMan]

36. But, you didn't hear the whole thing, so you have no idea what he

said. Thanks for the admission.

[snake in the grass]

48. As far as I'm concerned...

...when I hear 'have faith in God', I'm convinced that the situation is hopeless. If all one has is an infantile belief in some benevolent force acting in our interests, one pretty much has nothing at all.

[bobbolink]

90. And WHO suffers that pain? Why, the poor people, of course.

Same old/same old.

[Laelth]

96. +1 n/t

:dem:

-Laelth

[Cha]

15. There's drivel but it's not from

the President.

[JuniperLea]

22. Well, here's a positive...

There's a whole lot of drivel all lined up for my newly instated IgnoreLand! Half of what's in there have received the concrete pizza... so chances are... ;)

[Duppers]

72. that goes both ways.

nt

[JuniperLea]

73. Sure does...

:thumbsup:

[O is 44]

46. Ha, you are spot on! n/t

[theophilus]

4. Yes, you dis.....frequently. n/t

[Laelth]

16. Smile.

I thought about fixing that anger-induced typo, but I kind of like it. Thanks for noticing.

;)

:dem:

-Laelth

[mikelgb]

5. that speech was for the ignorant masses

not the informed

[Auggie]

8. +1

[Laelth]

18. Then I have no idea how to evaluate it.

But if it were intended for those who aren't paying attention, that would explain a lot.

:dem:

-Laelth

[MineralMan]

42. You'd have a better idea had you actually listened to it, you know.

Thanks for admitting that you don't even know what he said. It's telling.

[tabasco]

24. A sure sign you are part of the ignorant masses

is when you think you are not.

[JuniperLea]

30. Indeed...

The ignorant are cocksure, and the intelligent are full of doubt.

[Robb]

51. And to think, they the GOP call us elitists.

:eyes:

[readmoreoften]

70. Not for the "cool, hip" Obama insider-types on DU, huh? They get their talking points direct.

They don't need to stinkin' "speeches"

[Lorien]

86. +10000

[stray cat]

6. I couldn't help but think how much i missed Bush's addresses

his intelligence and reassuring demeanor! Seriously, I was disappointed he didn't make a stronger case for initiatives to reduce energy dependence.

[Laelth]

I couldn't watch Bush's speeches after the 2002 State of the Union.

Obama is much more pleasant to listen to. When Bush spoke, if I recall, I kept thinking ... lie ... lie ... lie ... lie.

I don't think Obama is lying, but I don't think he's going to do anything, either. Bush, at least, told you what he was going to try to do.

:dem:

-Laelth

[JuniperLea]

28. "Bush, at least, told you what he was going to try to do."

You can't fucking be serious!

[Laelth]

53. I am not kidding at all.

The President, in that speech, did not lay out any kind of plan except the following:

1) Listen
2) Pray

That's less-than-satisfying.

:dem:

-Laelth

[lunatica]

52. Bush would invade it with shock and awe no doubt

[JuniperLea]

74. Shock and awe!

Now watch this drive! Yeah, baby!

[aquart]

75. That's your answer? Better than Bush?

My cat is better than Bush.

[Laelth]

85. +1 n/t

:dem:

-Laelth

[benld74]

7. Tweety is saying as much, and much more - Congrats for agreeing with Tweety!!!

[Laelth]

29. I am no fan of Tweety's, and I don't like that I agree with him.

The President could have done better.

:dem:

-Laelth

[MineralMan]

9. You didn't hear all of it? Why not?

And yet, you feel quite free to criticize it. Weak.

[Laelth]

32. Smile. I did hear all of it.

I was listening for new things. What I posted above were the "new" things I heard. Sorry I wasn't more clear in the OP.

:dem:

-Laelth

[patrice]

11. I've never seen you hear anything else. So I pretty much think the reverse of whatever you say.

[Laelth]

35. Smile. Then you haven't seen much.

Feel free to look, if you're interested.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Laelth

:dem:

-Laelth

[readmoreoften]

69. Wow, that's critical thinking gold there. Just believe the reverse anytime someone criticizes Obama.

And people call you guys mindless cheerleaders!

[jazzelle]

13. Sorry...he makes me proud I voted for him.

.

[Laelth]

37. Don't apologize for that.

He's still better than McCain.

:dem:

-Laelth

[lillypaddle]

14. If you missed something

Then I did too. No one could be sadder than I am -- that fucking sucked. Where did you go, Barack Obama? We've lost you. And you have lost us.

[Laelth]

80. He lost many of us long before he gave this speech.

But this catastrophe gave him a golden opportunity to get us back, and he blew it. We want to follow a bold, liberal leader. Instead, we have ...

Well, I don't want to be banned from this site.

:dem:

-Laelth

[zazen]

17. our President just tried to galvanize us to deal with Peak Oil, and MSM misses it entirely

I'm so glad Obama has his faith to sustain him. I'd just want to tell everyone to fuck off and move back to Hawaii if I got unrelentingly dissed for every breath I took the way he does. His tolerance is a wonder to behold.

[Laelth]

83. I give him credit for being honest with the American people about the situation.

But we wanted some "ass-kicking." That's what he told us he was trying to find--the right asses to kick. Instead of an ass-kicking speech, we got a gentle lecture from Mr. Rogers. That was not enough.

:dem:

-Laelth

[Botany]

20. Yes you missed Obama's message

It was a good speech

[Laelth]

54. Please, enlighten me.

I heard:

"We need to break our addiction to fossil fuels. Carter said so in the 1970s. It will be hard, and I have no plan for doing it. But it might help to pray."

Seriously. What was his greater message?

:dem:

-Laelth

[Jester Messiah]

23. It was short on specifics.

In fact, it was just short. Only 20 minutes or so. I like the things he said, I just want to know the "how" of it.

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

43. Maybe he was afraid to give a "national malaise" speech

like Jimmy Carter did, knowing that if he did the Pukes would run with it. Not that Jimmy Carter wasn't telling the Americans what they needed to know 30 years ago, he was completely correct, but it did bring Ronnie Rayguns, who I believe was the worst American president in history. W is number 2.

[Laelth]

76. That seems like a logical explanation for this rather bland speech. n/t

:dem:

-Laelth

[one_voice]

49. I don't think all the how's have....

been worked out. I watched and read the text, it seems he has people working on different things. There's so much to be done in so many areas, sadly, it's going to be a long process.

I think until things improve, he should maybe consider doing some kind of briefing to the nation maybe once a month or through Gibbs or something. I don't know, do weekly/bi-weekly video updates.

I want an energy bill passed, and he didn't talk much about specifics, but I didn't expect him to tonight. I knew this was going to be a short speech. Also, they're he and the dems are going to be fighting an uphill battle with energy reform.

I think he needs to get all his ducks in a row, and present in a way that the Repugs would look like bigger dicks than they are if they vote against it. I don't think he wants a repeat of health care, so I think he's going to be more careful in handling this.

[Bluebear]

77. Very fair.

[dave29]

38. and I just read a little of it. Thanks for wasting my time

:hi:

[Laelth]

56. You're welcome, and thanks for the kick. n/t

:dem:

-Laelth

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

39. Drivel. I just read a lot of it.

[Laelth]

78. Did you read his speech?

Or, are you just being kind?

;)

:dem:

-Laelth

[LanternWaste]

40. I imagine we hear what we want to hear...

I imagine we hear what we want to hear...

[Laelth]

57. I wish that were true in this case.

But as you can see from reading the OP, I wished I head heard something else. I definitely did not hear what I wanted to hear.

Perhaps you did.

:dem:

-Laelth

[Name removed]

41. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Odin2005]

45. I agree, pure drivel, Disappointing.

And he needs to quit the God shtick.

[JuniperLea]

50. Why? You got that one sewn up, oh Odin?

I'm not threatened by "God shtick" (sic) at all... some people need the religious knot at the end of their ropes... and Obama was speaking specifically about them... if I'm going to criticize him, I'll find something more substantive.

[mix]

59. The God schtick is an admission of failure.

A failure of leadership, a failure of vision.

Drivel.

[Blue_Roses]

60. what a joke...

:eyes:

Good grief...

some believe in it...it's your choice whether to or not, but don't slander those who do.

[mix]

61. I have no problem with prayer...

just not as environmental policy.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

62. It was a pass the buck, CYA, speech with promises of more committes/commission and someday.

[jillan]

64. Helluva job Kenny!

[Hydra]

66. Thanks for Transcript link

When Ken Salazar became my Secretary of the Interior, one of his very first acts was to clean up the worst of the corruption at this agency. But it's now clear that the problems there ran much deeper, and the pace of reform was just too slow. And so Secretary Salazar and I are bringing in new leadership at the agency - Michael Bromwich, who was a tough federal prosecutor and Inspector General. His charge over the next few months is to build an organization that acts as the oil industry's watchdog - not its partner.
<snip>
For decades, we have known the days of cheap and easily accessible oil were numbered. For decades, we have talked and talked about the need to end America's century-long addiction to fossil fuels. And for decades, we have failed to act with the sense of urgency that this challenge requires. Time and again, the path forward has been blocked - not only by oil industry lobbyists, but also by a lack of political courage and candor.

I think this sums things up well. He talks about what he's already done below that, but basically he's saying he thought he could avoid the problem too(and roll in lobbist money), and that it took a disaster this big for him to step up and deal with it.

There's a BIG problem with that. He told us he was ready to do all of this starting day 1...and he'll only do something "radical" now because he has no other choice.

I suppose that's the only way change comes, though. Not when it would be a good idea, but when it is unavoidable(and possibly too late).

[Duppers]

67. a-fuckin'-men

Like the line from "Sarah Marshall," "I can see your vagina from here."

We need MAJOR action. Immediately.

[Duppers]

71. Look. He's already letting our Coast Guard & National Guard

take orders from BP, who's more into damage control to their imagine than in cleanup & saving wildlife.


Thinks we'll see ANY MAJOR action or change in the next 7 days? I doubt it.

[TexasObserver]

68. "Salzie, you're doing a heckuva job!"

Not inspiring in the least.

[meow mix]

81. getting embarssing to be a democratic party member.

i had to take all my stickers off.

[Moochy]

84. Yeah you missed the campaign speech....

Where he promised same old same old. But the Centrists knew!!!!!! only the "progressivesssss" were duping themselves!!!1111

[Laelth]

87. I honestly hoped he was lying. I hoped he was a liberal in disguise.

Republicans do it all the time (pretend to be sane when, in fact, they're neo-fascists). I had hoped Obama was truly sane and at least a little liberal.

My own fault, I suppose. I had the audacity to hope.

:dem:

-Laelth

[northernlights]

88. heckavua job Brownie? nt

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

89. Obama doesn't do the whole scapegoating thing.

Sorry, you're out of luck.

[kjackson227]

91. Well, Laelth even if had fired Salazar, how would that help the situation...

at the moment. Besides firing Salazar, what else would you have liked for him to do or say?

[Laelth]

93. Thanks for asking.

He told us he was trying to find out whose asses needed kicking. I expected him to do some ass-kicking. People need to see heads roll for a tragedy of this magnitude. Those responsible need to be punished so that other people in similar positions of responsibility will get the message that there are consequences that flow from bending the rules and poisoning the environment for profit.

I would like to have seen him call for a massive increase on the gas tax. I wanted to hear some specific initiatives that he intended to push in order to break us of our oil addiction. I would have liked for him to have announced criminal prosecutions against those persons he has identified as being responsible. I would have like to hear him threaten nationalizing BP's North American assets and operations.

Ultimately, I wanted him to say he was going to do something constructive. He said he would listen and pray. Those are constructive, in their own way, but they are not enough. He should have waited until he had some specific policy initiatives to announce before he gave this speech, imho.

:dem:

-Laelth

[kjackson227]

95. This is all well and good, but we need to find a problem to closing...

the leak, FIRST and FOREMOST. The President is focused on solving the problem of closing the LEAK and making sure the families and small businesses are taken care of. At the moment, nothing is more important than
this. Getting "even" is not the priority at the moment, nor should it be.

This President is doing quite a bit, but you refuse to give him any credit, whatsoever.

[Ganja Ninja]

92. That's Obama's biggest problem.

Too many Republicans around him. He should have cleaned house and started investigations on day 1 after he was sworn in.

[Laelth]

94. Hear, hear. FDR was FDR in large part because he had a liberal cabinet. n/t

:dem:

-Laelth