For all the talk that the State of the Union is an outdated ritual, President Obama proved Tuesday night that it can still be a powerful speech.
With few of the proposals that he is championing likely to pass the Republican-controlled Congress, Obama essentially used the national platform as a campaign speech. Looking at it as a campaign speech, it was excellent.
While acknowledging that it’s unlikely that “Democrats abandon their agenda or Republicans simply embrace [his],” Obama laid out his proposals for the coming year. Several had bipartisan promise, such as infrastructure, trade, medical research and cybersecurity.
Those unlikely to pass were all popular among the American people, such as increased childcare, mandatory sick leave, equal pay for women, minimum wage increases, free community college and tax reform. Obama can put the failure to pass these programs at the feet of the Republican Congress.
Even though Obama reiterated his stance against cynical partisanship, he faces nothing but that in Washington. Although he is perpetuating some of the dysfunction by pushing proposals with a snowball’s chance in hell and using executive action, we may see progress in some areas this year if this speech is any guide.
Foreign policy and defense were perhaps the weakest parts of Obama’s speech. He glossed over the massive veterans care issues of the last year with warmed-over rhetoric. He also defended the failed strategy of “smart power” in the Middle East.
However, the night was a loss overall for Republicans. The most talked about moment came when, after Obama said he had no more campaigns to run and Republicans applauded, he shot back “that’s because I won both of them.”
Another low point came after Obama delivered a paragraph in defense of free speech and minority rights and the Republicans sat on their hands. In addition, Senator Joni Ernst fell flat in the Republican response with robotic delivery and a tepid speech.
Obama’s speech comes at a time where the Democratic Party is embracing populism like never before. While the first half of the speech was spent defending his legacy, the second half offers a blueprint for the party during the next two years.
Now firmly in the minority, the party must avoid fracturing and develop a winning platform for 2016. Middle-class economics, the theme of the night, could be a formula for success. Obama’s speech can serve as the opening salvo of a Congress where the Democrats fight for those ideals and win back the support of America.