I’ve seen it a bunch of other topics let’s group it together here. Let’s keep it on Ukraine, let’s just assume for the most part domestic stuff we’re not going to agree on lots of stuff.
So my take on Ukraine…It was a pretty big miss for me. So Biden in general is in my like bottom 5 speech givers as a president. He’s just not really good at it, is what it is. So the fact that I didn’t get an “Ich bein ein Berliner” moment isn’t surprising.
Recapping what’s been done so far… I’m neutral on that everyone would’ve done that. Same with declaring we stand with Ukraine.
Basically the only good things from it were telling the oligarchs we’re coming for you and ask your stuff. Thumbs up. Saying we will continue to aid also good nothing special though.
Big misses for me.
Calls to action domestically, calling on all US hedge funds and companies to completely divest themselves of Russian assets. Calling on domestic producers to bring any idled rig back online.
Calls to action on Congress demanding Congress authorize the distribution of heavy arms to aid Ukrainian Army. Calling for a complete embargoes and boycotts on Russian products, yes including oil.
To Putin, we are coming for everything. Your cyber pirates, your own stuff, everything. You will be begging Xi for a payday loan by the end of this.
To the Russian people. I know it wouldn’t get there widely but it should be said. This is not your war this is the war of your dictator, who cares nothing for you. As this drags on you will become more and more dependent on China. It’s that what you want? To be a Chinese economic client state? Because that is what your leader will reduce you to North Korea with more land and better architecture.
Just my two cents on what I feel was a missed opportunity across the board.
I would have preferred a moderated tone, just list all we’ve done and all we’ll do. No threats, no promises, simply a list of items to be checked off. That would’ve been chilling. Missed opportunity, as he went the route of every POTUS giving every SOTU speech. Nothing more or less than I expected, though. Speechwriters are gonna speechify. That’s what they do.
Yeah a godfather approach could’ve worked as well. Though I feel that’s better in summit conferences and meetings. To me big speeches like this are the time to bring the hellfire and brimstone at least as best as one can do.
Other than keeping pollsters and pundits busy for a couple days while they deconstruct every pause and clap, it doesn’t matter much. He’ll get up tomorrow morning and go to work, as will everyone else. Well, not me, I’m retired, but you know what I mean. Water cooler talk will be the MLB lockout and Ukraine.
Bryant I applaud you for your analysis. It is fair and on points. I do not understand the logic behind his entourage and speech writers. To even put him in a spot to confuse Iranians with Ukrainians makes no sense especially reading a teleprompter. They/speech writers did not help him. That is a given.
Speechwriter for Joe Biden is a job I can honestly say I would not want. He’s just not cut out for big speeches. It’s like telling a hockey player to go be Tom Brady.
Some of it can’t be helped I had classmates in school who had stutters and public speaking/presentations were absolute SOB’s for them. Because they would hit the chop in their rhythm and lose all their momentum. The other issue is he’s been gaffe prone forever, it just happens you almost just have to build it into the speech. Unfortunately for Joe and his speechwriters it’s all part of the job you signed up for.
Watched the Coogs first, restarted the speech on PBS Livestream, I only watched the Ukraine bit, because I can pretty much guess how the rest went and like Andrew Yang pointed out 95% of the State of Union could be done by PowerPoint because it’s just laying out wishlists and such.