For fuck’s sake, NPR, this is NOT HELPFUL:
But on Tuesday Obama will try to use his speech to frame the debates for the next two years and set the table for the 2016 election.
Here are five things to watch:
1. How does the president talk about the economy?
[snip because HOW DOES HE TALK ABOUT IT, not WHAT DOES HE SAY]
2. What tone will he take toward Congress?
[snip because THE TONE, which is critical as U.S. Goddamn Congress has delicate feelings which are easily hurt]
3. Will Obama challenge his own party?
[snip because IT ONLY COUNTS IF YOU PISS OFF YOUR FRIENDS]
4. How does the president avoid looking like the “small ball” president?
[snip because I dunno, buy a smarter press corps that isn’t obsessed with cute little nicknames?]
5. How does he talk about Iran, ISIS and the new terrorist threats?
[snip because again with the HOW, like does he inflect the words right, is that what we’re measuring?]
I honestly don’t know why people make it their job to cover this stuff when all they do is tell us that this stuff doesn’t matter and it’s not really important and “it’s all politics.” Like is the money that good? Or do you just drink away the urge to look at yourself in the mirror?
This was going to be the year that Obama ended two wars and made a legacy-cementing deal with Iran on nuclear weapons. But the world isn’t cooperating.
I cannot imagine why that is. And this news organization isn’t going to tell me. Let’s talk more about the tone!
A.