Comments on: Bob McDonnell Proves to be the Sharpest Tool in the Shed http://vbdems.org/2010/01/bob-mcdonnell-proves-to-be-the-sharpest-tool-in-the-shed/ blogging our way to democratic wins in virginia beach Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:50:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: David Campbell http://vbdems.org/2010/01/bob-mcdonnell-proves-to-be-the-sharpest-tool-in-the-shed/comment-page-1/#comment-513 David Campbell Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:24:35 +0000 http://vbdems.org/?p=379#comment-513 In addition to creating a cap-and-trade mechanism, the climate change bill also boosts federal spending for building nuclear power plants, research on oxymoronic "clean coal," and more oil leasing in the Gulf of Mexico (not in the Atlantic). Those were "compromises" with the energy corporations. There are actually quite a few policies that President Obama has implemented or proposed that should appeal to Republicans. He mentioned them in the speech to demonstrate to the TV audience his efforts at bipartisanship. He almost playfully tried to see if he could elicit applause from the Republican side of the aisle. As he pointed out, they wouldn't even applaud tax cuts. (I think they did applaud nuclear power, though.) In addition to creating a cap-and-trade mechanism, the climate change bill also boosts federal spending for building nuclear power plants, research on oxymoronic “clean coal,” and more oil leasing in the Gulf of Mexico (not in the Atlantic). Those were “compromises” with the energy corporations.

There are actually quite a few policies that President Obama has implemented or proposed that should appeal to Republicans. He mentioned them in the speech to demonstrate to the TV audience his efforts at bipartisanship. He almost playfully tried to see if he could elicit applause from the Republican side of the aisle. As he pointed out, they wouldn’t even applaud tax cuts. (I think they did applaud nuclear power, though.)

]]> By: Wally Erb http://vbdems.org/2010/01/bob-mcdonnell-proves-to-be-the-sharpest-tool-in-the-shed/comment-page-1/#comment-503 Wally Erb Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:07:35 +0000 http://vbdems.org/?p=379#comment-503 Did the President refer to nuclear plant development; clean coal, and off-shore exploration? What's with that???? Did the President refer to nuclear plant development; clean coal, and off-shore exploration? What’s with that????

]]> By: David Campbell http://vbdems.org/2010/01/bob-mcdonnell-proves-to-be-the-sharpest-tool-in-the-shed/comment-page-1/#comment-499 David Campbell Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:23:36 +0000 http://vbdems.org/?p=379#comment-499 With a few minor exceptions (supporting offshore drilling and “clean coal”), I thoroughly enjoyed President Obama’s speech. My favorite lines were when President Obama directly addressed Republican Congressmen: After listing the tax cuts enacted by Democrats, he turned to the Republicans sitting on their hands and said “I expected some applause on that one.” Later he called them out for their obstructionism: “If the Republican leadership is going to insist that 60 votes in the Senate are required to do any business at all in this town, then the responsibility to govern is now yours, as well. Just saying no to everything may be good short-term politics, but it’s not leadership.” With a few minor exceptions (supporting offshore drilling and “clean coal”), I thoroughly enjoyed President Obama’s speech. My favorite lines were when President Obama directly addressed Republican Congressmen:

After listing the tax cuts enacted by Democrats, he turned to the Republicans sitting on their hands and said “I expected some applause on that one.”

Later he called them out for their obstructionism: “If the Republican leadership is going to insist that 60 votes in the Senate are required to do any business at all in this town, then the responsibility to govern is now yours, as well. Just saying no to everything may be good short-term politics, but it’s not leadership.”

]]> By: David Campbell http://vbdems.org/2010/01/bob-mcdonnell-proves-to-be-the-sharpest-tool-in-the-shed/comment-page-1/#comment-498 David Campbell Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:01:54 +0000 http://vbdems.org/?p=379#comment-498 It was harder to "fact-check" McDonnell's mini-SOTU because he spoke in such broad generalities and ideological cliches (to worshipful applause by his assembled supporters) and offered very few details of Republican alternatives. <em>Media Matters</em> did a great job of fact-checking Gov. McDonnell. For those readers who think <em>Media Matters</em> has "liberal bias," the more nonpartisan <em><a href="http://www.politifact.org/truth-o-meter/article/2010/jan/27/fact-checking-obamas-state-union-speech/" rel="nofollow">Politifact</a></em> was more selective of the items they chose to evaluate and gave fairly high marks to both President Obama and Gov. McDonnell. It was harder to “fact-check” McDonnell’s mini-SOTU because he spoke in such broad generalities and ideological cliches (to worshipful applause by his assembled supporters) and offered very few details of Republican alternatives.

Media Matters did a great job of fact-checking Gov. McDonnell. For those readers who think Media Matters has “liberal bias,” the more nonpartisan Politifact was more selective of the items they chose to evaluate and gave fairly high marks to both President Obama and Gov. McDonnell.

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