Placeholder on State of the Union Speech

This was an interesting speech -- I mean, in its construction more than in the intrinsic fascination of the meat-and-potatoes proposals -- and one that deserves attention for what it included as well as what it left out. Like so many Obama speeches, it was significant in its overall shape and argument rather than any particular line, even the "built to last" refrain. (And who decided to go with that "spilled milk" groaner? Arrrgh. There was a similar howler, about salmon, in last year's speech. Maybe Obama is making one-corny-joke-per-SOTU speech into a tradition and riff, like Gail Collins's mention of the dog-strapped-onto-the-car-roof in every single column that discusses Mitt Romney.) I think the speech advanced his aims in some ways that are obvious and others that plant little markers for the rest of the campaign year.

More on this tomorrow, or whenever I can crank out a line-by-line annotation. [Update: Because of meetings and travel today, Tuesday, and then an event tonight in New York, realistically I can't finish the annotation today. Check this space lateish Wednesday.] In the meantime, here are glosses on two from the past, George W. Bush's speeches from 2004 and 2008.

And now, Good night, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.