WH official: Obama will “throw down the gauntlet” to Congress in the SOTU
A White House official, speaking on background to reporters Monday about the State of the Union address, said Obama will “throw down the gauntlet” to Congress to pass laws that could help the middle class succeed, specifically in areas where bipartisan support makes action this year a question of “common sense.”
Whether it’s spending on roads, bridges, ports and communications technology; or requirements for universal background checks for all gun purchasers; or a path to citizenship for more than 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country, the president will argue Tuesday night that lawmakers share enough common ground to select and pass sensible solutions this year.
Obama also will tout the more than 6 million jobs created on his watch, and the nation’s efforts to boost growth, especially when it comes to jobs for those who have been left behind during a slow recovery. Those groups include the long-term unemployed, African-American and Latino workers, and young people without college degrees.
He will argue, as he did during his first term, that federal and private-sector investment in infrastructure, as well as tough trade laws, bolster economic growth and U.S. competitiveness.
Blowback
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Stoking the fires and fanning the flames. Community organizer in chief.
petefrt on February 12, 2013 at 12:12 PM
For the lifespan of my television (and the convenient supply of nearby bricks) I am not going to watch this address.
Defenestratus on February 12, 2013 at 12:12 PM
And Congress should have him running the gauntlet over his record.
Drained Brain on February 12, 2013 at 12:16 PM
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
This guy is such a phony baloney, plastic banana, good time rock ‘n’ roller.
NoLeftTurn on February 12, 2013 at 12:16 PM
Sigh. More warmed-over 1970s Keynesianism.
Yes, all we need is more money for bridges and roads, that will create so many jobs for all the unemployed 20-somethings with English Lit degrees. God forbid we actually modernize and streamline our tax and regulatory systems to get more competitive.
And they keep saying Republicans have no new ideas??
rockmom on February 12, 2013 at 12:16 PM
Those 6 million jobs are about as real as Obama’s composite girlfriend (or Manti Teo’s).
Bitter Clinger on February 12, 2013 at 12:22 PM
SSDD
yeah
cmsinaz on February 12, 2013 at 12:24 PM
I’m glad it’s tonight, as we’ll be at church for the Mardi Gras gumbo dinner and celebration, instead of watching Dear Liar.
Ward Cleaver on February 12, 2013 at 12:24 PM
I’d rather have a root canal than watch this.
gophergirl on February 12, 2013 at 12:26 PM
I’ll be watching college basketball and the Westminster Dog Show tonight. This SOTU will be no different than every other speech Obama has given in the last 5 years. Government – Good; Markets and Republicans – Bad
rockmom on February 12, 2013 at 12:27 PM
When exactly does our budget for “roads and bridges” finally get high enough? Every president in the history of ever has promoted investments in roads and bridges. Every budget, every stimulus, every thought written on a napkin has included increased road and bridge spending. Are we that incompetent at building roads and bridges that we can’t ever get it right? Are we so horrible at maintaining roads and bridges that we can’t keep a constant budget set aside for that without an ever-increasing need for money?
Shump on February 12, 2013 at 12:28 PM
If it weren’t for the inept failure of the clown in there during the past 4 years, Obama wouldn’t have to be doing this.
Good Lt on February 12, 2013 at 12:29 PM
“Pass this bill! Pass this bill! Pass this bill!”
Robert_Paulson on February 12, 2013 at 12:30 PM
And, BTW, the Constitution mandates that the President report on the state of the union from time to time. It doesn’t require he give a speech in front of Congress. It doesn’t require pageantry and pomp and circumstance. And it doesn’t require that members of the opposition party sit around looking like bumps on a log while the President publicly accuses them of wanting to starve children.
It’s time to break with this idiotic tradition. The Republican-controlled House should simply decline to invite Obama to give the address. Or, at the very least, they should not attend.
Shump on February 12, 2013 at 12:30 PM
The President will scold as a partisan ideologue and be his regular self: a D#@!
That’s right, our President is basically nothing more now than an big di@!
Opposite Day on February 12, 2013 at 12:31 PM
Wish my DVR only had time slots for the responses.
crrr6 on February 12, 2013 at 12:32 PM
He has to blame congress. He can’t blame the previous administration.
The Rogue Tomato on February 12, 2013 at 12:34 PM
By gauntlet, I think he means strawman. And I don’t think they’ve ever come close to having an encounter with common sense.
besser tot als rot on February 12, 2013 at 12:35 PM
Go for it, Choom Boy. Throw your little hissy fit – - – nobody cares.
Pork-Chop on February 12, 2013 at 12:37 PM
There are 7 million fewer people working now than when he took office.
ButterflyDragon on February 12, 2013 at 12:37 PM
Well bless his heart. If Obama wants to challenge Congress to a duel, Republicans in Congress should take up the gauntlet.
Dusty on February 12, 2013 at 12:38 PM
All republicans should stand up in unison, and turn their back to Obama while he is yelling at them.
portlandon on February 12, 2013 at 12:54 PM
[portlandon on February 12, 2013 at 12:54 PM]
I’d prefer they walk out. But both Rubio and Paul ought to take him to task for his lies, his con game, and for his incompetence. They ought to be bold and blunt in doing so.
Dusty on February 12, 2013 at 12:59 PM
How exactly do those items help the middle class succeed?
crowhop on February 12, 2013 at 1:05 PM
If Obama throws down the gauntlet, Rubio and Paul had better shove a lance up Obama’s a**.
BuckeyeSam on February 12, 2013 at 1:06 PM
Anyone want to predict that this will be the least watched SOTU in the past twenty years?
I’ll hear all about it on WMAL AM 630 tomorrow, anyway.
I have clothes and linens to wash tonight.
Jack Deth on February 12, 2013 at 1:08 PM
“Forget it. He’s on a roll.” – Boone (in Animal House)
Mitoch55 on February 12, 2013 at 1:12 PM
I’d rather to flutter kicks with a sports hernia than watch another Obama speech.
Wigglesworth on February 12, 2013 at 1:23 PM
So it’ll be douchetastic, then? Color me shocked.
I have better things to do, like clean the lint trap in my dryer, than listen to this fraud spout his nonsense.
changer1701 on February 12, 2013 at 1:26 PM
I have an appointment tonight to hit myself in the head with a hammer.
NJ Red on February 12, 2013 at 1:29 PM
By
I just have to ask. How the heck does any of that help the middle class to succeed?
Especially,
These turds better hope they get their utopia because it will be the only way that history will remember them having even a minimum intelligence.
I weep that I have had to live through the stupid/crazy years of this country. How did we ever get this godawful bad? Don’t answer that. I know the reason and it isn’t something to be proud of.
Dr. Frank Enstine on February 12, 2013 at 1:42 PM
Those groups are suffering the worst under his administration.
Doughboy on February 12, 2013 at 1:43 PM
It’s all about the sequence of operations. In the city my father lives in a few years ago they dug up and did a major repaving/reconditioning of about 5 miles of one street. About a month after it was complete it was almost completely dug up to replace the sewer and drainage lines. I mentioned to my father that it may have been a good idea to have done the sewer when the road was already dug up. He said that there was an article in the local paper that explained it all. The feds and state would kick in money for the sewer project only if the roads were in good shape. They would also kick in money to repair the road only if it was completely rebuilt. So, the city got the money to rebuild the road which got them the money that they wanted to fix the sewer. The state and fed also gave them funds to repair the road after the sewer project was done.
Dr. Frank Enstine on February 12, 2013 at 1:53 PM
ZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Anything not already expiring won’t pass Congress for the next 4 years.
See the Buffet rule for on of Barry’s many “gauntlets”.
Chuck Schick on February 12, 2013 at 2:42 PM
I only hope that Republicans in Congress will be laughing at the parasite class President… Show zero respect to this most incompetent President ever…
mnjg on February 12, 2013 at 2:45 PM