Obama’s Usefully Bland Speech

It’s probably wise not to get too worked up about any State of the Union speech, and this year’s was especially inoffensive. Or, if you prefer, refreshingly so.

President Barack Obama’s fifth State of the Union address encompassed the typical presidential wish list, including such hardy policy perennials as corporate tax reform and a call for members of Congress to commit themselves to bipartisanship, hard work, “rebuilding the trust of the people who sent us here,” and so on. What was most striking about the speech, however, may have been its tone: smooth, pleasant, non-confrontational. It’s almost as if Obama was enjoying himself.