1. This constitutionally mandated speech is a combination of Throne speech, maiden speech in the house, Prime Ministerial statement in the house and budget.
2. This is why the American system produces better speakers than the Canadian system does. We don't have a State of the Union to showcase a Prime Minister's speaking ability. However, the Canadian system produces better debaters because of the opportunity to debate most days in parliament and provincial legislatures.
3. President Obama's upbeat notes about Iraq, Bin Laden and Taliban could come back to bite him if there is trouble with terrorists or in Afghanistan again.
4. Note the attempt to depoliticize--not democratic or republican values but American values. This echoes Kennedy's quote about the New Frontier.
5. Tough talk about fighting Congressional obstructionism is partisan rhetoric for his troops and some say it's long overdue.
6. The energy independence message echoes Ford & Carter 30 years ago. The trick now is to do something about it.
7. He has a point saying the auto industry is back.
8. As in a throne speech, his general statement about encouraging manufacturers to bring jobs back to America needs some specific policies to back it up. Otherwise it's what we have in Canada--Governor Generalities. The State of the Union must thus be a combination of the generalities of a Throne speech and the specifics of a budget.
9. Nice plans on bringing jobs back & not rewarding companies which export jobs. He now needs to turn these ideas into law.
10. This speech is also a campaign speech because of the year in which it occurs. It is tradition that a Presidential candidate needs to campaign against some enemy. In history it has been large corporations, Washington, special interest, and in this one, an enemy is China.
11. As in the Throne Speech, the US bureaucracy is listening for hints about how to implement Presidential policy.
12. On education the President will have some trouble with States' rights.
13. Lots of magical and wishful thinking about R & D, which may come to pass, but may not.
14. He's right on publicly funded R & D. The US economy is about 40% public as is all OECD economies. But he will have a tough sell because of American perception of how the private sector should conduct research and the perception that the government is not an efficient player in this or other areas.
15. The attack on subsidies for oil companies should be publicly and politically popular.
16. It will be interesting to see just what he means by having federal lands and the Navy develop clean energy. This is Throne speech language, not specific budget or legal language.
17. A great line to take 50% of savings on war budgets and pay down debt and use the other 50% domestically.
18. Lampooning federal involvement in milk spills on farms but being bullish on oil spills evokes Reagan's lampooning other federal spending and will play well.
19. Attacks on banks and pro-consumer/watch dog rhetoric is also political and should be popular.
20. No tax hike must be supported by Republicans.
21. Low tax rate on wealthy Americans is a tacit attack on Romney.
22. A politician should not use an absolute. The President used the word "never" (again be a threat) with regard to Afghanistan, and that can come back to bite him.
23. The Iran issue is more complex than Pres. Obama indicates. Iran is a youthful country and the majority of young people are pro-American. The Pres. of Iran is an Arab not a Persian and may not have support of his countrymen. This is America's entry point in Iran, not a military exercise.
24. His reference to America's indispensability is an oblique reference to American exceptionalism on which Pres. Obama is considered soft.
25. Citing the troops is an attempt at depoliticization.
Allan Bonner is the founder and principal of Allan Bonner Management Communications Inc. He has worked with heads of government, G7 and UN delegations, the WTO, NATO as well as CEO's and diplomats around the world.
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