He shall from time to time...

As a Government teacher the State of the Nation address is an all encompassing teachable lesson. You get much bang for your buck: The job requirements of the Presidency, powers granted under Article 2, tenuous relationship with Congress, the line of succession (I always give extra credit to the student that identifies who had to stay home), as well as the way in which the majority vs minority party respond with either wild applause or sitting stone cold.

I love the West Wing episode that details what is priority in the speech and how for that one hour, you can be inspired by your country even in the midst of great upheaval. As Obama was taking office and the jubilant atmosphere was quickly being replaced with the sobering expectations that he faced came to light the one thing I kept thinking was that he is but mortal man and will make mistakes. Like his predecessors he will be tested in ways that only 43 others have known.

I find the recent news that he wants the US out of Iraq in 19 months and hopes to cut the deficit in half by the end of his first term to be way over reaching given the current economic climate. Krugman posted yesterday about the all too realistic black swan theory prediction of massive bank failures or at least wide scale nationalization. With no real end in site, I don't know that making feel good predictions like troop withdrawal and deficit reduction is the panacea for the real illness.

Obama, I would likely follow you to the gates of Hell on whatever you propose given the tenner of the first month in action, but PLEASE, PLEASE push economic recovery first and foremost!