A few words of appreciation

Obama does not really do angry. Peeved, yes. ...Have you ever seen all the House Republicans in one place? It’s like a herd of rabid otters. ... [Supreme Court justice]shook his head and mouthed “not true.” ... [The president]’s definitely going for the double ... Collins

It was a relief to see him challenge the Senate’s Republicans for their obstruction and his party for tending to “run for the hills” rather than wield the power of its majority.  ...NYT

You want to make Wall Street more accountable for its actions President Obama? Demand that the top 100 executives at every Wall Street firm — not just depository institutions — have their entire net worth on the line every day, just as they used to have when Wall Street was a series of private partnerships. Fix that, and you’ll have your accountability. ...Cohan

[Health care] legislation has entered a weird political limbo, and taken Obama’s presidency into limbo with it. That was certainly the impression left by tonight's State of the Union, which struck me as the speech of a President who doesn’t know what narrative he’s selling. ...Douthat

He dominated the screen and he did it with an ease that stopped just short of entitlement, an ease that said, in Chevy Chase fashion, “I’m the president and you’re not.” ...Fish

[Health care] sort of does feel like it’s a hobby to him, no? He tinkers, and pauses, puts it away, moves his own deadline, goes back to the drawing board. ...Cox

Barack Obama, who once strode across the political landscape as a master of the persuasive arts, found himself needing to prove that mastery all over again. ...Dionne

Obama spoke of Americans who "give back to their country." Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) yawned. ...Obama spoke of the need to get beyond "silly arguments." Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) yawned. ...Obama spoke of human rights in Iran. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) yawned. ...Obama spoke about arms control. Christina Romer, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, yawned. ...Obama spoke about a jobs bill. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer elbowed his colleague Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who had fallen asleep. ...Milbank

“I have never been more hopeful about America’s future than I am tonight.” That’s one of the least credible things he’s ever said, surely. ...Mead

He’s got just the right pitch—not angry, not defensive, focused on security and secondarily on costs….But all the indicators in every direction are it’s too late. ...Coll

There’s a tremendous tone of irony in this speech. “Let’s try common sense—a novel concept.” I don’t remember any other president talking that way in a SOTU. ...Mead