Its hard to do fresh analysis on a topic like last night's address to Congress and the American people.  The speech was standard Obama.  Well organized points presented logically.  A warm tone of voice.  Something new was confrontational tone served more to the right than the left.  The President looked at Republicans when he spoke about dishonest descriptions of his plan.  The speech was well larded with lines requiring Republicans to stand and applaud.  How could Republicans not applaude tributes to capitalism and free enterprise?

At the end the speech moved out of “Standard Obama” and into greatness.  He invoked the memory of Ted Kennedy.  He invoked the nations history and the things that make America great at least in the minds of Americans.

'You see, our predecessors understood that government could not, and should not, solve every problem.  They understood that there are instances when the gains in security from government action are not worth the added constraints on our freedom.  But they also understood that the danger of too much government is matched by the perils of too little; that without the leavening hand of wise policy, markets can crash, monopolies can stifle competition, the vulnerable can be exploited.  And they knew that when any government measure, no matter how carefully crafted or beneficial, is subject to scorn; when any efforts to help people in need are attacked as un-American; when facts and reason are thrown overboard and only timidity passes for wisdom, and we can no longer even engage in a civil conversation with each other over the things that truly matter -- that at that point we don't merely lose our capacity to solve big challenges.  We lose something essential about ourselves.
 
That was true then.  It remains true today.  I understand how difficult this health care debate has been.  I know that many in this country are deeply skeptical that government is looking out for them.  I understand that the politically safe move would be to kick the can further down the road -- to defer reform one more year, or one more election, or one more term.
 
But that is not what the moment calls for.  That's not what we came here to do.  We did not come to fear the future.  We came here to shape it.  I still believe we can act even when it's hard.  (Applause.)  I still believe -- I still believe that we can act when it's hard.  I still believe we can replace acrimony with civility, and gridlock with progress.  I still believe we can do great things, and that here and now we will meet history's test.
 
Because that's who we are.  That is our calling.  That is our character.  Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.'

Executive Overview

The Obama Plan: Stability & Security for all Americans

The Speech

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT TO A JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS ON HEALTH CARE