Facing the Judges

President Obama's big speech to Congress bumped American Idol back a night. I am not sure that is the way to win over the American voters (Idol viewers do vote!). To fill the void, I wondered what the four judges might say to the President once the speech was over. (Disclaimer: I am not trying to ascribe any political views to the four judges, I have no idea where they stand.)

Randy: That was the bomb! You had the dog pound jumping up and down, I thought Nancy was going to break a hip back there. I loved it. The riffs about clean energy and health care, I wasn't sure if you could keep it all together, but you did. I want to see more, yeah! Yeah!

Kara: Actually it was a bit of a letdown for me. I remember when we first saw you back in Iowa and New Hampshire and you were all about hope and change and "yes we can". It just seems like you haven't quite gotten that back. It wasn't bad, but I was hoping for a little more of that guy we loved so much back in the auditions.

Paula: You're just the best. You're just wonderful. You brought tears to me eyes. Just, oh I am too overcome with emotion...you're the best.

Simon: It wasn't memorable. If you are going to do Roosevelt, Kennedy or Reagan, you have got to really make it memorable and I don't know that you did. Health care, the environment, education, we have heard all of this. The red tie and the blue suit, so predictable. You needed to do something to really make you stand out and show us what kind of President you are going to be and I don't think you did that tonight. Sorry.

So that is how I think last night would have played out with the Judges.

A couple of my own observations. First, Nancy Pelosi needs to calm down. She looked like a jack in the box back there jumping up and down. At least let the man finish a sentence before leaping to your feet to applaud.
Second, the U.S. Congress is really old. Not that I have anything against older Americans, I am rapidly becoming one of them, but that Congress looked ancient. The speech looked a little like the high school "what should we do about America" essay winner speaking to the local senior citizens' center.
Finally, and this is a big one: some members of Congress got into a seat at 8:30 in the morning so they could be right on the aisle and shake the President's hand when he came down at nine o'clock that night. We have members of Congress who can devote 13 hours to sitting in a chair so they get a two second handshake and a picture? Congress has become like teenagers hoping to get a glimpse of the Jonas Brothers. I am so glad they are in charge of our future.
The speech was big and the promises were bigger. There was a little more determination and optimism than we have previously seen, but as I write the markets are not jumping for joy. I think the President is determined, but looking at the Congress, I am afraid they are planning business as usual (please Speaker Pelosi, sit down, that was not meant to be an applause line!).