As everyone knew from yesterday’s FAQ, I wasn’t exactly expecting greatness from the President last night. So last night’s speech came as an extremely pleasant surprise. While I’m not sure I’d go so far as to call it a homerun, it was certainly a base hit. Below, some scattered thoughts on the festivities:

1) FINALLY – The President finally used the words “radical” and “Islam” in the same sentence. He also did a decent job of putting the Iraq war in context. The battle against Radical Islam is actually a complex topic. Even our brilliant solons often wear the dunce cap on the matter, not knowing basic stuff like whether Al Qaeda is a Sunni or Shiite group.

So I really liked the fact that the President gave a little crash course on the wider conflict last night. I also really liked the fact that there was at least a bipartisan show of approval for the notion that Iran can’t be allowed to get nuclear weapons. It was the President’s most intellectually honest address on the war since the one he gave a few days after 9/11. Let’s give the man his due.

2) THE NIGHT OF THE BLINKING PELOSI? – I’ve gotten a lot of emails on how much Pelosi blinked last night. Regrettably, at Southern Soxblog Manor, we are living in the dark ages and I am forced to watch TV on low-def and without widescreen. On my TV, I couldn’t see Pelosi’s eyes so I have no idea what all the fuss is about. It sounds like I really missed something, though.

3) THE DOMESTIC AGENDA – Maybe it reflects my evolution or devolution into a single issue voter (the single issue being the war), but the stuff on domestic policy bored me to tears. I’m also aware that even if I rediscover my fire for domestic policy initiatives, nothing good will happen with a Democratic congress, especially this Democratic congress which is relentlessly hostile to all things Bush.

4) THE LONG WALK HOME – The second best part of the night for Bush was the extended coverage of his walking down the aisle after the address. He’s so good with people. I know you could say it was just respect for the office that made Democratic lawmakers clamor to get him to sign their printed copies of the speech, but I think that sails wide of the mark. Somehow I don’t think Cindy Sheehan would have used the close access to the president to seek his John Hancock.

On a related note, why don’t we get to see that Bush more? Can’t the great brains in the White House figure out some way to get that guy before the public more often?

5) HEROES AMONG US – The salute to people in the gallery was started by Ronald Reagan. A couple of weeks before Reagan’s 1982 SOTU, a government employee named Lenny Skutnick dove into the frozen Potomac to save a woman who had been on an airliner that had crashed. Reagan’s people put Skutnick in the gallery and Reagan saluted his bravery during the speech. The Gipper did it first, and he did it best. No one knew it was coming, and Skuttnick really did embody “the spirit of American heroism” as Reagan put it.

The tradition has since devolved to the point where the creator of Baby Einsteins, whatever that is, can now get the Skuttnick treatment if she plays her cards right. But credit where it’s due: That guy who saved the guy in the New York subway – there’s a hero. You’d have to be made of stone to not appreciate what he did, and the President's tribute to him.

6) THE MUPPET RETORTS – J-Pod said that Jim Webb looked like a Muppet giving the rebuttal. I don’t really agree. I thought he just looked like a 60 year old guy doing something really weird with his alleged hair to try to look young. But I still thought his speech wreaked.

It was petty. The whole “you should have listened to me” talking point is immature. If the Democrats are going to spend the next two years saying “Nyah, Nyah, Nyah” they’ll see their electoral good fortune crumble. Fast.

For some reason, the guys on TV seemed to adore Webb’s rebuttal. At around midnight, Andrew Sullivan was on MSNBC clucking out some inanity about Webb’s testosterone. I don’t get it. I don’t think America will either. People don’t like “I told you so’s”, even if they’re skillfully delivered. Which this one wasn’t.

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