Neither of us in Our House plans to watch the SOTU speech. At his best, President Obama can be an enthralling speaker. But the moment you contemplate the original meaning of the word "enthrall," you'll understand why it is best not to watch the speech.

Forget your real-time response... it's not worth it. Don't be enthralled. Read the transcript and respond primarily analytically, not in the way Mr. Obama doubtless hopes you will respond. You'll notice more details, more choices of word or phrase, more deliberate obfuscations... in other words, you'll come closer to the true content of the speech. It may not be as much fun; it may not be a feel-good experience... but you'll learn something.

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It's finally reliably, steadily cold here, by Houston standards, 30°F, with a forecast high of 34°F and a low tonight of 26°F. The seats, backs and arms of the patio chairs are visibly iced over right now. As recently as last weekend, we were comfortably sitting out there, wearing long sleeves, reading... and we probably will be out there again this weekend. But not right now, thank you...

... is right twice a day, the saying used to go, back when analog clocks were common. According to the GOP, but not to 67% of Americans surveyed, Obama, in that speech, was worse than that stopped clock. He's never right. GOPers will never support anything he proposes, even if that thing is identical to an earlier GOP proposal. Obama can't even appoint a Re-effing-publican to his cabinet without Tea-tard Senator Ted Cruz (R‑Embarrassment) harassing him. That ought to tell everyone what it is they are really opposing (*cough* Black Democratic president *cough*).

Back to the SOTU... I have no love for Obama. I have policy issues piled high. I do not care for the very idea of bipartisanship: as the GOP has proved, strong minority party powers lead to a fracturing of majority ability to govern. And I don't, myself, like all the Re-effing-publicans Obama has appointed. But I have to admit it... the man certainly can speak. If inspiration were the sole task of a president... if moderate-to-liberal-sounding speeches were a substitute for moderate-to-liberal governance... Obama would be a great president. Unfortunately, now we have to live through the (probably vain, possibly deliberately vain) attempts to put any of his great-sounding policies in place.

(I'm getting to be as crotchety an old man as John McCain, and that's embarrassing. At least I'm less likely than he to put my foot in it, specifically, half as likely...)