Demagogue

In all of the commentary about Bush's SOTU address, the blogosphere had very little to say about the Democratic response -- delivered by Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid. (Note: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi had delivered a "pre-buttal" speech before the SOTU.)

I wasn't exactly thrilled when Reid assumed the party's No. 1 Senate post, but I must acknowledge that his Wednesday night speech was a good one -- effective, at least in terms of how he framed the message. Reid's SOTU response suggests that he (or at least his speechwriter) isn't half-bad at crafting a message.

For example, Reid did something in this four-minute speech that I don't recall hearing John Kerry do very well in all of his months of campaigning -- challenge Bush's image as a tax-cutter by pointing to the sizable deficit he's rung up as a hidden tax:

"... after we worked so hard to eliminate the deficit, his policies have added trillions to the debt -- in effect, a 'birth tax' of $36,000 on every child that is born."

Attacking the deficit in general terms pays limited dividends. Usually, the figures quoted are so huge that ordinary Americans can't understand its relevance to their lives. This is a better way to frame it.

Reid also avoided sounding purely obstructionist with phrases such as:

"... when we believe the President is on the right track, we won't let partisan interests get in the way of what's good for the country. We will be first in line to work with him."

"... Democrats will continue to offer real answers ..."

I'm not aware of any "answers" that Dems have offered in the Social Security debate, but, at least within the world of political spin, this is a good tone.

And Reid managed to mix in a little humor. Jon Stewart has no reason to fear that Reid will take his job away, but the Nevada senator (i.e., his speechwriter) did manage to work in a little humor that would play well in Peoria:

"... the Bush plan isn't really Social Security reform. It's more like Social Security roulette. Democrats are all for giving Americans more of a say and more choices when it comes to their retirement savings. But that doesn't mean taking Social Security's guarantee and gambling with it. And that's coming from a Senator who represents Las Vegas."

"... much of what the President offered weren't real answers. You know, today is Groundhog Day. And what we saw and heard tonight was a little like that movie, Groundhog Day. The same-old ideology that we've heard before -- over and over again."

Reid also sought to reclaim the moral real estate from the GOP. He used the words "moral," "God," or "values" five times in a four-minute speech. Those words don't come naturally in my own political lexicon, but, then again, I'm not the kind of voter the Dems need to win back to the fold.