So what did last night teach us about our president? Mark Halperin runs down the list in his Time blog The Page:
1. He smartly plans to ignore the media’s fetishistic obsession with how he balances optimism and realism.
2. Michelle Obama (and her popularity) will not go unused by the administration as a valuable asset.
3. He appreciates Joe Biden, even when he wants to muzzle him (which
is often) – and Biden is gamely taking to his role as public comic
sidekick.
4. The president has a good ear for the level of populist outrage he
needs to exhibit to satisfy the public’s anger over Wall Street
shenanigans.
5. If Republicans weren’t sufficiently worried about the size and
reach of Obama’s megaphone before Tuesday night, they should ramp up
their concern now.
6. Obama truly believes he is at the beginning of four-year teaching
moment for the American people – and that his students are mature
enough and interested enough to actually learn.
7. He’s Mr. Cool, then, now and forever.
