THE STATE OF THE UNION: more than an address

We are just one day away from President Obama's first official State of the Union Address, and I am anxious. Oh, he will present it with great oratory skill, and there will be the usual applause, standing, sitting, and ceremony to which I have referred before. It's not the presentation which gives me anxiety...it is the plan which begins a minute after the speech which makes me nervous.

This President who was elected by a massive, trusting electorate, is struggling to be effective just one year later. Not only are his polls down, but even among supportive people like myself, there is a growing sense of impotence in the job. It has taken less than a year for the hope of a new democracy to fade to a disappointment level which frightens me.

A disclaimer: I have not given up on Barack Obama's ability to govern this nation. I continue to believe in him and to support him. But I would be less than honest if I didn't express a concern about his governance quotient. We're not getting where we want to be and the credentials required to get there are fading into the mist.

I want to be perfectly candid and say that I believe this is a direct result of the betrayal of Democrats. I was tempted to lengthen that sentence to add softer qualifiers, but I won't. I think it stands by itself. The Party which selected Obama, groomed him, encouraged him, fought for him, and spent an enormous amount of time and money getting him elected ran for cover at the first signs of faltering. I believe he has received bad advice from administration leaders and party leaders who then avoided blame and scurried into the mist, leaving him standing alone at difficult times. I am shocked at the intimidation I have sensed in men and women who should be strong.

There is no question that the President has pursued causes which have brought about doubt...and even anger. It is the kind of anger that has rallied his opponents and strengthened the Independents and cross-over Republicans who took a risk and supported him for election. The Massachusetts senatorial election was a barometer of that emotion.

The Health Care debacle has been poorly managed and is now almost an embarrassment. Making it the hallmark of his young presidency may have been too much, too soon. The crisis in the economy deserves greater attention, and the Health Care battle, important as it is, sticks out as a denial of urgent priorities.

There was a time in October and November when a bipartisan bill was attainable; Democratic party leaders rejected it to fight for personal agendas...and it is those personal agendas which have eaten away at the cause bringing it to a place where the whole thing could fail. Ideological footstomping and mudslinging (on both sides of the aisle) destroyed what could have been a historic victory for this President. Should he have played a different role in the debate? Probably. He trusted his leadership and they were not trustworthy.

Now I see Democratic leadership abandoning ship at a time when they are most needed. Their eyes are on their own political ambitions and not on the promise of a new way of governing which they promised a year ago. It is clear that the electorate is charged up with anger and the November elections will be difficult and risky. Those who place themselves in positions of leadership for this country should be willing to bulk up and restore faith in a new democracy instead of cowering in the mist watching Obama's credibility fade.

President Obama is not immune from criticism. This has been a year of learning for him. But the experienced leadership surrounding him has not been effective in assisting him through a difficult time.

It is not too late for President Obama to regain momentum. This is only the first of four years of his term as President. Our expectations and hopes need not disappear. But this is not a time to exercise denial and a puffy "stand fast" with the existing agenda. The State of the Union address he delivers tomorrow night and the plan he articulates must be about restoring faith in his ability to govern. In order for that to happen the people who believe in him and have agreed to serve with him must stand up and cheer...not at the speech...but at the revised agenda which is necessary and attainable.

Someone in last night's news used the phrase that President Obama needs to "lead with his heart and not his brain." I don't want him to abandon his intelligence in favor of his emotions. But a healthy combination of them would be a welcome sight at The State of the Union address.

Photo Credit:AP Photo/Gerald Herbert