I keep trying to find something to say about Obama’s State Of The Union speech, but I’m coming up with nothing. It’s all midnight basketball stuff. You don’t expect soaring oratory in SOTU, no matter who the president is, but this is formless. It sounds like a stump speech; it’s not so much that I disagree with him as I wonder what the point of this speech is. I’m still watching, waiting for the moment when he refers to the Hero In The Rafters, as all presidents seem to do in these speeches. But, yawn.

UPDATE.1: Misty DeMars is the Hero In The Rafters!

UPDATE.2: “Guaranteeing every child access to a world-class education.” Do these pols even believe their own words? I mean, it would be great if that were possible, but it’s not. Why set goals that cannot possibly be met? I know, I know, it’s a futile complaint, but still.

UPDATE.3: This speech ensmallens the president. I think he’s got a story to tell, but he’s not telling it.

UPDATE.4: “The privacy of ordinary people is not being violated.” Wait, what?? Ask your own independent review board, Mr. President.

UPDATE.5: God bless Cory Remsburg! But this too:

Tenth deployment. Think about that for a sec.

— Christopher Hayes (@chrislhayes) January 29, 2014