CNN

Mr. Gergen, Pres Obama is here TODAY! U have to tell Me, 44 U.S. President, "IS PRES OBAMA "44th"!

Why do we need David Gergin to tell us how we'll remember this, or any other, presidential speech?

An A from David.... That`s rich . I was very pleased and then some. The speech was fantastic ! I guess David , you thought Mr. Obama was speaking to you , well you`re wrong ! He was speaking to me and millions of other americans who`ve lost their job, or about too! I don`t need you or any of you pundits to decern what I hear or can see with my own eyes and ears . But you can have any interpitation of the speech you want ...... I don`t get paid to analyze like you do , what does not concern me !!!

Surprise, surprise, David Gergen and other members of the "best political team on television," gave Obama's speech two thumbs up. When-oh-when will the slobbering idiot crowd (David, Anderson, Gloria, Roland, Campbell "all bull," Jeffrey Toobin, Don Lemon, Wolf, Cafferty, et al), cease their love affair with Barack H-word Obama? You people have lost all sense of objectivity. You have become a national joke. CNN needs less of D. H. Hughley, Don Lemon, and Carl Bernstein, and more of Kyra Phillips, Lou Dobbs, and Erica Hill.

I love how CNN's pundits complain that Obama's speech isn't "one for the ages" or "well, probably won't be written in history as one of the greatest speeches ever."

Hello? After 8 years of "Is our children learning?" it's OBAMA who has the problem with not making history-book speeches?

This speech will be forgotten when the Dow goes below 7,000.

At last a president that tells it like it is, the unvarnished truth about where we are and what he plans to address it. I noticed that the words, terrorists, and terror were noticeably absent as W would have used.

Now the action can begin. We all have to do our part if we are to succeed.

DAILLY BLOG

GOOD JOB, MR PRESINDENT, IT WAS AN

well done, Mr presindent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, the speech was the best, America is fortune.
Let it be . Amen

It's not accident, when Obama performs just a shade below the superlative. That's his plan. He doesn't want to get by with too much dazzle, because that sets a politician up for a hard fall later. This is how he'll usually conduct himself, even though he always has the rhetorical skill to push things to the max.

I think Gergen is a hypocrate. Have you realized how nowadays his voice is loud on TV than b4 republicans came together on Monday!

I agree that rhetorically it wasn't great, but this is not the time for that. This was a purposeful President letting the Congress, and the American people, know exactly what he intends to do. He was clearly speaking over Congress' heads directly to his viewers, so they, along with him, can hold Congress accountable if they do not act. In that way, and particularly given the strong poll numbers, the speech was a success. We'll know how much of a success in the coming days and weeks. It was also incredibly refreshing listening to a President speak eloquently and treat his audience like intelligent adults.

It's so funny that Gergen has a man crush on Obama. Gergen is seriously patheric. obama could say ANYTHING and Man Lover Gergen would drool....

Honestly, who cares about grading the speech at a time like this? What we need is someone with a plan, and a brain. Those are 2 things the previous president lacked.

David what part didn't soar for you because I finally can see a light at the end of the tunnel this has inspired me to believe that life will get
better and with this speech I can see how we are going to do this and also I can see why he is leading us down this path.

Soaring rhetoric would not have been appropriate for a speech in this situation. He got the crowd on their feet constantly with his eloquent and sincere delivery and there was more bipartisan response than there has been in years. He was inspriring, thoughtful, honest, even a bit humorous and was emotional where it counted. I think he would have been criticized if he had gone overboard with rhetoric. He balanced his speech well and it was really enjoyable to listen to. How many times can you say that about a political speech?

Great speech

What is it about CNN "pundits"...are your salaries tied to how many criticisms you can come up with even when you contradict them and they make no sense??

I really tried to listen but I dont think he came off as genuine. The republican party is just burned way to many bridges and most of America KNOWS what they have done and till they REALLY actknowledge it without a fallow up of blame game they will keep digging a hole. Everything they do comes off as Pandering, Palin, Steele, and now Mr jindal... the sooner they get its more than color of ones skin that gives confidence. the better off the party will be

I give it an A+.

PRESIDENT OBAMA'S SPEECH = "SOLUTIONS, CLARITY, HOPE".

GOVERNOR JINDAL'S SPEECH = "MORE OF THE SAME OLD STALE GOP BS".

I just give up on the GOP:-(

I thought his speech was smart and well done. He spoke to the concerns of all people. Well thought out. I am proud to call him Mr. President.

David, I agree with your strong A for the president's speech. Many Americans prefer inspiring substance in leadership over rhetoric.

Mr. Gergen what do you know? Just because Anderson Cooper treats you as a god-does not make it true. It was a great speech and it WILL be historic. I respect your commentary but disagree with you tonight.

I thought that the President's speech this evening was balanced, reasoned and well delivered. This is not necessarily the time for "soaring rhetoric", but more for an honest, sobering , yet hopeful and uplifting appraisal of where we are today and where we need to move direct our country 's efforts tomorrow. Obama is walking a fine line between political diatribe and genuinely attempting to change how things work in the beltway.

Conversely, I found Gov. Jindals response on behalf of the Republicans to be, at first, painfully fawning and somewhat condecending and then, later in his speech, an utterly jingoistic echoing of the Neo-Cons failed and supremely flawed agenda. In particular, the closing of his zombie-like oration was a regurgitation of the same tired appeals to nationalism and patriotism which the prior administration bludgeoned the American public with while they marched our country right over a cliff, like we were just so many lemmings.

His not-so-hidden message seemed to be much akin to W's "Mission Accomplished" moment, as in; we elected our first chief executive of color and "defeated discrimination" in the United States in the process. My goodness, does the Governor live in the same country as me and does he actually preside over a state free of said discrimination. Methinks that Mr. Jindal compromised a truthful and realistic viewpoint by substituting a very unsure and ingenuine canned spiel for a valid and accurate presentation of the perspective from the other side of the aisle.

If I am wrong about this point, then, ultimately, his message was that the Republicans, while proud of seeing a black man elected to this contry's highest office, really have no intention of cooperating with him in any way that represents true bipartisanship.

Gov. Bobby Jindal's Speech:

~clears throat~

Hello boys and girls of America. My name is Bobby Jindal and I'm gonna tell you a story. You ready? Here goes. Once upon a time, a big bad hurricane named Katrina hit a state called Louisiana. A deputy was steaming mad cause folks said boats couldn't come. But, gee golly, we fixed them. (Insert laughter). That's exactly why we can't support this American reinvestment act.

Unlike the president Obama–a president whom we're all proud of–a president born of a Kenyan father and a white woman; I don't believe our economy will burn in the flames of hell. Instead, I believe we will all live happily ever after.

Gov. Jindal's speech speech was amazingly condescending and sophomoric. If he's Obama's competition in 2012, the comedians will have a field day.

He can read well... but no substance.. all talk... no action.

Obama cannot stare into the American Publics eyes- he is a LIAR!
He should be Impeached!

You media types are something else...If his rhetoric soars, it is unrealistc and airy fairy – If it serves the president extremely well with the public, then it does not soar....For this Partial Observer, It both soared & scored! And many feel as I do! Way To Go Mr. President!

By now we all know that Obama is a gifted speaker. But the contrast to Bush43 is staggering. It is not just that he is an accomplished orator, he comes across as highly intelligent, forward thinking, practical and just plain smart. The more we know of Obama, the worse Bush is remembered, if that is possible.

i think he did well.

i'm wanting to see congress actually do as well.
no vote of confidence in congress let alone my own that was sent there.

All I heard was blah, blah, blah! He's diminishing our Hope! Us little people who live paycheck to paycheck working for the government for $35k or less a year aren't even mentioned.

I will take curry sauce on them crawdaddys please!

I thought it was very impressive. He put forth a lot of benchmarks to be measured up to. He did come through with some needed optimisim and gave an invigorating approach as opposed to the hogwash we usually get from politicians.

NOw America has a statesman equal to the task at hand.
I love this country.

I thought he had a great moment when he cited the fact that the China is taking the lead in new energy and that we have fallen behind in Solar energy as well.
The remark about building plug in hybrids but still having a Korean battery was well received in my household.

It was refreshing to hear us be challenged to regain our compettitive edge again with opportunities in green energy and manufacturing making it possible.
I feel good tonite and hopeful.

More than anything, I want to 'do'

My my my. Give the President a break David! I didn't fall asleep. I actually listened and clearly understood what the President was conveying. After the previous eight years of Bush speeches (paragraphs) this is extremely refreshing!

Maybe Gergen would like to get his old behind up there and do better since he seems to think his suggestions are always the right one. Maybe he should've run for office then.

I was disappointed that he did not announce removal of the "cap" on Social Security. We need to remove that cap. I'm also disappointed there wasn't much on Veteran's Health Benefits and the backlog that is keeping my husband, a Vietnam Vet from getting any answers for at least a year! He could not tell them "wait a year" when ordered to Vietnam!

I love you David Gergen, but every speech obama gives must not soar.

There is a time and place for that. He will give a huge inspirational speech a few months from now to the ppl not CONGRESS.

but in general if every speech obama gives is suppose to be inspirational or go into the history books as one of the greatest ...then none of them will.

time and place for everything. u dont get a country completely riled up by talking in congress... u go to the ppl themselves. however he did do some of that tonite.

It is unlikely that anyone disagrees with the staement that both the President and the Govenor made tonight. "Americans can do anything". What is equally unlikely is that bipartisanship will not happen; the players are too vested in their ptower. The common love of America seem to be trumped by the love of power. Imagine what could happen if there was true bipartisanship.

Awesome, Awesome Mr. President....I am so proud of you.... Repubs you know it was awesome

The speech was exactly what it needed to be which was not talking over the head of American people. We are really tired of people playing games with our mind. Now we are tuned into what is going on with the government and the people are taking a more active role. We know the details of how to overcome some of this deficit when the real numbers are shown. You have to realize no one has ever shown us the real numbers.

Obama scores a "A" Jindal scores a "F".

you are the onr Gergen I thought the president did the excellent job excpet Borger who think the president should be given the solid B which is to me.

Republicans want bi-partisianship but I feel that the President has more than extended his hand across the other side of the aisle.
By the look on the republicans faces of cynicalizm and the republicans response to the Presidents speech, the republicans have not extended their hand an inch.
They need to put aside their personal ideology and old school thinking and do what is right for this country-help the ordinary people get back their dreams which get crushed so many times.

Bobby Jindal speech was pathetic! The repug's need to find a real leader and the ones they have chosen will keep the dem's control for over 8 years. Just Pathetic!

Mr. President – Wonderful and I'm even inspired to do my part. My family have started thinking about our bad decisions and we are now turning things around for the sake of our family and the US. Independent voter but now I truly wished I had voted for you. You have definitely done more in 30 days than any other POTUS before U. Good Luck and thanks for being the President for the PEOPLE!

We would not expect for CNN to give Obama anything but an A since they got him elected.

I agree... perfect speech!!!!!

Didn't soar? What speech were you watching?