So the President Gave a Speech Yesterday...

AND IT WAS REALLY GREAT!


[The full transcript is available here.]
There are a lot of things I loved about this speech, a lot, and I really encourage you to watch it and/or read the transcript when you can.

But I'm just going to highlight this one bit, because it's something I've never heard a president say before:

So, look, here's my main point: The primary story that Republicans have been telling about the economy is not supported by the facts. It's just not. They repeat it a lot -- (laughter) -- but it's not supported by the facts. But they say it anyway. Now, why is that? It's because it has worked to get them votes, at least at the congressional level.

Because -- and here, look, I'm just being blunt with you -- by telling hardworking, middle-class families that the reason they're getting squeezed is because of some moochers at the bottom of the income ladder, because of minorities, or because of immigrants, or because of public employees, or because of feminists -- (laughter) -- because of poor folks who aren't willing to work, they've been able to promote policies that protect powerful special interests and those who are at the very top of the economic pyramid. That's just the truth. (Applause.)

I hope you don't mind me being blunt about this, but I've been listening to this stuff for a while now. (Laughter.) And I'm concerned when I watch the direction of our politics. I mean, we have been hearing this story for decades. Tales about welfare queens, talking about takers, talking about the "47 percent." It's the story that is broadcast every day on some cable news stations, on right-wing radio, it's pumped into cars, and bars, and VFW halls all across America, and right here in Elkhart.

And if you're hearing that story all the time, you start believing it.

I have never, ever, heard a United States president call out the scapegoating of feminists by Republicans. Even though it has been happening for decades.

I am so grateful to President Obama for saying that plainly.

And I am so grateful to Hillary Clinton, because I'm pretty sure that her visibility and persistence, despite all that it costs her, has a lot to do with why it's this particular president, her friend, who was the one who said it first.

And I am also grateful to First Lady Michelle Obama, who I suspect deserves some credit, too. *wink*