Liveblogging the President's Address

by Timothy Foley · 2009-02-24 17:50:00 UTC
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Welcome to the liveblog for the Presidential Address to Congress.  Although it will look and feel like a State of the Union, it's not -- Obama will need to have been President for a while in order for him to be expected to deliver that specific address.  However, addresses of both houses of Congress is an honor given to the president in a variety of circumstances, and a prerogative both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush took at the start of their terms.

Once the event begins, you'll see my updates in the CoverItLive.com window below (and many thanks to managing editor of change.org Josh Levy for helping me to set it up.)  You'll be able to use the interface to make comments and, to the extent that I'm able, I'll make the best comments visible and try to respond to them where possible.  Per the change.org comment policy, I will not be making comments that are irrelevant, off-topic or contain inappropriate or ad hominem language visible.

As we're minutes away from the big event, some quick expectations:  3 things I expect, and 3 things I don't expect:

  1. Substantial time given to health care, though not as much as our economic outlook overall

  2. Reinforcing the message that fixing health care is necessary to fixing the economy, and also necessary for the federal government's long-term solvency

  3. Lots of typos when I begin the live portion

What I don't expect:

  1. A promise to achieve universal coverage in 2009.  Obama has always been careful to cite that as a goal for the end of his first term.  I do expect him to signal his intention to extend coverage to all, but with enough leeway that it doesn't have to happen this year.

  2. A complete White House plan, a la Bill Clinton in October, 1993.  Obama has clearly indicated that he expects Congress to take the lead in crafting the legislation.

  3. All gloom and doom.  This is President Barack Obama -- the hope guy.  He'll find a way to make it all sound possible, if difficult.

Timothy Foley Tim has been an online organizer and blogger on health care policy for the Obama for America campaign and the Committee of Interns and Residents/SEIU Healthcare.
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