via whitehouse.gov

Though many parts of his speech incited cheer and laughter, President Barack Obama delivered a strong and forceful message in the State of the Union speech Wednesday night.  ”I don’t quit,” he proclaimed as he vowed to continue to push for change and tackle national deficit, job loss, and big banks among other things.

Despite the tiresome and now weary health care debate, Obama urged for a spirit of resiliency telling Congress  ”Don’t walk away from reform.”  He continued: “Let us find a way to come together and finish the job for the American people.  Let’s get it done.”

In another stab, he called out the seemingly whimpering Dems  stating: “To Democrats, I would remind you that we still have the largest majority in decades, and the people expect us to solve problems, not run for the hills.”

Obama then made mention of the filibuster-threatening Republicans (synonymously known as the party of “No”) saying “Just saying no to everything may be good short-term politics, but it’s not leadership. We were sent here to serve our citizens, not our ambitions.”

The president also used his speech to jab a few at the legislative halting Senate.  In a more indirect way, he began a few statements praising the House for taking steps towards a jobs bill, and then added that, “I urge the Senate to do the same, and I know they will.”  But “I want a jobs bill on my desk,” he demanded afterward.

In a more direct hit, he called out the Senate for preventing the creation of a bipartisan fiscal commission designed to address the country’s deficit.   “Now, yesterday,” he began, “the Senate blocked a bill that would have created this commission. So I’ll issue an executive order that will allow us to go forward, because I refuse to pass this problem on to another generation of Americans.”

However, Obama’s most hard-hitting punch maybe have been aimed at the Supreme Court due to their recent decision to overturn precedent law which limited the amount of funding corporations and lobbyists could donate to political campaigns.  ”With all due deference to separation, last week the Supreme Court reversed a century of law that I believe will open the floodgates for special interests –- including foreign corporations –- to spend without limit in our elections.”  He added “I don’t think American elections should be bankrolled by America’s most powerful interests, or worse, by foreign entities.They should be decided by the American people. And I’d urge Democrats and Republicans to pass a bill that helps to correct some of these problems.”

Obama’s State Of The Union Address was strong and power hitting.  He addressed the issues and changes he plans to carry out while also using logic and sway to get his opposition on board with his agenda.  Using a stern tone, he told us what needed to be done and how it should be done.  Lets see if this overtone will cause hard hitting results.

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) via wikimedia.org

On Wednesday January 6, 2010 Senator Christopher J. Dodd, a Democrat from Connecticut, announced that he will not be running for reelection in the 2010 midterm election. Dodd’s retirement plans were revealed soon after Sen. Byron Dorgan, a Dem from North Dakota, unexpectedly declared that he would be stepping down from his position in the Senate thus making way for Republicans to gain seats and bring an end to the current Dem 60-vote majority.

Dodd’s decision to forego a sixth term reelection came as no surprise being that he would have faced a tough campaign come November against prospective Republican candidates Linda McMahon, the wealthy CEO of WWE, or former Rep. Rob Simmons. Dodd’s popularity took a turn for the worst after his failed attempt for presidency in the 2008 elections and after receiving harsh criticism for being a major player in writing the Wall street bailout package. He was also scrutinized for accepting a low-interest loan from Countrywide Financial. In addition, recent polls show that the incumbent senator is trailing McMahon by a small margin and Simmons by double digits. On the bright side, Dodd’

s retreat allows for Richard Blumenthal, a popular attorney general and stronger Dem candidate, to run for the seat.

Overall, the lost of Democrat seats and the gain of a Republican advantage would be a huge damper to the Dem-controlled senate, especially at a time when they bank on their majority vote to pass Dem supported legislation such as health care reform.

Relishing in the potential to gain seats, TPM reports that the National Republican Senatorial Committee released a statement calling Sen. Dorgan’s decision to step down “another excellent pick-up opportunity for Republicans in 2010,” said the NRSC spokesman Brian Walsh.

Walsh continued to say that Dorgan’

s leave “is indicative of the difficult environment and slumping approval ratings that Democrats face as a result of their out of control tax-and-spend agenda in Washington.”

“We fully intend to capitalize on this opportunity by continuing to recruit strong candidates who can win these seats in November,” he stated.

The Latest: Dodd: ‘This Is My Moment To Step Aside’

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) formally announced his retirement from the senate after a 35 year political run around noon on Wednesday calling it “my moment to step aside.”  He explained that he gave much thought before coming to this conclusion and touched upon the criticisms he faced during his career.  Thanking his Connecticut supporters he said “You honored me beyond words with your confidence.”  He then added that “there been times that my position and actions have caused some of you to question that confidence, I regret that.”   In addition, he mentioned that “I found myself in the toughest political shape of my career.”

Lastly, he remarked that “there is nothing more pathetic, in my view, than a politician who announces that they are only leaving public light to spend more time with their family.”  Though his two young children will benefit from the decision, he continued, they are not the reason for his decision.