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Obama to Congress

So Obama will address a joint session of Congress next week to discuss healthcare reform. Obviously, it'll be high stakes, and equally obviously, I'll be having lots to say about it in the days to come.

For now, it's worth nothing that it's also high stakes for the Republicans. You can bet they won't be cheering much. But if they sit on their hands and look ungracious and snarly and surly, they'll make their base happy, but they'll turn moderates off.

I remember being in the room for Bill Clinton's 1999 State of the Union address -- the highest political drama I've ever witnessed personally. The Senate impeachment trial was going on at that very moment. The Republicans in the House despised him. Some of my American readers may recall that Tom DeLay and Dick Armey pointedly refused to applaud once during the entire night. Well, maybe they applauded as he entered the hall, but that was about it. They sat there with their arms folded, scowling.

It was commented on at the time. But these days, video footage like that would be replayed constantly and mashed up in a hilarious variety of ways. So I hope the nasties of the right stay true to form.

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