The final State of the Union address of any president evokes thoughts that vary with his success while in office. For the successful, such as Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, it is a moment on which to look back with some satisfaction. For President Obama, with only 27 percent of his countrymen believing he leaves a nation that is on the right track, last week’s must evoke in his supporters thoughts of what might have been, if only….
For both the successful and less so it is goodbye to the walk down the aisle to the podium, shaking hands and air kissing admirers, hello to irrelevance as the lame duck president lays out his vision of a future about which he will have little to say. Example: President Obama received the usual numerous standing ovations from members of his party, but when he extolled the virtues of the Trans-Pacific Partnership he hopes will free up trade and set the rules of international commerce for generations to come, only the members of his cabinet rose to their feet in enthusiastic approval, while Democrats sat on their hands, indicating that TPP is unlikely to be approved during his remaining months in office.
