(Representative Rodgers responded, "We shouldn't go back to the way things were, but this law is not working. Republicans believe health care choices should be yours, not the government's.")
"America must move off a permanent war footing." Less than a quarter of the President's State-of-the-Union address was devoted to foreign policy. Obama noted that by the end of the year America will complete its Afghanistan mission although "a small force" could remain if the Afghan Government signs a security agreement.
The President had strong words about Iran, defending the negotiations to reduce Iran's nuclear program. "If John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan could negotiate with the Soviet Union, then surely a strong and confident America can negotiate with less powerful adversaries today." "If this Congress sends me a new sanctions bill now that threatens to derail these talks, I will veto it."
(Representative Rodgers didn't discuss Iran or foreign policy, in general.)
76 percent of those who viewed Obama's speech gave it positive marks. The President was positive, action-oriented, and concrete. In contrast, Republican Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers was negative, passive, and vague. Score one for Obama and the Democrats. It will be a long 10 months, but the 2014 mid-term election campaign is off to a good start.
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