From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
President Obama made an appearance as a third CBS commentator at the
Georgetown-Duke men's college basketball game here at the Verizon Center.

The president looked like he was having fun, joked that he was coming after
Clark Kellogg's job and about his appearance at the House Republican Conference
on Friday.

After showing the 2008 footage of Obama playing with the eventual National
Champion North Carolina Tar Heels, CBS play-by-play man Verne Lundquist asked,
"Mr. President, you're a left-hander, do you have any trouble going to
your right?"

Recognizing the double entendre in the question, Obama said (loosely based on
quick notes): "I can go to my right now and then. I went to the House
Republican caucus the other day. But there's no doubt I have a stronger left
hand."

No doubt.

Pundits pondered what George W. Bush might do post-presidency. One prevailing
idea is that it wouldn't be shocking if he became commissioner of Major League
Baseball, considering his former part ownership of the Texas Rangers and his
all-around love of sports. (Anyone who watched the Dallas Cowboys in the
playoffs saw him sitting in owner Jerry Jones' box and exchanging an elongated,
adapted version of a hybrid high five and hand shake.)

Obama gave some hint as to what he might do post-presidency.

"After retirement I'm coming after your job," said a smiling Obama,
headphones on, to Clark Kellogg, who Obama lauded as the best color commentator
in college basketball. "You've either got three more years or seven, so
you should make plans … because I'm going to do some play by play."

Obama got a small tryout. Lundquist asked if he'd like to try the replay of
after a score by the Hoyas' star center Greg Monroe.

"This was a terrific spin move, and he didn't get any
help coming back," Obama said.

Not bad, Lundquist and Kellogg conceded.

By the way, for all the Duke haters, Obama left with just
over a minute to go -- with Georgetown up 87-70. Lundquist called it a new
statistic, that when the president leaves, it's officially over.

A look at the week ahead in politics.

Previewing the Illinois races to fill the seats once held by Rod Blagojevich and Barack Obama ... Going Tea Partying in Nashville ... Jobs bill in the Senate ... Don't Ask, Don't Tell debate ... Obama to New Hampshire ... And a skeptical Week Ahead audience member.

HERE'S THE FULL VIDEO.

A brief clip is below:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

From NBC's Ali Weinberg
A day after speaking in front of cheering supporters, President Obama faced a respectful but markedly less warm crowd today, addressing the leaders of his party's opposition at the very forum where they will be planning their own political strategy.

While his opening salvo at today's House Republican Issues Retreat contained a call for cooperation, the president spent most of an hour-long question and answer session trading barbs with the opposition over matters of policy and politics.

Echoing a theme of his State of the Union address, Obama urged an end to partisan gridlock, saying, "Americans didn't send us to Washington to fight in some sort of political cage match to see who comes out alive." And he praised Republicans for their consensus on issues like national security and education, thanking them--as well as Democrats -- "for reaching across the aisle." But starting with the first question, from Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana, on, President Obama was met with Republican claims that Democrats were overly dismissive of the GOP's ideas.

Referring to the stimulus under Democrats' Economic Recovery Act, Pence suggested Democrats forced "a piecemeal list of projects and boutique tax cuts" through Congress to stave off the 8% unemployment rate, though unemployment has since climbed to 10%. Pence also asked if Democrats would be willing to accept an "across-the-board" tax cut that he said would have created twice as many jobs as half the cost of the Democratic plan.

Obama pushed back on the implication that skyrocketing unemployment was the direct result of his stimulus, citing the time frame of his presidency: "We had lost 650,000 jobs in December.  I'm assuming you're not faulting my policies for that.  We had lost, it turns out, 700,000 jobs in January, the month I was sworn in.  I'm assuming it wasn't my administration's policies that accounted for that.  We lost another 650,000 jobs the subsequent month, before any of my policies had gone into effect," Obama said.

Shifting to offense, Obama pointed out that one aspect of the Democratic plan--infrastructure investment--was later embraced by Republicans for political gain: "A lot of you have gone to appear at ribbon-cuttings for the same projects that you voted against."

Obama also addressed criticism from freshman Rep. Jason Chaffetz of Utah, who voiced his disappointment that Democrats did not follow through on several promises that had originally inspired him, including broadcasting health care negotiations on C-SPAN and bringing lobbyists into senior White House positions.

"I applauded you when you said it, and was disappointed when you didn't," Chaffetz said.

Before Chaffetz could register more concerns, Obama asked for the floor. "That was a long list, so let me respond," Obama said, laughing. After explaining to Chaffetz the logistical impossibility of C-SPAN broadcasts and the nature of the lobbyists, "like a doctor who ran Tobacco-Free Kids," in his administration, he encouraged Chaffetz, as a new member of Congress, to work with his colleagues to change the tenor on Capitol Hill.

"The challenge I guess I would have for you as a freshman, is what are you doing inside your caucus to make sure that I'm not the only guy who is responsible for this stuff, so that we're working together, because this is going to be a process?" Obama told Chaffetz.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
President Obama's hour-long discussion with House Republicans was remarkable for the bluntness of the conversation. It was certainly good TV.

It is also a reminder that this is a president who went through some 40 debates with Hillary Clinton and three nationally televised ones with John McCain -- and is very comfortable taking on those who might disagree with him.

One exchange with Texas Congressman Jeb Hensarling on the budget was particularly pointed on both sides. Obama challenged fact-checkers to say who had the facts on their side. Politifact has taken up the challenge. We'll see what they have to say.

NBC's Kelly O'Donnell reports that this is how Republican House aides are framing their assessment of the president's visit -- as a means to diffuse the label "party of no."

"The 'party of no' attack is dead," one aide said. "We're very pleased with how that came out. Our members focused on our better solutions, the president acknowledged that he has seen and even read some of them, and we had a spirited debate on the issues. No Democrat -- not the DNC, not Gibbs, no one on the Hill -- can use 'party of no' ever again because they will be contradicting the President of the United States."

*** UPDATE *** In responding to the House GOP aide's statement, a Democratic strategist told First Read:

"That's ridiculous. First of all, if all they do is vote, "No," on bills just for the sake of stoking their base, as they did for a year, they will never escape the 'Party of No' label. But what the president really did was obliterate a host of phony GOP talking points on everything from health care to the debt. They can't keep blaming him for a debt they created with George Bush; they can't keep calling health reform a government takeover because he rammed that one down their throats; and they can't keep dissing the Recovery Act when the president pointed out that they have been attending the ribbon cuttings of its projects. If any Republican believes that they got the better of this exchange, they are delusional."

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

From NBC's Lisa Myers
Rielle Hunter has gone to court and won a restraining order to keep former John Edwards aide Andrew Young from making public a video and photos taken by her.

This includes what is described as a "very private and personal" tape.

Young said in his book that he found a video of Hunter and Edwards having a sexual encounter. Hunter also has sued him for invasion of privacy.

From NBC's David Gregory
NBC's Pete Williams reports this morning that the Justice Department will almost certainly move the trial of 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed from New York City.

The decision to give him legal standing in our civilian courts as well as security concerns about a trial in lower Manhattan made it a controversial call from the start.

Now New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has changed his position, saying the trial would hurt business. He suggests a military base.

The president has told people he prefers a civilian trial because terrorists would use the result of a military commission as a recruiting tool. Would it be any more of a tool than a conviction in a civilian court where KSM could spew his venom for everyone to see?

Furthermore, while proponents of a trial in NY say it would showcase the best legal system in the world, the reality is that even if KSM were to be acquitted, the U.S. has no intention of letting him go. It's a serious debate.

For more, read Gregory's blog.

From NBC's Shawna Thomas
BALTIMORE -- The question-and-answer session between House GOP members and President Obama is now going to be open to the press. 

Previously, just his speech was open to the press.

*** UPDATE *** GOP Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) held an off-camera/on-the-record talk with the press. He reiterated that they invited the President here and look forward to finding a way towards compromise.  However, he followed that with: "Before we can talk about compromise there has to be, the Democratic in the White and Congress have to abandone the habit of reflexively rejecting every idea just because it comes from Republicans."

Speaking with one congressman here on the elevator, I asked him how he felt about the Q-and-A being open to the press. He replied that he was hoping it would be a "family" discussion and that he was now concerned that the President would not have the same answers he would've had if the Q&A had remained closed.

Last night, the White House called the GOP leadership and asked for the Q&A to be open to the press, the leadership agreed.

*** UPDATE 2 *** In anticipation of the president's speech, GOP leadership is calling the White House's "Small Business Jobs and Wages Tax Cut" the "Return of the Jimmy Carter Tax Credit." That's how Pence (R-IN) referred to the plan this way this morning.

The New York Times' Hulse: "[M]embers of the conservative Republican House Conference say they are itching to quiz the president and present their policy ideas rather than listen to another lofty presidential address. ... Pence promised the president would get an earful in only his second meeting with House Republicans, whose main goal this year is to take back control of the House in the November elections and force the president to contend with them as a more equal partner next year."

More: "Such sessions are typically closed and Republicans said they initially assumed the White House would want to continue that practice. But after an exchange with the White House, Republicans decided to allow press coverage rather than be portrayed as trying to keep the meeting behind closed doors."

Expect a chilly reception when Obama addresses House Republicans in Baltimore… Economy grew 5.7% in 4th quarter… It's looking like the White House will move the KSM trial from New York… Michael Steele continues to make news, even in Hawaii… First Read's Top 10 primaries of 2010… And Mark Sanford got more praise than Lindsey Graham did at last night's South Carolina GOP gubernatorial debate.

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** A chilly reception? Pick your adage -- "If at first your don't succeed, try, try again," or "Stupidity is doing the same thing over and over but expecting a different result." Around noon ET today, President Obama addresses the House GOP retreat in Baltimore, where he's expected to again call for Republicans to work with the White House like he did in Wednesday's State of the Union and yesterday in Florida. But Republicans aren't having any of it. In an interview with Politico, House Minority Whip Eric Cantor accused Obama of "lecturing" Republicans. "I felt like he was admonishing Congress and certainly lecturing Republicans," he said, "accusing us of being an obstructionist party, when what it is we're about is trying to focus on the issue, which is control the spending and let's go about creating an environment for jobs. ... [The] president says he's going to be open to discussion. We're all about going and participating with him." And here's what Minority Leader John Boehner said yesterday: "[T]here was nothing last night, in the president's speech that there was any willingness to sit down and work together."

*** Dog-and-pony show: It's worth pointing out that, substantively, today's Obama-House GOP meeting is a bit meaningless. Why? Minority parties in the House don't govern; it's the minority party in the Senate that has real power. It would be more useful for Obama to address Senate Republicans, but not their colleagues in the House. Today's meeting helps both sides look bipartisan -- potentially, we might add -- but little will come of this. Before he speaks to House Republicans, President Obama tours a local small business in Baltimore, and then makes remarks on the economy and a jobs tax credit at 11:25 am ET. By the way, note that yesterday's trip to Florida, the event in Baltimore today, and the New Hampshire stop early next week are all examples of the type of schedule the White House hopes to keep for the near term as the goal is to get the president outside of Washington as much as possible.

*** Today's biggest news? The economy grew 5.7% in the 4th quarter of 2009. The AP says it's the second-straight quarter of growth and fastest since 2003… Cue all the GOP press releases about a jobless recovery. But the economy is clearly growing. Are jobs, always a lagging indicator, about to move, too?

*** Did Mike Bloomberg actually help the White House? Per NBC's Pete Williams, two Justice Department officials say a New York Daily News report -- that the White House has ordered the department to consider places other than New York to put Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and other 9/11 detainees on trial -- is wrong. "The White House hasn't ordered us to do anything," one official says. But it is increasingly clear, Williams adds, that the Justice Department is under intense pressure to consider conducting these trials elsewhere. A senior Justice official said last night that "everyone is aware of the changing realities, and it would be unwise not to look at contingency plans." The official says that department officials have told the White House that they would begin doing so. On Thursday, an official told WNBC's Jon Dienst that during the Mayor Michael Bloomberg's phone conversation today with Attorney General Eric Holder, Bloomberg asked him to consider other locations. Bottom line: The administration is paving the way for holding these trials somewhere other than New York City. And it is beginning to look like a change will almost certainly be made, though not within the next few days. The idea of holding these trials in Manhattan is all but dead. In our NBC/WSJ poll from earlier this month, an overwhelming majority said they DIDN'T support allowing terrorist suspects to have the same legal rights as U.S. citizens have. Bloomberg may very well have bailed out the White House (and Democrats running in 2010), because Republicans have made it clear they want to make the terror trial debate a big campaign issue this year.

*** Steele making news in Hawaii: Being thousands of miles away hasn't stopped RNC Chairman Michael Steele from making news. At the RNC's winter meeting in Hawaii yesterday, Politico reports, Steele got testy with reporters asking him questions about his performance as chair. "Asked about the party's fundraising … the chairman demanded of a reporter: 'Check your facts.' 'But get it right, because you've been getting it wrong,' he said." More: "Asked by the reporter if the members want to have him, the chairman shot back: 'Yeah, did you get intel otherwise? You know something I don't know?' When the reporter noted that Republicans had grumbled privately about Steele, the chairman replied with a dose of sarcasm, 'Oh, they've said critical things privately to you?' He continued: 'Well, I'm sure they have and I look forward to that conversation publicly.'"

*** First Read's Top 10 primaries: Last Friday, we took a look at the Top 10 Senate takeovers. Today, with the first 2010 primary just four days away, we take a look at the Top 10 primaries of 2010:

1. FL SEN (R): It epitomizes the current ideological divide within the GOP, and Rubio is now in driver's seat
2. TX GOV (R): The Perry-vs.-Hutchison Lone Star showdown takes place 32 days from today; everything is BIGGER in Texas, right?
3. PA SEN (D): This is Crist vs. Rubio, but on the Democratic side…
4. AZ SEN (R): Could the GOP's '08 standard-bearer lose his primary? Right now, McCain has a comfortable lead in the polls, but this contest remains one to watch; what's more, McCain has made some dramatic changes in the last six months in how he votes and what he says in preparation for a serious conservative challenge
5. IL SEN (D) and GOV (D): Not only are these the first primaries of the year, these contests are shaping up to be good races, too; a sitting governor just might lose his primary, which doesn't happen often
6. SC GOV (R): Is there another GOP gubernatorial primary with more rising stars in their respective state than this one? And as we all know, South Carolina politics can be absolutely nasty…
7. NY SEN (D): Harold Ford Jr. isn't officially in yet, but this could be the best primary by the summer…
8. NY GOV (D): Andrew Cuomo isn't in either, and David Paterson isn't out. But both these things could change in a couple of months
9. KY SEN (R): Can Ron Paul's son, Rand, ride the Tea Party wave to beat the establishment favorite, Trey Grayson?
10. UT SEN (R): The best GOP ideological fight that no one is paying attention to.

*** Last night's S.C. debate: In Thursday night's GOP gubernatorial debate in South Carolina moderated by MSNBC's Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, the four candidates were asked who better represents their values -- Jim DeMint or Lindsey Graham. Two ducked the question (Rep. Gresham Barrett and state AG Henry McMaster) and two answered DeMint (Andre Bauer and Nikki Haley). In fact, Haley was the only one who said she would have voted to censure Graham for his support for cap-and-trade and immigration reform. "If they are not conservative, we don't need to support them," she said. Also, a good portion of the debate was devoted to outgoing Gov. Mark Sanford, who was in attendance. Asked whether Sanford was an effective governor, all of them said yes. Bottom line: Sanford was praised more at the debate than Graham, which when you think about is absolutely stunning…

Countdown to IL primary: 4 days
Countdown to TX primary: 32 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 277 days

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The tide is starting to turn on holding the trial of KSM in New York City.
 
The New York Daily News calls it "Obama's Big Apple Turnover": "The White House ordered the Justice Department Thursday night to consider other places to try the 9/11 terror suspects after a wave of opposition to holding the trial in lower Manhattan." 
 
The New York Post on its cover writes, "Bam blinks."

"Mr. Obama will travel to Baltimore to announce specifics of his jobs plan, including a proposed $5,000 tax credit for small businesses for each new employee they hire in 2010. While there, he will address House Republicans at a retreat they are holding," the New York Times reports. "The instant Republican resistance to the jobs plan -- coupled with a vote this week to kill a deficit-reduction panel that had been initiated with high bipartisan hopes -- illustrated the chasm between the two parties and the difficulties Mr. Obama faces if he is serious about trying to work with an energized opposition." 

"Emboldened by an unexpected victory in Massachusetts and frustrated with a "partisan" State of the Union address, House Republicans are eager to meet with President Barack Obama on Friday," The Hill writes.

The Washington Post notes that the legal community is divided over Obama calling out the Supreme Court during his State of the Union address, and Justice Samuel Alito appearing to utter, "Not true." 

"A day after President Obama called on them to renew efforts to pass his ambitious agenda, congressional Democrats remained in disarray Thursday about how to move forward, with at least some pointing at the White House as the cause of the legislative standstill gripping Capitol Hill," the Washington Post says.

The Wall Street Journal: "Ben Bernanke won the backing of the Senate for a second four-year term as chairman of the Federal Reserve by a comfortable margin Thursday. Even with that storm behind him, Mr. Bernanke faces formidable political and economic challenges made tougher by the bruising confirmation fight."

"Weeks of criticism from Congress -- and moments during which his confirmation prospects seemed uncertain -- have weakened Mr. Bernanke's political standing. That may make it harder for him to defend the Fed as Congress prepares to intensify its oversight of monetary policy and curb the Fed's authority over the banking system. In an interview, Mr. Bernanke's predecessor, Alan Greenspan, called his own occasionally tense relations with Congress "tranquil" by comparison." 

Is Scott Brown the new maverick of the Senate? We'll see. "Senator-elect Scott Brown, hailed as a savior for the Republican Party, pledged yesterday that he would not always vote the party line, saying he would chart his own course in Washington. In a wide-ranging 30-minute interview with the Globe, Brown said he told GOP Senate leaders last week: 'With all due respect, I really don't know a lot of you people, and you don't know me. But maybe that's good, because I'm going to vote how I want to vote.'"
 
But is it all starting to get to his head? "They were cool," Brown said of Republican leadership after explaining that he'd vote how he wants. "They said ... 'You could probably do whatever you want right about now, Scott, so that's OK.' So they were very respectful, and they understand. They understand all eyes are on me."

Brown was on Leno last night and reiterated his hoops challenge to Obama.

By the way, Joe Kennedy says he regrets not running for his father's Senate seat. It "wasn't the greatest decision I ever made in my life," he told the Boston Globe. "Kennedy smiled when a reporter asked him whether he regretted not running. 'The thought had crossed my mind,' he said."
 
And how about this: "When Kennedy was asked yesterday if he was surprised by Brown's margin of victory, he responded: 'To be honest with you, I was surprised that the margin was as small as it was. If you walked around Massachusetts that last weekend, you could just feel it everywhere you went. I think everybody knew in their bones in the end.'"

As we reported yesterday, conservative congresswomen Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) have reversed course and are both pulling out of the controversial Tea Party Nation Convention that Sarah Palin is speaking at next week. 

The New York Times reports that Drudge protégé Andrew Breitbart -- who admitted to paying ACORN "pimp" James O'Keefe, who was arrested for allegedly trying to tamper with Sen. Mary Landrieu's office's phone system in Louisiana -- will now introduce Palin instead of Blackburn.

The Washington Post: "Defiant at times during a wide-ranging news conference on the second day of the gathering, Michael S. Steele continued to attack a proposal by some conservative Republican National Committee members to withhold party money from GOP candidates who do not pass a 'purity' test. Hours later, key Republicans crafted a compromise [to be voted on today] that could head off a looming dispute over whether to require an ideological test."

More: "Steele defended his decision to convene the meeting at a lush beach resort even as millions of Americans are without jobs. And, asked whether he would run in 2011 for a second two-year term, he left little doubt: 'I have no reason not to.' 'My style is not something you get used to very easily,' Steele told reporters, boasting of the GOP's electoral victories on his watch. 'As much as a lot of you folks may find me fascinating to write about and to opine on and to theorize and to, you know, put out there as some example, whatever, God, I don't know what, but at the end of the day, it's not about me… This is about the Republican Party.'" 

Stu Rothenberg's latest: "Yes, any president's priority is enacting his agenda, not re-electing some Democratic Congressman from Alabama. But the White House won't help its legislative agenda by its arrogance -- by telling Members that the president can do no wrong and that it's their duty to follow the Obama agenda. That's especially true if following his agenda means they will have to jump off a cliff this year while the president will have two more years, after November, to save himself politically."

ARKANSAS: "The League of Conservation Voters, angered by [Democratic Sen. Blanche] Lincoln's opposition to EPA's efforts to regulate greenhouse gases, announced Thursday the embattled Arkansas senator was one of the first two candidates on its 'Dirty Dozen' list (10 spots are still open)… The other candidate to make the list is former Rep. Steve Pearce (R), who is running for his old seat, now held by Rep. Harry Teague (D-N.M.)." 

Yet another Republican candidate could enter the race for Senator Blanche Lincoln (D)'s seat. "Jim Lindsey, a Northwest Arkansas businessman and former University of Arkansas football player."

CALIFORNIA: "A new PPIC poll (2,001 RVs, 1/12-19, MoE +/- 2%) of the landscape in California shows that former Rep. Tom Campbell's (R) decision to switch from the gubernatorial to the Senate race has changed the dynamic of both races, as he now leads a more crowded Senate field." while former eBay CEO Meg Whitman has jumped to a commanding early lead in her bid for governor," Real Clear Politics writes. Campbell leads the GOP primary matchup with 27% of the vote, leading both Carly Fiorina (16%) and Chuck DeVore (8%). Still undecided, however, are 48% of voters.

The poll also finds that "former eBay CEO Meg Whitman has jumped to a commanding early lead in her bid for governor." She beats Steve Poizner 41-11%, with 44% of voters undecided.

FLORIDA: "When President Obama walked down the steps of Air Force One here today, Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida was waiting on the tarmac to greet him. But on this visit, Mr. Crist did not embrace the president, perhaps in the hopes of avoiding a scene like the one that has haunted him for months in his bid to win the Republican Senate primary. But is a long, lingering handshake any different than a hug?" the New York Times asks. The two leaders shared an embrace last year when Obama appeared in Florida to promote his economic stimulus -- an image promulgated by his Marco Rubio, who is challenging Crist from the right for Florida's open Senate seat. This time, the two shared a handshake -- which lasted 27 seconds.  
 
Awk-ward… "On Thursday, two Senate hopefuls found themselves on the same flight from Tampa to Ft. Lauderdale, and each "tweeted" about it on the microblog Twitter," CNN reports. "On a Southwest flt from Tampa to Ft Lauderdale," Meek, a Democratic congressman, wrote in shorthand. "In seat 12A. Who's in seat 9A? Marco Rubio! Exchanged a few laughs. Keeping an eye on him:)"… "Perhaps as Meek was watching him, Rubio was [also] typing away." 

ILLINOIS: The AP previews Tuesday's primary elections in Massachusetts, and what it means to the White House: "If the Massachusetts special election was a kick in the shins for President Barack Obama, the political turmoil in Illinois, his home state, is a pain in the neck that never seems to go away… Going into Tuesday's Illinois primary, the first of the 2010 campaign season, Democrats are in disarray, with no political heavyweights in their lineup for the Senate seat that Obama gave up for the White House. Losing it would be a bigger personal embarrassment for the president than Republican Scott Brown's upset victory in Massachusetts, which took away the late Edward M. Kennedy's Senate seat."

SOUTH CAROLINA: The Charleston Post and Courier on last night's GOP gubernatorial debate: Asked which of the state's two Republican senators more closely mirrored their own political philosophy, gubernatorial hopefuls S.C. Attorney General Henry McMaster and 3rd District U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett declined to pick between Jim DeMint and Lindsey Graham. But that choice wasn't a problem for the others. Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer instantly replied, 'Jim DeMint,' the senator whose conservative track record hasn't ruffled the party's base like Graham's more centrist approach has done. State Rep. Nikki Haley agreed: 'Jim DeMint, hands down. ... Senator Graham should come around at some point.'"

The State's take: "Though he admitted to poor word choice recently for comparing feeding poor children with feeding 'stray animals,' Bauer said Thursday that political correctness was "killing" the state and country and he would continue to speak out. Bauer's earlier comments, that parents on public assistance should be drug tested or their benefits withheld if they are not attentive to their children's schooling have drawn national attention. The media created the controversy, Bauer said. 'Somebody is going to have to step up and tackle the tough questions.'" 

From NBC's Kelly O'Donnell and Ken Strickland
Ben Bernanke has been confirmed by the Senate for a second term as chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, by a vote of 70-30. His current four-year term was set to expire Jan. 31.

There were 30 "NO" votes, including 12 Democrats and 18 Republicans. Here's the full list of NOs:

Begich
Boxer
Brownback
Bunning
Cantwell
Cornyn
Crapo
Demint
Dorgan
Ensign
Feingold
Franken
Grassley
Harkin
Hutchison
Inhofe
Kaufman
Lemieux
McCain
Merkley
Risch
Roberts
Sanders
Sessions
Shelby
Specter
Thune
Vitter
Whitehouse
Wicker

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke easily cleared the 60-vote hurdle needed to defeat a filibuster, 77-23, moving him one step closer to confirmation.

From NBC's Ken Strickland
Moderate Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) said the comprehensive health-care bill is "on life support" and criticized President Obama for not laying out a clear path to pass it in his State of the Union address. 

Asked for a status report on the bill, she said "I think it's on life support, unfortunately. But it still has a pulse. And I think the president's suggestion about a cooling off period, short cooling off period, might be good to give us a chance to sort of reorganize and reorder."

Landrieu said she remained committed to passing health care reform if it's "done the right way."  But she says that would not include a fast track procedure called reconciliation which Republicans and some moderate Democrats oppose. "There's not an appetite to pass much at all--if anything--through reconciliation."

The Louisiana Democrat said her diagnosis on health care was based on her discussions with members of the House. Under the most likely strategy to pass the reform bill, the House would eventually have to pass the Senate's version.

"There just doesn't seem to be the votes in the House at this time, particularly among the 'Blue Dogs' and moderate Democrats who we're really talking to over there to figure out how to move this forward," she said.

Landrieu said the in his speech last night, the President should have given an explicit strategy for how he wanted Congress to pass the bill. Democratic leaders have struggled to find a solution since Republican Scott Brown was elected to the Senate in Massachusetts.

"I think the president should have been more clear about a way forward... and I'm hoping that in the next week or two he will be because that's what it's going to take if it's at all possible to get this done," she said. "Mailing in general suggestions, sending them over the transom is not necessarily going to work."

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Conservative congressswomen Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) have reversed course and are both pulling out of the controversial Tea Party Nation Convention that Sarah Palin is speaking at next week.

As we wrote Jan. 15, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding this convention. First, the cost of the convention -- $549 a person - is more than double the cost of similar national conventions, like CPAC and the liberal Netroots Nation. Second, the organizer of the convention designated Tea Party Nation "for profit," which threw up red flags for some activists and prompted some sponsors to back out. And third, the organizer's personal financial past raised questions about how he has handled money in the past. As NBC News first reported, he filed for bankruptcy in 1999 and has had several federal tax liens against him.

The convention begins Thursday; Palin speaks Saturday, Feb. 6.

Politico got a statement from Blackburn's office and it cited consultation with the House Committee on Standards: "After consulting with the Committee on Standards, Congressman Blackburn has decided not to participate in the Tea Party Nation Convention next week." Standards advised Congressman Blackburn not to participate in the event due to uncertainty about how any proceeds from the event may be used. Convention organizers have not been clear about how those funds will be put to use. We have every indication that any profit could be put to work to advance grass roots causes and some of those uses could make the Congressman's participation improper after the fact."

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune on Bachmann: "Bachmann's office cited the same concerns that other Tea Party activists have voiced about the first-of-its-kind national gathering: namely, the for-profit model of organizer Judson Phillips, a self-described 'small town lawyer' with a history of financial problems."

*** UPDATE *** Here are the full statements from Bachmann and Blackburn's offices provided to First Read on why they decided to pull out of next week's Tea Party Nation Convention in Nashville.

Bachmann:

"Due to conflicting advice on whether Representative Bachmann's participation in the upcoming Tea Party Nation Convention would be in line with the Committee on Standards, Congresswoman Bachmann has decided not to participate in the event," spokeswoman Debbee Keller wrote. "There is uncertainty about how any proceeds from the event may be used, and we must err on the side of caution. Some will want to portray her withdrawal as a repudiation of the Tea Party Movement, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Congresswoman Bachmann remains encouraged by all Americans, regardless of political party, who are concerned about this nation's future and dwindling prosperity, and continues to be inspired their passion."

Blackburn, who is from Tennessee:

"After consulting with the Committee on Standards, Congressman Blackburn has decided not to participate in the Tea Party Nation Convention next week," Blackburn spokesman Claude Chafin wrote. "Standards advised Congressman Blackburn not to participate in the event due to uncertainty about how any proceeds from the event may be used. Convention organizers have not been clear about how those funds will be put to use. We have every indication that any profit could be put to work to advance grass roots causes and some of those uses could make the Congressman's participation improper after the fact."

Here's a statement from Rep. Blackburn herself:

"I spoke to Judson Phillips this morning and let him know that I could not participate in the convention. I told him frankly that Tea Party Nation's for-profit status has put many of his speakers in an awkward position. I remain encouraged by the outpouring of energy from constitutionally minded grassroots organizations in Tennessee and around America. These groups are not made up of Republicans or Democrats but everyday Americans who are concerned about their freedom. They know that out-of-control spending and the expansion of government ultimately limits that freedom. I share their concerns and look forward to working with them in the future."

From NBC's Courtney Kube
A senior defense official says to expect Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Admiral Mike Mullen provide more details about the end of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" during the Senate Budget hearings next Tuesday and Wednesday.

Another official said the current idea is to have the Senate Armed Services hearing on the budget for a few hours and then switch to Don't Ask Don't Tell for the last hour or so.

The Joint Chiefs still have not worked out details on how military policy or infrastructure may change if DADT is repealed. One senior defense official said they will examine the need for actual changes in infrastructure -- separate berthing, showers, etc. -- NOT because they believe there needs to be separate facilities, but only to be prepared for critics who have said this could be an issue for the military.

Last summer, Gates asked the Defense Department's general counsel to examine whether the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is implemented humanely -- for example, should a jilted lover be allowed to expose someone's sexuality.

This new, more humane implementation will likely be the interim policy until the U.S. military figures out what needs to be changed for a smooth transition.

Other questions they are looking at include:
- Is there a drop dead date that the policy will end?
- Will military members who were discharged under DADT be allowed back in?
- What, if any, new training will U.S. military members go through (ie sensitivity training, etc)? - Are any new or separate facilities necessary? 

One critical question that neither Gates nor Mullen have answered yet: Do they believe repealing DADT will effect good order and discipline in the U.S. military? That will be the million-dollar question next Tuesday.

From NBC's Michelle Perry
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, in an interview with NBC's Andrea Mitchell on MSNBC, agreed with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg that alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed should not be tried in New York.

"The dynamic has changed," Feinstein said. "The adminstration should listen to the mayor and the mayor's concerns and candidly make a change." 

Feinstein said she could not discuss details openly, but "in my view from an intelligence perspective, the situation has changed from the Christmas Day attack ... the situation has changed, and the administration should take note of that."

From NBC's David Gregory
A State of the Union address is like the start of a campaign. The President charts a new course and then hits the trail to sell it. So it is President Obama who will is hitting the road today to sell aspects of his long-term economic fix by promoting new spending on a high-speed rail. But campaigns are long hauls. And chapter two of the Obama presidency will be no different. He has told people not to expect any immediate turn around from last night's address. Ultimately, he has said, the administration has to deliver results for the American people.

A few thoughts from last night:

Singular focus -- It's now about the economy. That means a jobs bill, making Wall St pay for its abuses and rebuilding the long-term structure of the economy. Even if the jobless rate doesn't fall by that much, the President has to show some concerted effort or else November is going to be bloody.

Off the sidelines -- yes, the President threw the GOP some bones, but mostly he issued a tough warning: play or PAY. If it requires 60 votes in the Senate to get ANYTHING done, you will be held accountable to results.

Passion -- "I don't quit!" Americans like their presidents to be fighters and the President is trying to position himself as the change agent that propelled him to the White House.

For more, check out David Gregory's blog.

From NBC's Shawna Thomas and Domenico Montanaro
While President Obama's State of the Union focused on job creation, health-care reform and public cynicism toward the politics of Washington, DC, there were multiple issues he thought he could get the conservatives in the audience to agree with him. 

Among those issues were tax cuts, nuclear energy and off-shore drilling -- all talking points the GOP leadership seemed committed to working with the president on when they held a news conference this morning. Despite that, the prevailing talking point was what House Republicans saw as a partisan tone in the president's speech.

"If the Democrat leaders here in Congress and the president are serious about getting our economy going again and putting people back to work we can in fact work together to promote policies that will do that," Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) said. "But there was nothing last night, in the president's speech that there was any willingness to sit down and work together." 

The only time Boehner said he felt the president really expressed a true willingness to work together was when he asked if anyone had a better approach to health care. The minority leader said he put his hand up during the speech -- that he had an idea or two. During this morning's news conference he also raised his hand to hold up the GOP's version of a health-care bill to show that their version does all of the things the president wants. 

Yet, as Ezra Klein at the Washington Post pointed out when the GOP bill was first introduced:

The Republican alternative will have helped 3 million people secure coverage, which is barely keeping up with population growth. Compare that to the Democratic bill, which covers 36 million more people and cuts the uninsured population to 4 percent.

But maybe, you say, the Republican bill does a really good job cutting costs. According to CBO, the GOP's alternative will shave $68 billion off the deficit in the next 10 years. The Democrats, CBO says, will slice $104 billion off the deficit.

The Democratic bill, in other words, covers 12 times as many people and saves $36 billion more than the Republican plan.

"We have been told by various spokesmen for the administration that there would be a pivot by the President at the podium but House Republicans have to ask what millions of Americans were asking last night," Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) said, echoing what he said on Morning Joe. "Where's the pivot?"

Pence said that the president offered a "nod" to jobs and a "nod" towards "fiscal discipline," but has missed the urgent need of the American people. "After this nod to focusing on jobs with the failed economic policies and a nod towards fiscal discipline some day," he said, "then we remarkably heard the President embrace the same old same old, as we say back in Indiana."

While Rep. David Drier (R-CA) said he welcomes working with the White House to reach trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and Korea, he said, "This is my 30th State of the Union message, and I have got to say that I don't remember one that was more partisan than this one. The idea of taking on the United States Supreme Court, the idea of looking over to us and saying to us and saying to us that rather than listening to the polls we should do what's right. The message of trying to reduce the size and scope of government and get our economy back on track and have a defense policy that is second to none is the right thing to do and that is exactly what's driving us."

When Boehner was asked what it would take to get him on board with some bipartisan legislation he said forcefully, "I'm not going to vote for a bill that raises taxes. I'm not going to vote for a bill that grows the size of government, and I'm not going to vote for a bill that puts government in control of decisions the American people should be allowed to make on their own."  

The leadership also said it looked forward to the president coming to speak at the House GOP retreat in Baltimore tomorrow. Boehner said the big topics that they would tackle are energy, environment, health care and jobs. On the subject of job creation he said, "The solutions that will be laid out will be much further in terms of creating jobs for Americans then what this administrations has proposed thus far."

Pence was stronger, "This is not an opportunity for one more presidential speech. Tomorrow in Baltimore the president has agreed to have a conversation with House Republicans about the future of this country, and House Republicans will seize the opportunity in respectful terms but candid and frank terms."

From NBC's Luke Russert
Toward the end of her weekly press conference on Capitol Hill today, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) broke ranks with President Obama and reiterated her call for the president's proposed spending freeze to include the Defense budget as well.

She charged that much of the wasteful spending in the U.S. budget is directly related to the Pentagon.

"I support taking care of our veterans," she said (based on a rough transcript of her quotes), "but not entitlement programs for military contractors. ... We must not ignore the Pentagon completely."

Pelosi made the point that a spending freeze must come regarding military contractors. This has been a liberal cause because of the amount of money charged to Uncle Sam by companies like Blackwater and Halliburton. Pelosi then gave examples, quoting Reagan administration officials talking about how the Pentagon's budget is routinely bloated.

From NBC's Kelly O'Donnell
On the Senate floor, there is an hour of debate scheduled today on the nomination of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and then a vote to end debate (invoke cloture). The actual vote would follow.

Timing? Unclear. At about 10:30 a.m. ET, the Senate will run through a series of votes related to their work on the Debt Limit Increase and then final passage on that. When that's finished, they turn to Bernanke so there is not a fixed time right now.

Currently, Sen. Bernie Sanders is on the floor delivering an impassioned speech opposing Bernanke.

*** UPDATE *** Democratic aides say they expect to hold the Bernanke confirmation vote at 3:20pm. These times are always fluid but thats the latest.

Obama's SOTU had a little something for everyone, but much of it was focused on independents… It also included plenty of shout-outs to GOP ideas… Obama said job creation is his No. 1 goal for 2010, but he listed plenty of other priorities… Obama vs. Alito is bound to get tons of cable play… Bob McDonnell's SOTU-lite… Bloomberg backtracks on KSM trial… Profiling Quinn vs. Hynes in IL… And Joe and Mika host GOP South Carolina gubernatorial debate in Charleston.

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** Something for everyone: It sounds contradictory, but President Obama's State of the Union address last night was an appeal to independents (stressing deficit reduction and fixing Washington), but also a populist battle cry (taking on the bank bailout, Wall Street, and even the Supreme Court). He attempted to reach across party lines, but also reminded Republicans that he inherited many of the country's problems from them. And he stressed that jobs would be his No. 1 priority, but also maintained that he wouldn't give up on health care, although not in a very forceful way ("Let's get it done") and other priorities. So much of the speech was responding to frustrated independents and anger at Washington -- almost like he had read our new NBC/WSJ poll (or perhaps his own). Indeed, a cynic might say last night's speech was the opening salvo in Obama's re-election in 2012. But it's also true that to regain his political standing from '08 and the first half of '09, he again has to win over independents, who broke for the Republicans in NJ, VA, and MA. The question many Democrats in Washington might asking: Is what's good for Obama good for the party in 2010?

*** Who's more willing to work with the other side? What was particularly fascinating was Obama listing all the GOP ideas he would support (cap gains cuts for small businesses, tax cuts, nuclear energy, off-shore drilling, free trade, earmark reform) for their backing on larger bills. Of course, it's almost certain he won't get much support from his Republican counterparts, but it was almost a dare asking Republicans to list the Democratic ideas that they'd be willing to put on the table. From a P.R. standpoint, Obama's conciliatory talk appeared to score points -- at least early on. That Republicans were sitting on their hands when Obama was lauding tax cuts in the stimulus probably didn't play well with independents. But as the speech wore on, Republicans seemed like they got the message and became more engaged and loudly applauded when Obama talked about off-shore drilling and trade. (Did GOPers see the criticism they were receiving via Twitter? Or did the president's OWN shout out asking for applause nudge them?) You're probably going to hear some congressional Democrats criticize Obama's embrace of some of those GOP ideas.

*** Not really a policy speech: While Obama stressed that job creation is his No. 1 goal this year -- and devoted more than half of his speech to the economy -- he also talked a lot about other priorities. Reducing the deficit. Finishing health care. Working on energy, financial, and immigration reform. And repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Yet that laundry list, in a way, risks contradicting his promise to focus like a laser on jobs. And it gives his critics the opportunity to say, again, that he's doing too much.

*** Your cable moment Of zen: It wasn't the equivalent of "You lie!" but Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito apparently mouthing "That's not true" when President Obama scolded the Supreme Court decision for its recent campaign-finance decision will certainly get its share of attention on cable today. "Last week, the Supreme Court reversed a century of law to open the floodgates for special interests -- including foreign corporations -- to spend without limit in our elections," Obama said. "Well I don't think American elections should be bankrolled by America's most powerful interests, or worse, by foreign entities." A New York Times fact-check seems to side with Alito. "The president appeared to have mischaracterized the Supreme Court's decision to overturn restrictions on corporate-paid political commercials by suggesting that the decision invited political advertisements by foreign companies, too." White House folks push back and say it's possible their decision DID open the door for foreign involvement in campaigns. 

*** McDonnell's SOTU-lite? Reacting to last year's very awkward GOP response by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Republicans responded by having this year's responder -- Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell -- give a speech inside Virginia's House of Delegates to a crowd of applauding supporters. It a bit jarring to see someone who's been governor for just 11 days deliver a SOTU-lite speech with all the presidential trappings (teleprompter, family shout-outs, etc.) But the speech itself seemed as poll-tested as the president's speech.  

*** The day after: Today, President Obama and Vice President Biden head to Tampa, FL to tout $8 billion from the stimulus for high-speed rail. The duo hold a town hall at 1:05 pm ET. Politico reports that embattled Gov. Charlie Crist (R) will greet Obama on the tarmac, but won't attend the town hall. (By the way, Jeb Bush took a subtle shot at Crist on "TODAY," saying, per NBC's Sarah Blackwill: "I wouldn't necessarily have embraced the stimulus plan that did not have support in the state and campaigned for it and put Republicans in a vulnerable position in Congress.") [*** UPDATE *** It's worth pointing out that Bush also said it was appropriate for Crist to meet with the president and that he, himself, would go to the event if he were governor: "I would go when the president comes to the state,'' he said. "I think it's more than appropriate. It's not a sign of support."] Meanwhile, Senate Democratic leaders Harry Reid, Chuck Schumer, and Patty Murray hold a press conference at 12:15 pm ET responding to last night's State of the Union. And don't miss today's lineup on MSNBC: "Daily Rundown has Anita Dunn and Eric Cantor, and "Andrea Mitchell Reports" interviews Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (about Harold Ford) and Dianne Feinstein.

*** Bloomberg backtracks on KSM trial: Today's big non-SOTU story comes via the New York Times: "The Obama administration on Wednesday lost its most prominent backer of the plan to try the self-described mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks in Lower Manhattan when Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said the trial should not be held in New York City. The mayor's reversal was a political blow to the White House's efforts to resolve a landmark terror case a few blocks from where Al Qaeda hijackers rammed planes into the World Trade Center, a trial that the president saw as an important demonstration of American justice." This is a BIG blow politically to the president and Attorney General Eric Holder. Does this mean the KSM trial will NEVER see the light of day in NYC? 

*** Quinn vs. Hynes: Five days from now, the inaugural primary season kicks off in Illinois. And while most of the national attention has been focused on the Democratic contest for Senate -- and things have gotten very interesting with the consent decree on Alexi Giannoulias' family bank -- the Democratic gubernatorial primary could end up being the better race. Incumbent Gov. Pat Quinn, who succeeded Rod Blagojevich, is getting a tougher fight than he expected from state Comptroller Dan Hynes who, as CQ Politics writes, "made waves with an ad launched a couple of weeks before the Feb. 2 primary. The spot unearthed video of an interview given by the late Chicago Mayor Harold Washington -- who died in 1987 -- in which he declared that he had fired Quinn as city revenue director because Quinn was "a totally and completely undisciplined individual." In another ad, Hynes blasts Quinn for an inmate release program designed to save the state money. Chicago affiliate WLS writes, "[C]ontroversy over an inmate early release program and the state's budget woes continue to pick away at Quinn's once-significant lead." Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's brother endorsed Hynes, and a recent Chicago Tribune poll shows Quinn with just a four-point lead, 44%-40%.

*** Debate in Charleston: Speaking of governors races… The four Republicans running to succeed Mark Sanford (R) as South Carolina governor -- U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett, Lt. Gov Andre Bauer, State Rep. Nikki Haley, and state Attorney General Henry McMaster -- participate in a debate in Charleston at 8:00 pm ET. MSNBC's Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski are moderating the debate, and one of your First Read co-authors is in Charleston to watch and report on it. South Carolina is home to both Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint, two Republicans who have taken dramatically different tacts in dealing with the Democrats. 
 
Countdown to IL primary: 5 days
Countdown to TX primary: 33 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 278 days

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USA Today: "President Obama's speech to a joint session of Congress a year ago was filled with a sense of soaring possibility. On Wednesday night, his State of the Union Address centered instead on hard times and tough choices."

President Obama vowed Wednesday night not to give up on his ambitious legislative agenda, using his first State of the Union address to chastise Republicans for working in lock-step against him and to warn Democrats to stiffen their political spines," the New York Times says. "The speech, Mr. Obama's third to a joint session of Congress, comes at a particularly rocky point in his presidency, with many Americans — including some fellow Democrats — complaining that the president has lost sight of the priorities of ordinary people. And Mr. Obama acknowledged their doubts, conceding that some of his political setbacks 'were deserved,' a striking admission for any president."

The Washington Post: "A year after entering the White House with a broad mandate, Obama reframed his agenda around a single, central mission: continuing the nation's delicate economic recovery. He focused on jobs, casting himself as the advocate of average citizens, and acknowledged that his administration had 'some political setbacks this year, and some of them were deserved.'" 

The Boston Globe: "Delivering his first State of the Union address to Congress at one of the most politically treacherous moments of his term, Obama summoned the powerful rhetoric that helped get him elected as he sought to repair the relationship between an angry electorate and Washington." The paper says there were "specifics" on economic proposals and "he took pains to acknowledge deep anger that citizens are feeling about the slow economic recovery, endless partisan fighting in Washington, and the slow pace of change."

The New York Post's lead: "President Obama last night tried to reboot his presidency, acknowledging candidly that Americans have lost faith in him but vowing that 'I don't quit' as he tried to rally voters behind him and recapture the energy that propelled him to the White House."

The AP notes Justice Sam Alito's disapproval at Obama's scolding of the court for its campaign-finance decision: "Alito, a conservative, made a dismissive face and began shaking his head at the mention of reversal, and he continued shaking his head as Obama urged Congress to pass new legislation to deal with what he considers a bad decision."

The Daily News does a jobs word tally: "Mentioning the word 'jobs' 29 times, he asked Congress to join him and make 2010 all about jobs."

The Daily News' Meek also catches this line: "President Obama chided pols on Wednesday night for arguing over who's toughest on terror -- then beat his chest for racking up a higher body count of evildoers in his first year in office than George W. Bush did in his last year as a 'war President.' 'Let's put aside the schoolyard taunts about who is tough,' he said. "In the last year, hundreds of Al Qaeda's fighters and affiliates, including many senior leaders, have been captured or killed -- far more than in 2008.'"

The New York Post's Hurt camped out at a bar in Sterling, Va., and found plenty of Republicans who can't stand Obama. "But while independent voters who make this area so important to Obama's future have nothing nice to say about Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid or House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, they still have a reservoir of patience for Obama. 'I still like him,' said Dan Ryan, 49, a Navy captain who has voted for Democrats and Republicans alike over the years. 'He works hard,' he said, looking up at Obama on the TV. 'He's trying his best. And he admits his mistakes. He's good.' Also watching at the bar was Josh Lanier, 29, who replaces doors and windows for a living. A Democrat, Lanier voted for Obama and has seen his business jump with the federal government's tax incentives encouraging people to make their homes more energy efficient. Lanier marveled at the president's stirring speech: 'If this guy was a football coach, man, he would have a team that would run through a brick wall for him. The man can talk.'"

 

The AP's Ron Fournier: "Humility. Check. Bipartisanship, debt reduction, populist anger. Check. Check. Check. More jobs? On it. President Barack Obama checked every political box needed to restart his troubled presidency Wednesday night, but that may not be enough to consider his State of Union address a success."

"In Wednesday night's State of the Union speech, a vigorous and confident Obama showed he isn't losing much sleep over what vocal liberals think of him -- or increasingly vitriolic GOPers," the New York Daily News' Greenman adds. "Obama proved reports of his demise have been greatly exaggerated. He delivered a forward-leaning address that was both unapologetic about left-of-center values and unquestionably centrist on policy. … Obama's tone was positive. He spoke with urgency and optimism. There was a spark. There was a swagger."

The New York Times' Peter Baker: "It was a confident performance, more defiant than contrite, more conversational than soaring. He appealed to and scolded both parties, threatened vetoes, blamed his predecessor and poked fun at lawmakers. The agenda was largely the same, dressed up in fresh packaging, as he offered point-by-point rebuttals to the litany of critiques he hears with increasing frequency. He acknowledged only a failure to explain his policies without retreating an inch on the policies themselves. His main message: 'I don't quit.'"

The Times' Stanley: "He is known for giving eloquent speeches, and also for a professorial coolness when explaining policy details. Wednesday night, Mr. Obama used a mix of humor and stern exhortation to remind voters why they elected him — even as he promised that he would not let electoral politics derail economic reform. It was a populist message delivered with patrician restraint, a presidential performance tinged with a little of the anti-establishment zeal of the Tea Party movement — a Green Tea movement. 'And if there's one thing that has unified Democrats and Republicans, it's that we all hated the bank bailout,' Mr. Obama said. 'I hated it. You hated it. It was about as popular as a root canal.'" 

The Washington Post's Tom Shales: "The president came on strong, breathing fire before the assembled members of the House and Senate. 'We don't quit, I don't quit,' Obama said of Americans and himself during the stirring final moments of the speech, which took 71 minutes to deliver from the House chamber -- and which was carried live on broadcast and news networks… There was humility but no remorse in Obama's words or the way in which he delivered them. He hailed and commended American values and seemed also to personify some of them -- directness, candor, neighborliness. At moments he was less the man in the White House than the guy next door."

Politico's John Harris: "In a favorable light, his State of the Union speech may have revealed the mind of a leader who has never cared much about traditional ideological categories and is determined to create his own results-oriented composite of ideas from across the spectrum. Less charitably, the address could be interpreted as the work of a president who is desperately improvising by touching every political erogenous zone he and his advisers can think of. Under either judgment, however, it was inescapable that his 69-minute speech — for all the rush of words and policy ideas — was a document of downsized ambitions for a downsized moment in his presidency."

Larry Sabato touches on the pessimism for this president and Washington in general right now, giving Obama a B- on his speech last night: "Obama always gives a fine speech, but after a less-than-stellar year in office, he has less effect. Tastes great, less filling. ... Lots of good lines and good ideas, but it didn't quite work. There were too many promises, but too little mandate left to fulfill them."