Thanks for the post, pangolin. I really look forward to hearing from President Obama every week. A lot of great leaders in hisotry have learned that the best way to lead is to reach out directly to the people. For example, Hugo Chavez is in a difficult political situation, and yet he spends an enormous amount of time on the airwaves taking his case directly to the people. Leaders often spend too much time worrying about political machinery, rather than going to the source an engaging the population -- and letting the population pressure the legislators.

As for Sotomayor, he makes a great case that she's more qualified because she's a minority that came from difficult circumstances. Hopefully he'll keep the discussion from getting bogged down in attacks on things like her judicial record or things she's said in interviews. What really matters here is her story, her judgment, and who she is as a person.

I think if you'd watched the video jrsimplot you would have heard the things you claim not to have wanted to hear. Most of the video was about her judicial record and background in the court. Her many years as an assistant DA, litigater for international legal disputes, 6 years US district court trial judge, US Court of Appeals. More experience on the Federal Bench than any incoming Supreme court justice in 100 years. Seventeen years on the bench, hundreds of judicial decisions.

In your list of politicians making a weekly address don't forget Roosvelt, or Bush, or Reagan. Of course Reagan, Chavez, and Obama have so much in common.

Named to the District Court by Bush Senior, to Appeals court by Clinton. Twice approved by senate in overwhelming numbers. Many Republican senators who voted for her approval are still sitting senators, some who didn't are now gone.

I only wish her nomination had come in the summer of 2010. The nomination isn't in doubt, the only question is the lingering affect on 2010. It's hard to unseat a sitting senator but a 70 / 30 split would be nice.

I guess like a lot of people I didn't pay much attention to Bush's addresses.

70/30 split...why stop at 70?