Yes, maybe we can?

President Barack Obama's not-quite-State of the Union speech before the joint session of Congress last night was masterfully done. It addressed some hard truths, it sought to bring both major political parties together for a common cause, and it mostly contained rallying points that politicians on both sides of the aisle had little choice but to cheer for.

Is it a tonic for making a better pitch for the promise of the stimulus package? Not really, but that ship already sailed. It does lay the groundwork for more ambitious (and probably expensive) programs. But the most important thing the speech did, really, is got the president back in the public eye, cheerleading us onward through what is likely to be some hard slogging in the months (and maybe years) ahead.