Obama To Admit Mistakes Tonight? (Then its Going to Be A Very LONG Speech)

According to White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, President Obama's State of the Union speech tonight is going to include an admission of his mistakes during the course of his first year in office:

Appearing on network morning news shows to preview Obama's address, Gibbs said the president will talk about some of the factors that led to Republican Scott Brown's upset victory over a Democrat in the special Senate election in Massachusetts.

"The president is going to explain why he thinks the American people are angry and frustrated," his spokesman said.

A member of the House Republican leadership, Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia, said in a separate interview: "The American people want to hear that the president has listened and that the president has learned about what has gone on here."

Gibbs said "every president makes mistakes, including Barack Obama" and said Obama has "not been shy" about admitting that. At the same time, his spokesman said that Obama will "outline the fact that we've lived through one of the most challenging years in our country's history" and that Obama is "more hopeful about our future than ever."

 I wonder if he is going to admit to all of them? If so, folks you better take a nap this afternoon because its going to be a very long speech, because the POTUS will have a very long list.

If you are waiting for the President to admit his mistakes AND take responsibility for them, I am afraid you may be disappointed. According to the NY Times,

When Mr. Obama presents his first State of the Union address on Wednesday evening, aides said he would accept responsibility, though not necessarily blame, for failing to deliver swiftly on some of the changes he promised a year ago. But he will not, aides said, accede to criticism that his priorities are out of step with the nation’s. 

Which means he will not be listening to the American People any time soon.

According to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC poll, 51% of Americans believe Mr. Obama has paid "too little attention" to the economy. Forty-four percent think he has paid "too much attention" to his proposed overhaul of health care. A plurality continues to think that Mr. Obama's health-care plan is a bad idea.

What to expect tonight? A mish-mash of giving lip service to the wishes of the American people and kissing up to his progressive base.  Even when he admits to mistakes he will admit that the process may be wrong, but he won't own up to the fact that his priorities and policies are wrong. In the end it will be more of the same Progressive Obama or as he told Diane Sawyer the other night:

I'd rather be a really good one-term president than a mediocre two-term president.  In actuality Obama is heading for option three, a really lousy one-term term

The problem is Obama is working toward HIS definition of really good president which conflicts with how the rest of us define it.