I only half-listened to the President's Oval Office address the other night, so I decided to take a look at the transcript and see if it still seemed as vacuous. A passage near the end that hadn't really registered while listening jumped out at me (emphasis added):
… what has defined us as a nation since our founding is the capacity to shape our destiny — our determination to fight for the America we want for our children. Even if we're unsure exactly what that looks like. Even if we don't yet know precisely how we're going to get there. We know we'll get there.
Um, wow. Did the guy driving the car really brag that he doesn't have a road map, doesn't know the destination, and won't be able to tell when we've arrived, but he's going to put the pedal to the metal anyway? Did he really think such inane blather would make us nod in agreement, swoon, or feel a tingle up our legs?
Well, first of all, I don't believe him. I think he knows exactly where he's driving the Car of State (to stick with that metaphor). He just thinks it's best not to reveal his destination to all us yahoos in flyover country because we might not like the idea of becoming a second-rate sclerotic socialist country.
Secondly, that quote couldn't help but remind me of this oldie-but-goodie: "Why are we in this hand-basket, and where are we going?"