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President Obama's lackluster speech to the Democratic caucus.

I watched this live, and I was struck by the dullness of the crowd as they listened to words that were supposed to stir them up. This part, especially:

Sometimes I think about how I got involved in politics. I didn?t think of myself as a potential politician when I get out of college.... I was skeptical about politics and politicians, just like a lot of Americans are skeptical about politics and politicians are right now....

And I decided finally to get involved because I realized if I wasn?t willing to step up and be true to the things I believe in, then the system wouldn?t change. Every single one of you had that same kind of moment at the beginning of your careers. Maybe it was just listening to stories in your neighborhood about what was happening to people who?d been laid off of work. Maybe it was your own family experience, somebody got sick and didn?t have health care and you said something should change.

Something inspired you to get involved, and something inspired you to be a Democrat....

That really should have brought a big cheer. Obama seemed to expect something there. But he had to go on....

... instead of running as a Republican. 

Still no response.

Because somewhere deep in your heart you said to yourself, I believe in an America in which we don?t just look out for ourselves, that we don?t just tell people you?re on your own, that we are proud of our individualism, we are proud of our liberty, but we also have a sense of neighborliness and a sense of community -- (applause)....

Finally some applause. It's as if they'd forgotten what being a Democrat was supposed to mean, and he had to define it for them.

And then there was the "don't do it for me" part:

But if you agree that the system is not working for ordinary families, if you?ve heard the same stories that I?ve heard everywhere, all across the country, then help us fix this system. Don't do it for me. Don?t do it for Nancy Pelosi or Harry Reid. Do it for all those people out there who are struggling....

Do it for them. Do it for people who are really scared right now....

Don?t do it for me. Don?t do it for the Democratic Party. Do it for the American people. They?re the ones who are looking for action right now. (Applause.

This is what's known as protesting too much. You know damned well he needs them to do it for him and for the Party.

Full post as published by Althouse on March 20, 2010 (boomark / email).