Inspiring. Hopeful. Salmon.

New York Magazine and NPR released this hilarious wordcloud comparison between what President Obama said during the State of the Union address last night, and what stuck with people (based on the words they use to describe it).  I'm not actually sure if I'm legally allowed to just outright steal the images, so here's the link.

The President's speech focused on the economy, and in particular on innovations in industry, education, science and technology.  Oh, and he also made a joke about salmon while discussion inefficiency in government bureaucracy.

For those of you who missed the speech, the full transcript and audio link can be found here.  And the following is the bit about the salmon:
"There are twelve different agencies that deal with exports. There are at least five different entities that deal with housing policy. Then there's my favorite example: the Interior Department is in charge of salmon while they're in fresh water, but the Commerce Department handles them in when they're in saltwater. And I hear it gets even more complicated once they're smoked."

Although I thought the salmon joke was funny, my favorite part of the speech was the end, which had a cadence that may as well have been written by Sam Seaborn.
We should have no illusions about the work ahead of us. Reforming our schools, changing the way we use energy, reducing our deficit — none of this will be easy. All of it will take time. And it will be harder because we will argue about everything. The costs. The details. The letter of every law.


Did Sam Seaborn join President
Obama's speech writing team?

Of course, some countries don't have this problem. If the central government wants a railroad, they build a railroad, no matter how many homes get bulldozed. If they don't want a bad story in the newspaper, it doesn't get written.

And yet, as contentious and frustrating and messy as our democracy can sometimes be, I know there isn't a person here who would trade places with any other nation on Earth. ...

We do big things.

From the earliest days of our founding, America has been the story of ordinary people who dare to dream. That's how we win the future.

We're a nation that says, "I might not have a lot of money, but I have this great idea for a new company." "I might not come from a family of college graduates, but I will be the first to get my degree." "I might not know those people in trouble, but I think I can help them, and I need to try." "I'm not sure how we'll reach that better place beyond the horizon, but I know we'll get there. I know we will."

We do big things.


The idea of America endures. Our destiny remains our choice. And tonight, more than two centuries later, it's because of our people that our future is hopeful, our journey goes forward, and the state of our union is strong.

xo kate