An Instantly Forgettable State of the Union Address
President Obama delivered an unremarkable speech tonight in which he advocated a number of small-ball initiatives, several of which were repeats from previous years. Virtually nothing in the address was memorable, with one significant exception. As he drew his remarks to a close, the president relayed the incredible story of an American wounded warrior, who was perched next to the First Lady in the House gallery. On a night of milquetoast policy and predictable rhetoric, this stirring tribute to a true hero broke through:
On his tenth deployment, Cory was nearly killed by a massive roadside bomb in Afghanistan. His comrades found him in a canal, face down, underwater, shrapnel in his brain. For months, he lay in a coma. The next time I met him, in the hospital, he couldn’t speak; he could barely move. Over the years, he’s endured dozens of surgeries and procedures, and hours of grueling rehab every day. Even now, Cory is still blind in one eye. He still struggles on his left side. But slowly, steadily, with the support of caregivers like his dad Craig, and the community around him, Cory has grown stronger. Day by day, he’s learned to speak again and stand again and walk again – and he’s working toward the day when he can serve his country again. “My recovery has not been easy,” he says. “Nothing in life that’s worth anything is easy.” Cory is here tonight. And like the Army he loves, like the America he serves, Sergeant First Class Cory Remsburg never gives up, and he does not quit.
This resilient Army Ranger's full story is here. God bless him. Now, onto politics -- and a few disjointed thoughts:
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