Annoyance

The whole issue of the president's speech to our children tomorrow is annoying me.

One, there's nothing wrong with the president addressing our school children to exhort them to do well in school and be good. That's all it is right now. Those on the right should calm down over this.

On the other hand, the fact that it is just a feel good speech is in part due to the anger over the details of the original reports of the speech. It is annoying that the press is ignoring the original stories that prompted anger on the right and the history of the adminstration that has lost it much good will in the country.

One, with the federal government trying to expand into more areas of our life, the idea that the president would try to move into education too much isn't that outlandish.

And more to the point, the origninal Department of Education ideas related to the speech were ridiculous. The students were to write down what they could do to support the president. And these ideas were to be revisited later to see how they were doing on that pledge.

Is the media too blind to see that there is a problem there?

Right now, after the fuss raised by those on the right, the speech by President Obama is no big deal and, really, a nice thing for him to do. Kids could use encouragement to do well in school. But don't forget that the original news about the event deserved that fuss.

UPDATE: The last time a stink was raised by a presidential speech to school children. Can you imagine the furor had it been George W. Bush?

UPDATE: E.J. Dionne is a walking annoyance. Is it really so hard to see why some would not like the suggested lesson plan for the event? And he's part of the "reality-based" community?