Ho Hum

   Those who expected significant details on policy proposals in the president's speech to Congress Tuesday evening were disappointed.
   It was more a rerun of his many campaign speeches than a call to specific action. He was, of course, interrupted many times by applause from Republicans in the chamber, while Democrats on the other side of the aisle remained silent -- also typical.
   The daily press will of course, run long stories detailing what he said, along with reaction from political colleagues and opponents.
   But the reaction from here is that while snippets of information released earlier in the day indicated specifics on new proposals would be delivered, that didn't happen.
   Fact checkers, meanwhile, will be combing through the text of the speech to find comments and claims that conflict with readily available reliable data.
   As for rhetorical flourishes that raise the spirit of listeners, there were few.
   The most powerful moment of the evening was when the president introduced the widow of the Navy SEAL killed in action last week. During a long, standing ovation, TV cameras showed her by turns wiping away tears, clasping her hands and looking upward, as if in prayer to her lost husband.