There was something surreal about last night's SOTU by the POTUS, with his long (long) remarks on struggle and strife centering on the economy and health care (!) as though he didn't, as C-in-C, also have the US military at war(s) doing some major struggling and striving of its own. One young vet's comment: If the president is so concerned about college funding and health care for all, he could suggest that students join the Reserves where they already receive "universal" college funding and health care ("or they could go on active duty....").

I zoned in and out, but talk of "finally" strengthening laws on "hate" crimes was offhand-chilling, as was the president's, I believe, unprecedented hectoring of the Supreme Court as it sat before him over its recent decision to loosen restrictions on spending by corporations and unions on political advertising -- a victory for free speech.

Justice Alito didn't take the scolding sitting down. That is, he was sitting down, but he didn't just take it. A couple of blogs have picked up the video, but I think this clip (below) shows it best (and with no commercials). You can actually see Alito, seated at the left, say "not true."

It's not true. But, more than that, it was not presidential.