This was the best State of the Union address in my memory.

I’m so surprised, and so happy.  There were three or four lines in there early on that I was so happy about, and just so surprised at, that they they brought tears to my eyes.  And that last few minutes of the speech–the part that segued from voting rights to gun violence issues and victims, and back again to voting rights–was just plain magnificent.  

And as someone who repeatedly mocked the people-as-props thing here on AB during the last week, I have to say that this time it was done really beautifully.  The story of the 15-year-old high school majorette who returned home to the south side of Chicago from performing with her team at the inauguration, only to be gunned down randomly in a park near her home, had really grabbed me emotionally when I first read about it, and her mother’s presence there tonight was incredibly effective in illustrating the essential point.  And the live video of the 101-year-old Miami lady who waited in line for hours to vote was a moment I’ll remember for a long time.  

This was a beautiful speech, beautifully delivered.