WHERE'S JOE BIDEN WHEN YOU

WHERE’S JOE BIDEN WHEN YOU NEED HIM? James Taranto describes Gray Davis’s State of the State speech as “Great Moments in Euphemism“:

California’s Gov. Gray Davis delivered his State of the State speech Wednesday, an address “seen by many as the most important of his career,” according to the Los Angeles Daily News. The speech bore a remarkable resemblance to President Clinton’s first State of the Union address. These two quotes come from Hotline Last Call, a subscription-only newsletter from National Journal:

Davis: “When governors speak from this podium, they ordinarily discuss a range of issues. But these are not ordinary times. We have one overriding task before us. We must come together to create new jobs and get our economy back on track.”

Clinton: “When presidents speak to the Congress and the nation from this podium, they typically comment on the full range of challenges and opportunities that face us. But these are not ordinary times. For all the many tasks that require our attention, one calls on us to focus, unite, and act. Together, we must make our economy thrive once again.”

By the way, speaking of recycling, Davis has called for raising taxes to balance the state’s budget, something that certainly did wonders for George H.W. Bush and Herbert Hoover’s careers.