West Des Moines Democrats Give Obama Thumbs Up for Fiery Speech

Tuesday was a confusing night for a parrot named Diego.

Applause usually means one thing to the smart, social and charismatic Diego: He has performed his tricks well, has earned a hand and a shout out. It’s time to preen, if not take a full bow.

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The problem was, the bird hadn’t performed. Yet a dozen pair of hands continued to clap from the living room of a sparkling new townhome in West Des Moines’ Quail Ridge development where the parrot lives with a couple of cats and a human, Saundra Ragona.

The applause was for the president, not the parrot.

There was so much of it during Obama’s fiery speech that Diego needed some quiet time.  

“I’m trying to get him to say ‘Yes we can,’” Ragona said, reciting – parroting? – the president’s 2008 campaign slogan.

Ragona was hosting one of 2,500 State of the Union address watch parties held around the country as the Obama campaign kicks off its re-election strategy in earnest. As guests nibbled on dips, casseroles and cookies from the kitchens of some of West Des Moines' most politically active Democrats, many said they were waiting — after months of a media megaphone trained on the increasingly fractious Republican nominating process — to give voice to their concerns.

Connie Hagerman of West Des Moines said Republicans’ disarray  “is kind of refreshing. There are too many election years where Democrats have been in the same boat.”

“I hope this kind of craziness will cause people to wake up and say ‘These people are not representing me,' and look at the man they are all running against. I don’t see how that can be bad for Obama.”

Hopes for the President's Speech

Of her expectations for the address, “I mainly want to hear whatever he says explained clearly and concisely,” she said. “I want him to talk about what has really happened since his health-care bill was passed, how that has been good for America and how it’s going to continue to be good for America.

“I also want him to call Republicans on their lack of cooperation. If a congressman can say ‘You lied,’ why can’t he call them out for being obstructionist?”

Vera Taylor of West Des Moines was an Obama volunteer four years ago and signed on to do so again at her precinct caucus earlier this month.

"The country was going a different way — we didn't seem as respectful toward other people and other ideas. He gave voice to people who didn't agree,” Taylor said. "I believe in my heart he's for all Americans," she said. "He stands for righeousness. I just know he's going to do what he says he'll do."

"I think he is going to hit it out of the park," said Frank Santiago, a retired newspaper reporter whose job kept him on the political sidelines for years. Unencumbered by a reporter’s objectivity now, he's fully vested in the president's re-election campaign.

Santiago said he’s encouraged by what he believes is a new level of political engagement by Americans and a shift in dialogue to topics like the basic fairness of taxation policies, but discouraged by the “phony baloney stuff that people listen to.”

“This country is not broke, this country is not disintegrating,” he said. “It’s as strong as it’s ever been. Certainly during the Civil War it was, but we got through that, and we will get through this. I have a lot of faith in this guy.”

Santiago expected Obama to “hit the ball out of the park” with the State of the Union address.

Lorraine Garner is an independent who periodically declares a party so she can vote in primaries and caucuses, as she did recently to support Obama.

“I’ve always voted for the person, not the party,” Garner said. “It just so happens that in the last eight years, I’ve been very disappointed with Republicans.”

She wanted the president to focus on his jobs agenda, “but I also hope he talks about having the top 1 percent pay their fair share of taxes,” she said.

Listeners Give Speech High Marks

Like many of the others gathered at Ragona’s home, Garner thinks Obama faces a tough re-election battle.

“I think he’s up for it, and he has truth and facts on his side,” she said. “I think he has a great chance. I always say you never can take anything for granted, and that’s why I am working for his re-election.”

Cloistered in room at the back of Ragona’s home, Diego was mute — or at least out of earshot — in response to the sustained applause that filled the living room when the speech ended. Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels’ Republican rebuttal may as well have been a late-night infomercial for all the attention the group paid to his remarks.

“It’s the best speech I’ve ever heard,” said Carol Rivas. “I’m really impressed with him trying to unify the country.”

Shelly Nurse thinks Obama reinvigorated his base with the speech. She said it doesn’t matter whether Republicans end up nominating former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich or some other candidate.

“There are so many negatives against all of them,” Nurse said. “Their party is not unified, and ours is.”

“I think he was excellent,” Ragona said. “He was positive, succinct, direct and says exactly what he means.”