Self-Reflexive Political Commentary

One of the things that has become quite apparent in the wake of Barack Obama's speech is that when people give their reactions to the speech, they are really speaking about themselves and not about Obama. The speech is in effect puts a mirror to America. The most astute observers realize this and will be able to move beyond the Walker incident; others will remain fixated on the issue. What makes a text meaningful is when it allow people to locate themselves within it, whether that be a sacred text or a political speech. Roger Cohen of the NY Times had a wonderfully self-reflexive column.