It was heavy on the sugar, but that was offset with a little crunchy practicality. It was remarkably unremarkable for a nation that has reeled from terrorist attack to war to financial calamity over the past decade. But in that vein, it will probably be widely embraced as the political comfort food it was intended to be.

I’m a sucker for smart metaphors, especially when they involve food. If more columnists used food metaphors to portray political speeches, not only would I be more interested in politics, but maybe we’d end up with more inventive topping combinations. For example, Rep. Paul Ryan’s response for the GOP? Grilled salami and Nutella on rye.*

Yet it’s really Rothkopf’s second post to which I want to draw your attention. In it, he criticizes some of the rhetoric that’s been used lately to push for more innovation.

It is the widely subscribed to notion … often cited by politicians and op-ed writers … that somehow there is something special, some gene in American DNA, that makes us uniquely capable when it comes to innovation. …But the reality is that the idea that the United States has somehow cornered the market on innovation is an overblown myth.

He goes on to list a whole bunch of stuff we didn’t invent, as well as some stuff we sometimes think we invented but just perfected. His point being that lots of amazing things were created by people who lived or came from countries perceived as being less innovative. And that there are better ways to encourage people to innovate than invoking the doctrine of American exceptionalism.

Could the president have promoted American growth and better lives in the future without implying that we live in a zero sum world full of actors who are working hard to defeat us?

Hear, hear.  I mean, to some extent I get it. Some nationalistic fervor is par for the course. And we know China can be ridiculously competitive at times. But this isn’t Rocky IV. Just because China produces more solar panels doesn’t mean they’re gonna Win the Future, whatever that means.

But forget all that. I think it’s time to retire the word innovation anyway. It’s a tired buzzword with too many meanings to too many people.

And another thing: Geoffrey Rush deserves another Oscar. If you’re reading this, Academy members, please give it to him.

*In truth, I didn’t read the rebuttal, nor have I ever tried this sandwich.

The picture of a sunbathed Oval Office with Obama on the phone on the front of the New York Times’ Web site seemed like it was ripped straight from an Aaron Sorkin script, and I liked it. I don’t mind pulling from the oft-criticized quote of our first lady when I say for the first time in a really long while — eight years to be exact — I’m really proud of my country. It has as much to do with a change in administration as it does the already changed tone in Washington. The notion that maybe those of us without American flag flip flops can still be seen as valuable members of society and not unpatriotic pinkos is a huge relief.

Sadly, work was a big letdown today because all the excited and optimistic people vacated Washington, leaving only the cranky federal employees behind.

LOST

So I will not be watching Lost live because I have a pilates class today (I sound like a schmuck when I say that) and I can’t get to a friend’s TV in time after that. This was really poor planning on my part, but I really blame Alex and Emily, my friends who live closest to me, for not owning a television either. Please, no spoilers. I’m watching it online tomorrow. *really big disappointing sigh*

Time dot com’s James Poniewozick has been blogging about it all day and raises some great questions. (Yeah, what is the deal with Claire? Yeah, just whose side is Ben on now? Yeah, is this show going to go more fantasy than sci fi?)

This other link is from last year, but it’s not too late to throw a Lost theme party (note to self: throw Lost theme party for season six). For all those lost on Lost, you will be unhappy with this site for the rest of the year because one out of every four entries will most likely pertain to this show. I have an analogy. Remember David Lynch’s twisted series Twin Peaks? It’s pretty much the same show, just set on a crazy, crazy island.

Best Of | 9:32 p.m.

I’m going to try to update this one entry throughout the day (à la semi-live blogging). Pics to come.