State of the State reaction

In Legislative Hall Thursday afternoon, lawmakers and key state officials spilled out of the Senate chamber following Gov. Jack Markell’s State of the State address, to engage in something called initial reaction.

The conversation begins with countless variations of the question “whaddya think?”

And the response, at least in the small sample gathered by our cameras, was generally this: a positive reaction to a positive speech.

Where last year Markell quoted Thomas Paine (“These are the times that try men’s souls”), this year there was more optimism. That all challenges can be met by working “together”.

And where the last two State of the State addresses leaned heavily on the analogy of digging out of a hole, this year the theme was staying out of that hole.

And it appears state employees are standing by with the shovels.

At least that was the hint in the not-so-subtle line in the speech, “so the proper course is to work together with our state and public education employees to find the best and fairest ways to achieve near- and long-term savings.”

Details are sure to follow in the coming weeks and months. And that is when things will certainly get heated.

But for now here is video reaction from Democrats and Republicans essentially agreeing with the governor’s message.