(Thumbnail image: CBS News)

“We must enact policies that promote entrepreneurship and innovation so America can better compete with the world.  What government should not do is pile on more taxation, regulation and litigation that kill jobs and hurt the middle class.”  (ABC News) 

Virginia Governor, Bob McDonnell, delivered Republicans’ response to President Obama’s State of the Union address Wednesday.  The new governor challenged Democrats on jobs, the economy and health care reform.  Now pundits are sizing up McDonnell’s performance…and what his speech could mean for his party’s direction.

We’re taking a look at perspectives from ABC News, Fox News, The Wall Street Journal and more.

Right after McDonnell’s speech, there was no shortage of praise on FOX News…

“Bob McDonnell is an excellent spokesman for the Republican Party.  I think he’s a real comer in the party.  He was affable, he was smart, he was calm.  It was a very effective setting.”

“This is a pragmatist who appeals to the independent voter.  This is someone who can stand there and say, ‘here’s common ground.’”

A Wall Street Journal political writer says tapping McDonnell to give the speech was very intentional…  

“Were they going to go for a populist message that would appeal to the tea bag masses?  Or were they going to project the image of a governing party waiting to take back control of Congress?  They chose the latter."

But there’s more to a speech than just the words and The Washington Post writes the GOP did a good job of adding some heft to the governor’s message.

“…The most impressive features of the response were the visual cues the Republicans chose to use…In the Virginia statehouse, which he stressed at the top of his speech, and which sort of made it look like he was delivering his own little State of the Union.”

But a writer for The Guardian took a more cynical view of McDonnell’s setup…

“The camera allowed the viewer to see only McDonnell, the black woman and the Asian man...I know nothing of the two people back there and I'm sure they're excellent human beings and have some measure of logical claim for sitting up there. But they have to know they're props, right?”

As for what Republicans’ response to President Obama’s speech…on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Chuck Todd says it was positive—sort of.
 
“I heard Jeb Bush this morning say, ‘its not enough to just give a good speech.’  Code word—he gave a good speech.”

“I talked to some Republicans last night who said, “well, he did a good job on his own political standing, but you know, this wasn’t ever about his personal favorables.  This is about the policy.’  Translation—I think this speech focus grouped pretty well.”    

So do you think McDonnell’s speech was a success—how did he stack up against the president?

Writer: Chance Seales
Producer: Newsy Staff