Napolitano channels Nickelodeon alum in address
Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano opened her annual State of the State Address this afternoon by presenting her overall goals in the following fashion:
Can we continue to renew our schools, from those for the youngest child to world-class community colleges and universities? Some say, "No, not ever." I say, "Yes, we can."
Can we build an Arizona economy with more high-wage jobs and more highly trained people to fill them? Some say, "No, not ever." I say, "Yes, we can."
Can we be true stewards of our water and our land while encouraging responsible growth? Some say, "No, not ever." I say, "Yes, we can."
—Gov. Janet Napolitano, State of the State Address, Jan 10 2005 (emphasis added)
Something seemed interesting as I listened to this opening, but it wasn't until Napolitano put the speech to bed with another "Yes we can!" that I realized where I had heard this type of rhetoric before.
No, not on Fox News... or on CNN. Try one channel up from CNN. Yeah, that's right. Our governor's vision for the state embodies that can-do spirit of none other than former Nickelodeon star Bob the Builder:
“Can we build it? Yes we can!”
That’s the rallying call that gets Bob the Builder and his machine team ready to tackle any project, from repairing a leaky barn to renovating a creaky castle [to building an Arizona economy?]. As they hammer out the solutions that lead to a job well done, Bob the Builder and his crew demonstrate the power of positive-thinking, problem-solving, teamwork and follow-through. When a child shares in this world, he or she will pick up these tools that are so essential to building a “can-do” attitude.
So kudos to Governor Napolitano. She's a Democratic governor speaking to a Republican-led legislature, but she's still got that "can-do attitude" when she presents her goals!
Maybe someday she'll get to make a cameo on Bob the Builder— or perhaps even get her own children's television show.
I can see it now: Janet the Governor. :P