President Barack Obama opened his campaign for the 2012 presidential election with his State of the Union address on Tuesday.

There was considerable media buildup for the event, which came only weeks after the tragic and deadly shootings in Tucson, Ariz., where six people were killed, including a federal judge, and several more seriously injured, including a congresswoman. There was much talk about trying to forge a more friendly and respectful feeling within Congress, using the shootings and the rancor built up during the November midterm elections as a reason and hope as to why the president’s address would have even more importance this year.

Many strong Obama fans were hopeful the president would deliver an inspirational message, one which might measure up to often-cited addresses to Congress by former presidents Kennedy, Clinton and Reagan. In fact, the entire country could have used an uplifting, positive message with the tense international situations, the record national debt, high unemployment and most Americans facing challenges trying to maintain their household budgets.

Obama and his speech writers were said to have worked several months on this very important presentation.

However, for one reason or another, the talk didn’t deliver the lift, impact or inspiration sought by so many, both Democrats and Republicans.

One of the reasons is that most of what Obama talked about has been said before. Even with the emphasis in the 2008 campaign about change, transparency, openness and bipartisanship, national unemployment numbers have grow to more than 9 percent, record national debt continues to grow, and, until the smashing GOP wins in the midterm elections, Obama had not displayed any desire to work in a bipartisan manner.

Critics of the talk described it as being “flat” and uninspiring with a lack of sincerity. These critics asked, “Why should we believe anything is different today when he didn’t follow through on what he said two years ago? It’s the same thing over and over, and in many ways we are worse off today than we were two years ago.”

And, these critics add, instead of talking about reducing our debt, he calls for unspecified increases in spending, which he now identifies as “investments.”

Republicans and Democrats acknowledge Obama needs to appear to voters that he is moving toward the political middle ground, distancing himself from his traditionally strong far left beliefs if he is to strengthen his bid for a second term as president.

Tuesday’s address was supposed to offer evidence of this shift, but there was little indication of his sincerity to oversee a more moderate agenda.

Obama is an eloquent speaker, but, unfortunately, he failed to deliver a sincere, passionate, uplifting and challenging message for both Democrats and Republicans. The country is badly in need of sound, inspiring leadership in Congress and in the White House.