President Trump’s re-election campaign has begun in earnest and its opening event was the 2020 State of the Union speech. However depicted by the media, that is not unusual. Every quadrennial SOTU is a campaign event. After the customary recitation of accomplishments and a recital of objectives, the now-customary shout-outs were kicked up a notch into sort of a mash-up between the SOTU and a reality show.
Notable in the SOTU were Nancy Pelosi’s re-writing of the customary introduction, President Trump refusing her hand, its highly optimistic tone, bestowing on Rush Limbaugh the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the return of a father long on deployment in Afghanistan to his family, and, after the speech had concluded, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s tearing up of her printed copy of the speech. I don’t think I have ever seen such hatred of a political figure as was evident last night.
I quickly did a survey of the fact-checking sites this morning. Most of the checking going on was not checking the facts but the interpretations of the facts. Now we’ll have breathless, glowing declamations about the speech from the president’s supporters and angry, bitter criticisms from his opponents.
I will only contribute one fact-check of my own. Early in the speech Mr. Trump said:
And for all these reasons, I say to the people of our great country, and to the Members of Congress before me: The State of our Union is stronger than ever before!
As was evident from the cheering Republicans and the stony-faced Democrats, I don’t think there has been as much division in the country since the Civil War. The state of the economy is strong but the state of the union is angry and divided.
I think that’s pretty much spot on.
Pretty accurate. Not sure we are much more divided than we have been for the last 10 years. The wife said there was some fuss over Limbaugh getting the medal. I am thinking that if John Wayne and Elvis received it the thing is pretty much something that the POTUS just gives to anyone they like. In some ways Rush is perfect as he is the personification (and was a catalyst) for the divide we have in the country.
Steve
I didn’t watch it and after hearing the descriptions I’m glad I didn’t.
Trump’s performance was probably the best of his presidency. He stayed on-script and elaborated little. If you hate Trump, it was a detestable speech if only because he was delivering it. If you love Trump, it was the greatest SOTU ever, more Reaganesque than Reagan’s speeches.
“Rush is perfect as he is the personification (and was a catalyst) for the divide we have in the country.â€
Yeah, Rush must be why Dems started calling for impeachment upon swearing in. Not to mention the pre inauguration subterfuge. Yeah, Rush.
Get a clue, steve.
Rush pre-dates the current problems. He has been broadcasting for at least 25 years. Pretty embarrassing that you wouldn’t be aware of that.
Steve
Trump took the Reagan formula and made it his own (ramping up the drama with reality show theatrics involving the guests.)
I watched the speech and felt it had all the usual bromides most presidents sprinkle on their SOTU performances – heavy on their administration’s accomplishments with lots of positivity aimed at plans for the future.
The reaction of the democrats, though, was alarming. Stoically refusing to recognize any “good†aspects or improvements in our economy is one form of normal disgruntlement. But, the display of testy non-stop animus infusing the entire event was over the line and unacceptable, where everything and everyone was smeared with disrespectful dung, including “commoners†highlighted in the gallery for their uncommon valor or heart-felt losses.
Furthermore, during an evening where a POTUS speech, along with partisan grievances, should be given a brief public pause – not a pass – in the opposition’s overt resistance to him or his policies, the Democrats were unrestrained and undisciplined in not participating in any kind of civil cease-fire. It should be noted, too, that Trump didn’t shake anyone’s hand – neither Pence nor Pelosi – when he distributed copies of the speech to the VP and Speaker. So, it’s questionable whether not responding to Pelosi’s slightly outstretched hand was a diss or simply an oversight. However, what can’t be contested is Pelosi’s on-camera, flamboyant act of immediately tearing up the president’s speech. This unprecedented hostile gesture has actually caught more media and public attention than the speech itself. And, while people may interpret Speaker Pelosi ripping up the SOTU document in different ways, for many it will be seen as churlishly immature behavior, giving every reason to change the House majority from D to R come November.
“Trump took the Reagan formula and made it his own (ramping up the drama with reality show theatrics involving the guests.)”
Kind of, but I dont remember the meanness, crudeness and hostility with Reagan that we get with Trump. Reagan could actually talk with people from the other party. We would criticize but not personally attack his opponents. Could you really see Reagan going after the wives of his political opponents? If he did, I certainly dont remember it.
Steve
Reagan had a sense of humor, and humility, it goes a long way. But Reagan’s dead.
It would, I think, behoove Democratic pols who are consumed with hatred for Trump to find their champion, and spend their energies advancing THAT individual. Negativity can only take you so far, as they should have learned by now from the polls.