“No issue better illustrates the divide between America’s working class and political class than illegal immigration,”
This is probably true, but not in the way he means. The "political class" use immigration to foment fear and hatred among the so-called "working class."
The craven narcissist that Donald Trump is, milked last nights speech for all the time he could get.
Donald graves the attention.
Look at me, look at me mommy.
Why pay any attention to this? The person who delivered the speech is a sociopathic liar. He will change his mind or his staff will inject "what he really meant" at their convenience. Trump's words mean NOTHING, therefore this speech is irrelevant to any meaningful discourse.
The pretend President did not disappoint last night.
He was, as usual pedantic, condescending, self righteous and threatening.
Come together, right now
Under me
Is it just coincidence Trumps asks for bipartisanship after he loses the House?
It's laughable, but now that we have a divided Congress Trump, and the GOP want us all to get along like one big family. We need to reject the politics of revenge, resistance, and retribution. We need to break the decades of stalemate and work together. And, this time we mean it.
8
@Dan O Trump doesn't mean anything, he's an habitual lier and white collar criminal like no other president in US history. Pelosi should push him into another shutdown, that'll bury the Republicans for good.
The content of the yearly SOTU is becoming increasingly irrelevant to the average citizen - the statements and policy are increasingly disconnected from the reality of what will happen. Suggest to cancel the SOTUS for 2019 onwards
8
Much like Nixon did in his state of the union speech eight months before his resignation, Trump also called for his investigations to cease. But the question remains, which of the dozens of investigations does he wish to end?
18
Trump was absolutely right when he said you can't have peace or legislation while there's an ongoing investigation. I'm glad that Trump finally realizes that he has to resign. Or, as the late Johnny Cochran would have said: "If you're not legit, then you must quit."
12
Really? Trump advocated ending our participation in the wars in the Middle East. He advocated paid family leave. He celebrated the facts that more women, people of color, and disabled people are employed than ever before. He advocated identifying and prosecuting sex traffickers. How are these not all policies and positions that the Democrats should be supporting?
9
@John Q. Public
Trump animus has made a mockery of democratic principles. Landmark prison reform is an issue that has always been critical to the African-American community.
As someone with a close family member in prison, and like millions of other Americans, I know who was responsible for it and whom to thank.
17
@John Q. Public
Mr. Public, I've got a bridge to sell you--it's in need of repairs but you can have it for the low, low price of ....
What comes out of #45's mouth has no or little bearing on reality. When he manages to pass something that is a benefit to all (or the vast majority) of Americans then and only then will I support something he has accomplished.
26
@John Q. Public
Trump is still cruising on Obama's success. Nothing you point out was accomplished by Trump.
46
He just came off the longest govt shutdown in history and may be on the cusp of another. Yet he made no mention at all of the hundreds of thousands of people directly and indirectly adversely affected by this failure to govern. Last night was a show for the reality star. Nothing more. With so many serious issues facing this country there were lots of opportunities to appear more like a leader and less like Gene Hackman in The Birdcage ("purple mountains' majesty, amber waves of grain"). But Trump can never become better because he thinks he is already best.
1
"Mr. Trump behaved like the insurgent who rode into Washington two years ago with a congressional majority and a mandate to upend the establishment."
I'm sorry, I must have missed something. He lost the popular vote by roughly 3 million. Who, exactly, gave him a mandate?
A angry, fearful minority cannot bestow a mandate or magically become a majority and impose its will.
3
Most of what the President said last night was just a pile of empty words. Health care reform, deregulation of environmental policies, deregulation of financial institutions, income tax cuts for the wealthy, failing relationship with allies and foreign countries, failing infrastructure, imposing tariffs, shutting down the government, creating division and hate, the list goes on; plus his abuse of the oval office. Yet, you have the GOP members applauding this man with standing ovations as if he's walking on water.
4
America was built upon unfettered and unhinged capitalism, militarism and racism. An America that is first in money, arms and prisoners is not nor will it ever be great.
The Declaration of Independence unifying message declared a divine natural equal certain unalienable person rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The preamble of the Constitution of the United States rested in we the people creating a divided limited different power constitutional republic of united states to form a more perfect union. A republic that excluded women, enslaved Africans, Natives and anyone who did not own property was born a callous cruel cynical hypocrisy.
The biggest socialist welfare program in America is the federal income tax code. It is a license to steal by deductions, credits, subsidies and lower tax rates. But only for certain industries, individuals, sources of income, transactions, business entity structures, contracts and securities.
American socialism aka Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid is the humble humane empathetic minimum.
3
Yes, the man who spent much of his first two years in office trying to reverse the legacy of President Obama would view investigations as "partisan." All those convictions and guilty pleas he lies about: "witch hunt." He also continues to lie about most things and, of course, also behaves as a Kremlin agent might. Ah well, let's see how his party behaves. Trying to pack the courts. The Dems should add Merit Garland to any discussion of court appointees by Senator "up or down vote."
5
Mr. Trump’s speech had no mention of
* government shutdown
* universal background checks for guns
* how his tax cuts haven’t really trickled down to the average American.
Once again, showing how out of touch this President is with the American people.
As an aside, I know my comment may come off as snarky but.., someone should tell Ms. Conway not to wear a fur trimmed outfit right after the longest government shutdown in history. For an administration that is always worried about their optics, they sure are tone deaf.
6
There is a country in which there is practically no social program, the infrastructure are crumbling, with the burden of the highest external debt, no national health care insurance plan, the highest infantile mortality rate in the industrial world, an electoral system in shamble (supress the vote law, long waiting line for voting, super PAC, ...), union rights under attack (Janus decision),... in other words a country in which you better to be rich and healthy than poor and sick. But it is OK. After all things are a lost worst in Venezuela. What country i was describing? I will let the reader decides.
3
He's a liar, not a leader. At this point he must be contained and in 2020 defeated and thrown out of our White House - and we must make sure all the Russian spy bugs are gone, too.
5
It's about as easy as this...if you want to actually appeal to bipartisanship, don't call the opposition party by their GOP coded pejorative "Democrat Party." You have just announced that you are not really interested in bipartisanship at all.
4
Actions speak louder than words.
3
At the heart of the problem is that Donald Trump, he of limited vocabulary, does not know what the word bipartisanship actually means.
By his definition, Democrats would simply accede to his demand for the genuinely stupid wall, never mind that the Dems have consistently opposed it, as have 2/3 of the country, as have most Republican legislators. (I concede that the Dems were prepared to give him money for the stupid idea in exchange for a permanent solution for the Dreamers which he agreed to before he reneged ... something he does a lot). Under Trumps rules of bipartisanship, he should have to give nothing in return for complete capitulation on the other side.
It’s simple. It’s simplistic. Which also describes this president.
4
The hypocrisy is too much to even fathom. After years of the GOP investigations of Hillary Clinton, trying to repeal the affordable care act, filibustering everything during the Obama administration..etc, a call for bipartisanship from Trump.
And if Schultz runs as an independent...we could get another six years of such random nonsense.
3
Trump talks of building walls, oil rigs and nuclear weapons. Literally and figuratively they are all instruments of division. Trump's presidency is based upon conflict. He is dangerous . He is also a money launderer.
3
Why should we expect anything different from a rigid capricious thug, always 'able' to get away with his motto 'my way or the highway'? Trump is such a nitwit that he cannot understand why, now that Pelosi is in full control of the House, he can't go on defrauding the American people, by lying whenever he opens his mouth? Why won't his accomplices, the republicans, stop his nonsense, and start serving the country...instead of themselves? Trump is shameless in his pursuit of vanity, however destructive 'the wall' is in dividing us. And removing a much depreciated value, the trust in our democratic institutions.
1
Last night was a sad moment for America. The fact Trump who poses like Mussolini behind a lectern, is even there is a cruel joke foisted upon the majority of the Country. Whilst last night read like an infomercial, both subtle and not so subtle hostility oozed beneath the surface of the speech. It is high time Republicans re-engage their brains and stop praising the rhetoric that spews from his mouth. Last night was a waste of time for everyone who spent two hours of their time when they could have been far more productive doing something else.
14
Cant bank on a word he says. He'll read off the teleprompter one night and text the opposite in the morning. Talks with forked tongue.
He starts his whole speech with a cry against ridiculous partisan investigations. I would agree. Except this one isn't baseless. The ones against Hillary were baseless. Where was his voice then? And no legislation if investigations continue? Will someone please read the Constitution to this poor excuse for a man? He doesn't get it.
Bipartisanship? The only bipartisanship Individual 1 one wants is for both parties to do what he wants. Dictatorship 101.
He's getting more unhinged by the day. Time to put him out to pasture. Or on an ice-floe in a (hopefully) still unpolluted river.
13
I didni't bother watching what turned out to be the 2nd longest SOTU speech ever.
This person who is the president is simply not to be believed. How can anyone watch a pathological liar give a speech about "coming together" when virtually everything he does is to divide?
Judging by the Times's coverage of it, I made a good decision.
11
Unhuh. Yes, unfortunately, trump calling for unity and togetherness after stumbling into the presidency dog whistling his way in, after tormenting Obama for 8 years with his birther lies, leader of a party that proudly declared its primary purpose was to make Obama a one term president, who stole one SCOTUS seat from Obama and plugged a man of no honor in another SCOTUS seat, yes all of this is as ghastly and ridiculous as FLOTUS making bullying her cause while married to one and never realizing the irony.
I will never forget nor forgive the day the Republicans allowed one of their own to yell out “you lie!” while Obama was giving the State of the Union.
How darkly irritating it is that this current president, who does little else BUT lie, has not been subjected to that level of disrespect at his SOTU Address, disrespect he justly deserves.
12
Non partisanship with Putin's Puppets complicit GOP cabal of corrupt demagogues means what - that Democrats who care about the public good and place public service above self interest should go along with helping President Puppet and his cabal continue to dismantle the decades of negotiations to establish legislation of beneficial interest to the common good?
6
Low point of the entire speech:
“If there is going to be peace and legislation, there cannot be war and investigation.”
I was actually expecting Trump's next words to be, "If it doesn't fit, you must acquit."
11
"Black Americans predominantly live in states that refused the Medicaid expansion." https://www.nextavenue.org/end-of-life-inequality-black-americans/
What states are those?
Will voters notice that their entire healthcare-- from prevention to end of life decisions-- works against their opportunity for a long, healthy, productive life?
5
Somewhere in the deep recesses of what is left of his mind trump knows he has to pull people together to accomplish anything. Yet when the time comes he can't help sticking his thumb in the nearest eye. His lack of self control is pathetic.
13
The great irony is that the only thing the Republicans achieved in two years of complete ownership of the government was to give the wealthy a huge tax cut and to appoint a whole lot of conservative, but many unqualified, judges. So now Trump is going to blame the failure to get his way on the Democrats? Just another stupid tantrum.
12
After bypassing the traditional Speaker's introduction -- either because he didn't know any better or as a deliberate slight to Nancy Pelosi -- he treated us to the usual boasts about "his" economy while getting all the numbers wrong; the usual lies about caravans, immigrant crime, human trafickers, El Paso and how a wall will make us all safe; his usual witchhunt complaint disguised as a diatribe against "partisan investigations;" and a totally phony plea for bipartisanship because, heavens to Betsy, the Dems should not be seeking revenge against the greatest U.S. president in the history of mankind. Teleprompter Trump is not the real Trump. The real Trump rules by tweet.
14
"who rode into Washington two years ago with a congressional majority and a mandate to upend the establishment."
A small correction, Trump has never at any time had a "mandate" to do anything. When you fail to get a majority of votes, you proceed humbly knowing that most of the country doesn't share your vision. You seek compromise because you know that unilateral moves are not what the citizens will tolerate.
34
Our kumbaya moment--We can bridge old divisions, heal old wounds, build new coalitions, forge new solutions, as long as you do what I say, and never investigate me. Or my buddy Putin.
Anyone actually believes that he seeks comity? Or more like this is just more comedy in the worst reality show ever. Please this show has jumped the shark and needs to be cancelled--ASAP.
SOMEONE TAKE AWAY HIS PHONE, if anyone in government seeks any comity at all.
20
Trump's gift is his low retention rate---this morning, or for Trump, this afternoon, all he will remember is his great immigration put downs---all talk of bipartisanship and those socialists ideas---leave for children---will all be forgotten---besides, in two days, he has to get ready to declare a national emergency and attend a rally where he will lead the chant to lock up Pelosi.
7
There is nothing that Trump can say that alleviates my fundamental fear: This man as President and Commander-in-Chief is a clear and present danger to the safety and security of the US.
I am reading “The Fifth Risk” by Michael Lewis. It should be categorized under “horror”. It’s the mundane stuff that can slip through the cracks that keep me up at night, but this WH feels like we’re driving blind down a busy highway with a drunk riding shotgun and the kids in the back.
I hope the press starts focusing less on Trump, the character in this apocalyptic reality tv series called the “Trump Presidency”, and more on how Trump and his team are putting the American public at risk. He hires his incompetent friends and family, uses the government to enrich himself, and treats the federal workforce like trash. These civil servants are our first and last responders in a crisis.
Trump is a huge stress test on the system. So far, I think we’re failing. That is terrifying.
46
The President seems to be out of touch with reality because he sees things that only the GOP leadership pretend are there. Like with the “catastrophe known as Nafta.” He probably meant the catastrophe of the name, so he changed it. Not much more than that.
More amazing was to witness a president in national TV, in front of all branches of government, trying to negotiate impunity mafia style. It was like asking for ramson when he demanded "no investigations for him". Is that even legal? Was Mueller listening? Congress was but the House will do oversight and hopefully, investigate corruption.
By the way, Mitch McConnell did not smile much. He looked nervous.
14
So, basically, "Do what I want and we'll all get along fine." Dictatorship 101.
16
The SOU was the Democrats’ opportunity to put on their best scowl face and show the country how unpleasant they really are.
They even have coaches, and prizes for best scowl.
@Ken
Is there a smile on your face? How can you ignore the damage the guy in the White House has visited upon us?
Do the Republicans have coaches on ignorance, hypocrisy, and fascism?
9
The Republicans absolutely mastered the scowl-face long ago. Trump and McConnell are constantly displaying exaggerated scowls in order to try to look mean. The Democratic people are rank amateurs at scowling faces, but, please do give us time to perfect our scowling technique.
I am repulsed by the sound of this con artist president’s voice. Every time I hear it on radio or television, I quickly change the channel. Thank you for your live commentary and fact-checking. I was able to read along in real-time without being subjected to his abrasive, scornful voice.
14
So the Times opts for partisan resistance by focusing on style and ignoring the main themes: strong economy, low unemployment, call for secure borders, detente with North Korea, trade deals that promote manufacturing, a responsive health system for veterans, lower drug prices and end to late term abortion. Most Americans support this agenda. The Times is being snooty and dismissive because Trump showed commitment to these policies and pride in America. Okay. Enjoy your resistance. Cheer on abortion as if it's a festival and lose the next election.
Enough of Trump. Let's get on his removal. Then jail time. Brooklyn would be a great place.
7
This man fails to understand how a democracy works and only wants a unity if it follows his ideas.
He needs to step down and let the country get back to work.
We need a working government that can find common ground and not some idiot bent on his own agenda.
10
In the best of times, the State of the Union is a boring spectacle as legislators jump up at every chance to muster enthusiasm over lame accomplishments and dreams that never happen. I couldn't bring myself to watch trump again especially after last year where my eyes rolled constantly. It seems my experience would have been much the same this time.
9
Last night, Trump once again demonstrated that he is not up to the task of unifying, and further demonstrated that he places politics over progress and personal over people. While the diversity of our society guarantees that we as a people will have differing views on many social and political positions, I believe on the core values of America - compassion, generosity, equality and freedom - we all agree. We want a functional government that works for us, respects us and does its job as defined in the Constitution. This requires that Congress while formulating laws also continues to monitor our government's actions and effectiveness. Our Congressional leaders should take Trump at his words and start to craft bipartisan approaches to policies raised in last night's speech - repairing our infrastructure, making real improvement in our healthcare system to provide better coverage/access and lower drug prices, providing paid maternity leave and fixing our flawed immigration system. His response to such actions will reveal his sincerity; let's see. As President Regan said in referring to the Soviet Union, "trust but verify".
1
Just what the Times readers were looking for: another interpretation of what he or she said. Readers trapped in a jammed classroom of monkey-see-monkey-do school.
2
It's confusing when he tells the Democrats they are idiots, losers, criminals and then asks them to work together with him amicably.
22
Bipartisanship; on Trump`s terms. Compromise; on Trump`s terms. Calling out racism; on Trump`s terms. Border security; on Trump`s terms. Historical and economic facts; on Trump`s terms. I could go on and on; but you get the idea. This 72 year old monument to ego and and blind partisanship is everything the speech writer; whoever it was; was warning and railing against; until the very end when the real Trump showed up. The disconnect between the message and the messenger was so jarring; I do not even know where to begin. He talks about anti-Semitism in the Holocaust survivors; and then refused to denounce them over Charlottesville?! He talks about the sin of racism; and pours endless scorn and fear over the invading hordes of brown people on the southern border. If Trump were Pinochio; his nose would be so long now; it would be impossible to estimate how long it would be. But one thing can be counted on for sure with Republicans. Do not ever let the facts get in the way of a fairy tale they are trying to sell to their ever deluded base.
21
When you have a man who is, and always has been, "a divider not a uniter," who constantly lies, who takes revenge on all including those who've served him, who has no moral authority after condoning the white nationalist America First racists in Charlottesville as having "some good people," who acts and behaves like an authoritarian by shutting down the government for a month to force Congress to pay a $5.7 billion ransom for a wall, and now once again threatens that "there can be no legislation while there's investigation" into his wrongdoing, you have empty words uttered by an extreme, untrustworthy partisan who believes only in "the rule of Trump" rather than our constitutional "rule of law."
13
The speech was no surprise with the exception that he pretty much stayed on scrip this time to the credit of his handlers and speech writers. He mouthed the words of bipartisan cooperation, but words from Trump have proved to be meaningless unless it's for his own benefit.
Let's get on with the business of investigating Trump and put this charade of a president out of office.
15
Malignant narcissism personality disorder is an incurable mental illness, yet we wait and wait and wait on reports from state and federal investigations that will reveal he has performed numerous illegal acts before and during his presidency. Uh, duh. The greatest danger to our Democracy and the world has been his mental status for more than two years! No one with his mental condition should have access to state secrets, negotiate treaties or be trusted with the nuclear war football.
11
Really? He wants to play nice with the Dems? Not buying it, perhaps the repubs forgot about the eight years mitch McConnell swore NOT to work with Obama. And now he was bi partisanship? Not going to happen, same way the investigations aren't going to go away. And as for more women in the workplace? Yeah working 2+ jobs to put food on the table and working low wage jobs at that. And those women in white yesterday? A direct result of this man's ego. A clown in the White House.
12
More of the same gloating and prevarications unfortunately. The only moments worth savoring were those highlighting the presence and energy of those newly elected female congressional members - perhaps they can start to make this country great again. This guy and his gang of thieves won't.
6
Calls for "bipartisan compromise" on border wall funding are destined for failure, and that failure is rooted in the inherent fallacy of any compromise. President Trump wants a wall. Democrats don't. A compromise, by definition, would be half a wall, or some lesser wall. What good is half a wall? If Democrats feel that spending money on a wall in pursuit of border security is ill-advised, certainly spending money on a partial wall is even more so. I see no "compromise solution". Let him declare his "emergency", lawyer up, and go play golf.
2
The word climate does not appear anywhere in his speech. The biggest threat to the world since the height of the Cold War was ignored to throw lies about immigration to his red-meat base sprinkled with scare tactics of smearing real help for Americans like Medicare for All.
Plus the throws in a subtle threat of war if he investigations continue.
And the Republicans are right there with him selling out America to Putin.
9
After refusing Nancy Pelosi's introduction, Trump-- with no sense of irony-- began with the lengthy and repetitive theme of bipartisanship. Then, after taking credit for the rosy state of the nation that he paints with half truths and full-out lies, he went on to lay out a supremely conservative, Trumpian agenda with dog-whistle walls and anti-abortion rhetoric and all of the details that could never be endorsed by the Democrats. But, the funniest part was his constantly referencing the wonderful work of his "cabinet". To whom not subpoenaed or indicted is he referring? Was it the cabinet members that left their jobs exasperated?
12
John Q Public,
You list issues Democrats have supported and do support. Democrats’ efforts to enact these policies were stymied by Republicans beginning with Newt Gingrich because he felt slighted by Bill Clinton on Air Force One. Then John Boehner, Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell together and separately blocked similar legislation when offered by Democratic presidents. Have you forgotten McConnell’s vow to Republicans? McConnell smirked that the most important job he had was making Barack Obama a one term president. It doesn’t get more obstructionist than that.
Now that Trump is seemingly touting these same issues Republicans act as if Trump invented them and like you, they’re in. Trump is still riding Obama’s coattails enjoying the results of policies Obama and Democrats crafted. Trump’s signature tax giveaway will add trillions in debt.
Lastly, as a woman I can assure you Trump has done nothing for women. He even plans to take from us what little autonomy we still have over our reproductive systems. Trump is an exploiter of women not our advocate.
14
Trump can't have it both ways. Calling for bipartisanship while threatening to suspend legislative advances because of Mueller's investigation kills any bipartisan spirit.
8
How reassuring was it last night watching Nancy Pelosi sitting their taking note of every word this bush-league president uttered. Madam Speaker Pelosi, I cannot call her Nancy the disparaching way Trump does, looked like an accountant getting ready toi file her findings, accounting for every penny of her thoughts, a response all the result due to the political acumen and savy this women has acquired, the result of a lifetime of engaging the opposition in the political trenches she's fought in and most certainly while not dancing on rooftops.
5
Thanks for the report. When Trump got elected I vowed to never listen to any of his speechifying; I would instead read about it in this newspaper if there was anything newsworthy. So much better to have watched a rerun of "Barney Miller" than to listen to this little man give a State of the Union speech filled with lies and distortions to 30% of the country.
7
@Ronald Aaronson: I watched Shameless instead of SOTU. Because I knew that's what his speech would be.
1
I agree there needs to be bipartisan actions by Republicans and Democrats to successfully impeach and remove trump from office immediately.
11
near the one third mark, he calls the investigation ridiculous. at the end he claims to not mention russia and the investigation. contradiction.
1
Let's be clear. Our enemies of the past (WWII and Cold War) were NOT Socialist countries. They were totalitarian regimes. Democratic "socialism" is part of the nations like Denmark, Holland and Sweden, etc. Today's Venezuela is a military dictatorship. Free market economies work best when good government exists to prevent monopoly and level the playing field. It would be nice one day if we can ever practice that form of capitalism.
14
You put these two quotes together and what do you get? If he is investigated, he promises war, gridlock, vengeance, and destruction.
“If there is going to be peace and legislation,” he declared, setting out the terms of his engagement with Congress, “there cannot be war and investigation. It just doesn’t work that way!”
“We must choose between greatness and gridlock, results or resistance, vision or vengeance, incredible progress or pointless destruction,” Mr. Trump said.
2
Donald Trump, whose entire life has been a lie, a scam, a shakedown, was true to from last night. He conjured up a false reality that supports his phoney programs and pseudo accomplishments. He invented crises that never happened and took credit for solutions that never took place. He took no responsibility for anything that went wrong. He admitted no learning or course correction. He slammed the opposition. Muhammad Ali truly was the greatest and he could prove it! Trump is the greatest at faking that he is the greatest. And his people love him for it. He gave them a fantasy and they can't let go of it.
Well, we don't need a fantasy president. We need a real one who lives in the real world and can produce real solutions. As far as the economy is concerned, how do know that it wouldn't have continued to strengthen if anyone else was president? This is like taking a vitamin and claiming it cured your cold when you would have gotten better anyway without it.
No, what the scammer in chief did last night was throw red meant to his base. He knows that base is his protection from impeachment by preventing a few Senators from voting to throw him out. That's what we saw last night. A political, defensive maneuver conducted by a desperate man, clinging to the false narrative of his entire life.......because that's all he knows. That's all he can do. And the red hats roar! Figure it out people. You have been conned.
58
Sir: talking about a fantasy President, your candidate Mr. Biden would be a perfect example. He says he'd like to "take Mr. Trump behind the schoolyard wall and beat the begeeziz out of him". (Not an exact quote but pretty close.) That truly is a fantasy!
@Ross Stuart My money would be on Biden.
6
"Mr. Trump briefly acknowledged Nancy Pelosi as “Madam Speaker,” but dispensed with even perfunctory congratulations. "
The president is a total boor. Like pushing aside the prime minster of Montenegro to barge in front of a photo, he didn't even allow the new speaker her moment to shine and introduce him.
I found the speech a mishmash, frankly, full of useless alliterations that almost seemed comical at times. It meandered from here to there, with prose about "unity" that felt more like farce than reality, given this president's arrogance and insistence that compromise means giving into what he demands.
I supposed the speech was initially drafted by some fairly decent writers, but so highly edited by too many, including the president, that it came off as stiff and imperial.
I watched the president's demeanor and body that conveyed hardness and meanness, despite some lofty phrases. To equate progressive ideas with Venezuelan repression and Congressional oversight to overreach was more authoritarian than American in tone.
With the White House touting the address as a call for unity, it sounded anything but. God help us over the next two years.
55
@ChristineMcM
A flowery speech directed at his base with some actual truths thrown in for good measure. But they were not his words, they were the words of some speechwriter. He read them from a teleprompter did his duty as POTUS, but they were not his words.
3
An issue totally separate from Trump: has this affair become more and more ritualized over the years? A rite with such automatic rising and genuflecting for utterly mundane utterances that it is growing to mean less and less?
26
Best part, besides honoring the WW2 Vets, was when he declared America will never be a socialist country. Pelosi clapped. The rest of the Democrat caucus sat, didn't clap, and had this look on their face like they were busted, like the bad guy in a grade B movie. The looks on Bernie and AOC's face was priceless.
20 years ago, Democrats would have cheered that too. Remember, it was Bill Clinton who declared the "era of big government is over".
Not anymore. This is the New Democrat Party, taken over by socialists.
4
@Sports Medicine
No.it's all about the use of the word, about what it means.
Any use of public tax money's to support the community at large is an expression of socialism: Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, workmen's compensation, unemployment insurance. They are programs that contribute to stability and security of Americans. They aren;t so bad, in my estimation. It isn;t about state takeover of industry; it's about establishing a level of assurance that basic needs will be met.
75
@Sports Medicine
Decrying socialism is a favored trope of those who are greedy, hate sharing with others, and see any requirement that they extend compassion to the poor, disadvantaged, sick or discriminated against as a moral outrage. They wave the banner of freedom high and claim patriotism to the flag, but in truth they desecrate the flag and the very moral foundations of our country: tolerance, providing for the general welfare, and democracy. Calling Democrats socialists is an old muckraking technique that deflects against one's own selfishness and heartlessness towards one's fellow human beings.
10
@Sports Medicine Or maybe they were rejecting the lie that the Democratic Party supports socialism at all.
5
Who really values their own life so little to waste even an hour listening to this "so-called president" lie some more? You'll never get that time back.
63
@kladinvt
Totally agree. I watched the Colbert mockery of the SOTU address instead. Time much more wisely spent!
2
I did not waste my time last night watching his speech. Is there a subtle difference between "bait and switch" vs a lie.
25
SOTU is merely a speech, some words cobbled together by someone else and placed before Trump on a TelePrompTer. The real Trump is the one we see every day in his policies to destroy the environment. The real Trump is available 24/7 on his bile-filled Twitter account. The real Trump is pushing away allies and comity and cuddling with strongmen and racists. The real Trump is giving away tax breaks to the wealthy and stiffing the little people. No one with any awareness will be fooled by a few words to Congress.
93
So to have “Peace and Legislation” we must overlook his corruption and collusion. No deal.
79
@EW - Ironic, isn't it, that such a statement comes from the man representing the party of "war and investigation?" Actually, deceptive is a better word for it. Would we expect anything else from this pretender?
4
I am confused. The president wants us to buy in to his agenda but then implores us to choose greatness.
37
Trump's truly does not understand the definition of word bipartisan. It is not "play the game my way or I will take the ball and go home."
42
That is Donald’s idea of bipartisanship.
3
Some say the definition for insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. #45 cannot drift from his base, cannot get bipartisan support, cannot acknowledge that without congressional approval he will accomplish nothing.
If he weren't so cruel and petty and criminal and a bully, I might have sympathy for him; instead, we watch our country continue its dreadful slog toward disparity and hostility.
52
Coming from a science research and quaker background, I value accurate, truthful, humble, plain statements. The political realm is not the first place I look to find such statements. I have difficulty filtering through all the talk to discern what is real.
9
“If I had not been elected president of the United States, we would right now, in my opinion, be in a major war with North Korea.”
If this speech didn't convince the American people that we need to spend a lot more money on mental health services, nothing will.
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@A. Stanton
Far from being reassured by his comments on North Korea, I am terrified by his action on nuclear weapons. With Trump at the helm, we are inching closer to Armageddon than we are to peace.
The race is on and Trump is leading the charge. Which will kill life on this planet first, nuclear war or climate change? He is stoking both with hardly any real appreciation of the matches he is playing with. Can the fire be far off?
5
So, what the SOTU address was last night was an opportunity for Trump to speak directly and in an unfiltered manner to his base offering them his accomplishments, delusions, lies, distortions, and grandiosity. It was an opportunity to make the opposition look like "sore losers" for not applauding his "many successes." I'm sure his base was thrilled. His view of the world and of his presidency must have seemed all the more to be "the truth" when given on national TV from the House chamber.
His worshiping base must have been ecstatic. I, of course, did not watch - you could not pay me enough to give away those minutes of my life. We should do away with this "state of the union" address. It is no such thing. It is simply an opportunity for the POTUS (of which ever party) to give a sanctioned political speech. IMO the "response" probably matters little for most folks probably don't stay tuned for a second speech on the same night.
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@Anne-Marie Hislop I think that the Founding Fathers have written down that the President should speak publicly to the American people 'from time to time'. To do it every year is, I agree with you, too much of the same.
4
@robert
No, the Constitution does not says the president must speak it, is says report to. Until 1913 it was done by letter. There is nothing in the Constitution that says it hasn’t to be a live address.
2
Trump truly believes his is the only way and only he can fix the problems our nation has. That said he believes bipartisan cooperation is giving him what he wants and never question what he has done.
15
Build a barrier. That's the way to build bridges.
When the entire Democratic Party's position comes down to one issue -- that is, an absolute drop-dead-even-if-it-means-closing-the-government refusal to fund a barrier at our border -- it's disingenuous to blame a president for not building bridges.
2
@AACNY Not sure I understand your point, before the shutdown Dems and Reps passed a spending bill and sent it to the Prez. He refused to sign it because it did not include 5 billion for a wall. The one and only elected official insisting the wall is more important than "everything else put together" is the Prez. How can you say that's the Dems coming down to one issue?
6
@AACNY
"Build a barrier. That's the way to build bridges."
You want a bridge, you build a bridge.
Remember Mexico was going to pay for it, right? Except they are not... Then Mr. Trump had no interest in the issue for two years when his Republicans controlled Congress. He never even asked for it in the Adminsistration's 2017 and 2018 budgets.
Democrats take the house and blowtard right-wing pundits suddenly make it an issue? Fuggedaboutit!
6
@AACNY
He'll never get his "beautiful wall"....he promised over and over again that Mexico was going to pay for it. The best deal maker in the world? Let him "deal" with Mexico whether to pay for it in Pesos or American Dollars.
2
The man is delusional. He says if it weren’t for him we’d be in a war right now with North Korea. (among so many other things)
You wonder if he ever asks himself why his approval rate never goes above 40%. Even his supporters at some point have to negate his ideas of his self importance and grandiosity.
But no one has ever been able to say “Donald, get real.” They either get too exhausted trying or he gets rid of them.
Did anyone else get the idea watching Jared that he was secretly saying to himself, “There’s my puppet” as he clapped, stood, and grinned for daddy-in-law? Scary.
Trump’s presentation of not only the State of the Union, but anything he says just leaves us feeling creepy and sorry and worried about this country. That’s not what a president should be leaving the people feeling when he finishes speaking.
Even in the worst of times FDR and others comforted. Far, far, far from 2019. If he only FDR and the others could have imagined!
66
@MIMA methinks Putin was clapping and grinning while saying “There’s my puppet”!
2
@MIMA
Did anyone notice that Tiffany was dressed in white? For once the Trump ladies (Ivanka, Melania, and Tiffany and their sisters-in-law) were not all dressed in matching outfits.
Hey, Tiffany, I have sympathy for you. Good for you to wear white and show solidarity with feminism and that you are your own person. Go, girl. Their slime hasn't rubbed off on you.
My simple litmus test to gauge Trump's (or any other Republican's) bipartisan sincerity:
Reference to "Democrat Party", or
Use of "Democrat" as an adjective.
If they cant be bothered to show the barest amount of respect by simply managing to refer to their opposing party by its, you know, actual name -"Democratic Party" - then why should they deserve the presumption of sincerity?
And, applying my "bipartisan sincerity" test to Trumps speech tonight - he totally failed.
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@Andy
Actually, the name is the "Democrat Party".
Democratic is the adjective.
@Sports Medicine - With all of the tools of the internet at your disposal, are you unable to look up what the party calls itself? It's name has been the Democratic Party since the nineteenth century.
53
@Sports Medicine That’s incorrect. It’s the Democratic Party; people who support it are Democrats.
2