It looked like a sorority stunt to me or an advertisement for a Bed Bath Beyond white sale. For elected women to sit with prune face stares and not stand for servicemen made them look ridiculous.
2
"The disdain Democrats hold for this president was palpable in the chamber as they looked sternly on in mostly silent disapproval." Sombre is fine, chatty and giggly and pouty never is, not in an auspicious venue.
Speaking as a woman and Democrat, I am always disgusted at the partisan displays that mark all State of the Union addresses. Because someone else is graceless, because someone else stands for everything we do not, should not strip our dignity.
And that goes for men and women, Democrats and Republicans. This was a very public stage and some of my party's members just looked immature.
4
Good for the Democrats, for getting the tenor right. There was no superficial applause or acceptance, just polite resistance. (At least there was no "You lie!" shrieking, like Republican Rep. Joe Wilson did in 2009; and if anyone can justifiably be called a liar, it is Trump.)
As for Ocasio-Cortez, she ought to make more careful fashion choices. One photo shows her wrapped in her cape, and it looks like she's in a straitjacket. Whether one likes her or not, that's not a good look. (It was amusing, though.)
1
@Danny
Ocasio-Cortez is a favorite of the media because of her looks. Yes, she has ideas and grit. But I'd like to hear more from some other newcomers. Like it or not, good looks steal the thunder every time. This is not criticism of her; it's absolute sad reality.
1
I only listened to the end of the speech, but came away with two impressions. The first was of empty nationalist metaphors read like bad poetry. It was like the spoken equivalent of a gas station Harley Davidson t-shirt covered in images of eagles and flags.
My second impression was that I was listening to an entitled but not-too-bright grade school student reading a plagiarized essay he bought off the internet in front of the class.
We can only hope that the president might have learned some new words, and may soon be ready to advance to fifth grade.
2
If these radical Democrats would legislate instead of fomenting hate of Trump then they would deserve to hold the office that they do. As of now they are useless to this Nation.
4
Legislation requires compromise, something Republicans in the Senate seem unwilling to do. There hasn't been much legislation the past two years when Republicans controlled the entire government, and I expect they will block most Democratic legislative efforts now.
I don’t care what Trump says. I just want us Americans to get back our $1.5 trillion tax cut that Trump gave to the ultra wealthy! It’s immoral to transfer such a massive amount of money from average Americans to give to the ultra wealthy! Trump, Give us our money back!
1
I can not stand to watch Pres Trump tell lie after lie from the House floor. Instead, I read the newspaper articles (like those by Mr Hulse) and watch YouTube highlights the next day. Mr Trump doesn’t put any time or effort into creating a coheret, or honest, address so I will not waste my time listening to him.
2
The speech was totally predictable, hypocritical, petty, divisive and riddled with lies. No wonder the Democrats remained sullen and silent.
And 'Socialism' the new swear word? Good grief! The U.S. needs Socialism more than ever before.
1
Considering how contemptuously some Republicans treated President Obama during his SOTU addresses, I thought the Democrats were remarkably restrained.
6
The Democratic Party has morphed into the party of death, socialism and chaos.
The new darlings of the Dems appear sullen, wooden and pathetic. I laughed when I saw them all costumed up. The only thing the girls in white wanted to clap for was themselves. Good luck girls you have already proven yourselves to be bitter pawns.
1
And looking like imature teenagers
I for one was glad to see youthful faces in the Congress. They will bring new energy and new ideas. We've needed that for a long time.
Although Trump showed that he can adeptly read other peoples' words off a teleprompter, there was absolutely no mention of the existential crisis facing the United States right now.
As we watch the mid-winter rain fall, yet again, so soon after below zero temps in Vermont, after a summer of unprecedented heat and humidity, the evidence of climate destruction is all around us. The fact that Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell, and the rest of the Republicans are bought and paid for by the oil, gas, coal and chemical industries means they will never do the right thing, working to create a sustainable future for our children and grandchildren.
Young people are rising up, the talk of the Green New Deal is everywhere, and every day brings new evidence of the urgency of climate action. While the Republicans continue to stonewall the scientific facts, and Trump and his coal and oil buddies continue to party like its 1900, they are missing the uprising happening right below their line of sight.
4
I am a democrat and hope to remain one for life. But! I think my party is spiking the ball before the whistle blows. Few can deny that Trump is the result of Obama. The shock of Obama caused such a whiplash that it opened a back door for Trump to walk right in. The shock to some Americans that a person of color was sleeping in the White House gave birth to the age of Trump. Make America Great Again was really a euphemism for Keep America White as long as possible. People loved the idea that we had turned a page in our history with the election of Obama but that turned page terrified many Americans. Like it or not our country still has big problems with diversity. Over confidence in 2016 cost an election that should have been a walk. In an idea America gender and race would mean little but in present day America it means a great deal. In his state of The Union speech Trump celebrated the diversity of the congress while not acknowledging that he was the cause of the diversity. Why not cut the staged diversity of The Democratic response to the State of The Union. Which i thought as a person of color as way over the top stage craft. Diversity is coming and nothing will stop it but if we think the other side is going to not try to build taller walls to stop it we are crazy. The Right cares little of Trump's character for all they want is a promise of taller walls.
1
I didn't see the Democratic response to the SOTU as staged diversity. Stacey Abrams is a rising star in the Democratic Party.
Where is the State of Emergency that we are actually experiencing, but not declaring? It surely isn't on the southern border.
Climate Change has not been effectively addressed worldwide. The leadership that should be coming from the US is absent, a few States get it, but haven't the heuristic power that must be exhibited by the most influential country, and one of the biggest offenders.
Time is running out, hence the emergency. We have the technology to do what is needed. 50 % per decade 2020 to 2050.
The public, you and I, must insist that the powers that be, make this their highest priority. The alternative is catastrophic!
Can someone please Donald Trump who occupies the office of President of the United States that: 1. He works for us and we pay his salary and CAN fire him. 2. He is following the business model to the hilt (make the most money for yourself regardless of collective costs). Can someone tell him that The United States of America is not a business. It is an entity owned collectively by the people of the UNITED STATES Of AMERICA and its government has only one goal: to improve the collective well-being of us people.
5
The single greatest contribution that President Trump has made to the Republican Party is his success in dragging prominent Democrats to his level. It was with dismay that I watched the first woman Speaker of the House spend the entire State of the Union in the posture of a bored teenager. What was she reading? She did everything but roll her eyes and yawn. Way to set an example for all the new female members Nancy!
6
@FNL-The Speaker was reading President Trump's speech. I get your point, that civility is desired but I dare say far worse behavior was on display when Republicans treated President Obama's speeches with open contempt.
36
@FNL
She was reading her copy of Trump's speech and is to be commended for not yawning or rolling her eyes.
16
@FNL -- Having showed any form of support or even "common courtesy" toward this embarrassment of a president would have been disingenuous at best and insulting to one's intelligence. The man is a fraud and likely a criminal. What is there to like?
2
I love the sight of White Clothing in the Evening. It looks like Victory.
Congratulations.
14
Having the Democrats In Congress engage in the same kind of name calling that has made Donald Trump's behavior in the last two years so odious will not work. What will work however, is a thorough investigation complete with subpoenas for individuals who believe that they are still above the law.
Speaker Pelosi is not only not intimidated by the current occupant of the Oval Office, she also has no problem calling him out on his habitual lying, his flagrant abuse of power, and his cavalier disregard of the rule of law. If Donald Trump actually knew the Constitution of the United States, and was informed about how things actually work in government, he might have a better opportunity to fight what will be a relentless drive by the Democrats in the House of Representatives to uncover Donald Trump's possible criminality and the likelihood that he has been compromised by a hostile foreign power.. This is not a character assassination or "presidential harassment" as Trump has claimed, but rather an unbridled pursuit of the truth.
And these days thanks to Donald Trump , the truth has indeed become a precious commodity.
10
the base liked the all white dress ..... To me it was freshman ...my guess is many found the same.
My mom (95) was saying -- so the women of the house have to express themselves through shopping for clothes ?
3
The white clothing referenced the Suffragist movement of the early 1900s that sought — and helped to win — voting rights for women. The Suffragists wore white, in part, to be immediately identifiable as a group and to stand out in photographs.
Light at the end of the tunnel. Hope that Government of the People , for the People and by the People shall not perish from this Earth even though right now it is great jeopardy all around the world. The Light of the City on the Hill must not be allowed to go out.
4
Trump is completely incapable of bipartisan compromise. In point of fact, so are many in the Republican-led Senate, one notable and even noble exception being Senator Lisa Murkowski.
Democrats must remain unified and focused on building the policy framework for a post-Trump presidency that addresses the challenges climate change, economic inequalities, institutional racism, homophobia, transphobia and creating more government transparency.
Getting Trump's tax returns is only the first step in a long process of cleaning house, and there is a need for strong Congressional oversight and investigations into Trump’s seemingly endless nefarious 'deals.' And depending on Mr Mueller's report, the House may have no choice but to begin impeachment proceedings.
Aside from that, the Democratic Party can walk and chew gum, investigate and legislate, and even investigate the details of various legislative proposals. It is the job we hired them to do in November. So far, I'm pleased with the leadership of Speaker Pelosi and the energy and ideas of the new Representatives.
6
The last line should have read "For Democrats, the Trump error cannot end soon enough".
7
One of these days I'm certain the DNC will learn how to use their abundance of diversity to make the Republican Party look like the monolith, never-changing party of yesteryear. Where are the ads? Simply show a picture of the monolithic white male Republican caucus in a split screen with the diverse Democratic caucus and ask the viewer, "which party do you trust is representing YOU? Probably the party that looks like YOU."
6
The WWE vaudeville political show continues, with every image, utterance and moment presented as a Rorschach test for who is “winning.” One thing I have noticed about Democrats is that they live in a constant state of either anticipated victory or feigned anticipated victory. They speak in themes of “waves” that turn into “tsunamis;” the presentation is that the overwhelming momentum is beginning! Similarly they love to try to create heroes and moments of dramatic victory. For example, mediocre debate performances by Joe Biden are championed as “routes.” Watching Pelosi’s bizarre smirk last night I knew there were plenty of GIFs, memes and high-fives a-comin.
The flip side is that Trump’s speech for once really did have “incredible numbers” in terms of viewer approval.
I thought it was actually a good speech for once, and the Democratic response seemed feeble and petty in comparison, including many of the independent Democratic comments.
I am someone who would actually like to vote Democrat, but the idiocy of the policy approaches and utter identify fetishism of the party’s momentum is increasingly making me think I will have to do the unthinkable and vote for Trump.
15
@John
Regardless of the president's speech and the televised behavior of Democrats, I will vote on the policy platform. It is on policy that the parties continue to diverge presenting clear choices, the theatrics on both sides do not matter.
7
All eyes were on Trump. Wearing white, and/or not applauding, was lost on most Americans. The only thing that would have made a difference is for Democrats to have boycotted the State of the Union. Can you imagine the powerful image it would have sent to see the House floor half full? Or, for Trump to be speaking at the podium with only Pence behind him? Democrats could have used the media attention from a boycott to speak to the "real" issues Americans need to hear. I really don't understand why Democrats are so conciliatory? This President has not shown one modicum of decency since Inauguration. He has set out to destroy this nation. Why does he get a pass? Trump does not deserve the respect of Democrats attending the SOTU. If presented carefully, a boycott would have been a bold and effective statement. Once again, Democrats lost an opportunity to capture much needed media attention.
32
They're in this together. A Kabuki dance. Each side reaps millions and power. We the people are pawns.
So Congressional women in attendance at last night's SOTU wore all-white in recognition of the suffragettes of the early 20th century. EVERYONE in attendance at the SOTU should have worn white in recognition of the fact that in the early 21st century all of us are suffering under Trump.
62
If you look at the picture accompanying the article, you’ll notice one man wearing a white suit. And if you look at the photos of male Democrats, they wore a white ribbon on their jackets. That was the plan from the outset. Democrats who owned white suits wore them. Democrats who didn’t, which is almost all the men, wore white ribbons instead.
Not only is it hard to find white suits for older and heavier men, particularly in the winter, most of the Congressmen would have looked ridiculous in all white suits. They don’t have Ricardo Montalbon’s figure and good looks. This isn’t Fantasy Island.
10
@Jay Orchard
I loved the way Ms Pelosi clapped acerbically at Don's face- the very same face that when Trump looks at it in the mirror sees a strong resemblance to Ryan Gosling. Perhaps because unlike Ryan, Donald is an unmitigated goose.
7
@Jay Orchard
Nothing to do with suffering, everything to do with universal suffrage ,which is what the Suffragettes eventually gained : the same right to vote as men had.
2
25 years worth of Trump’s Tax returns should get him a Wall. Pretty fair trade no?
16
@Brad Smith No deal, Brad. A subpoena gets Trump's tax return and Trump gets 50 years in prison. Okay, reduce it to 30 for good behavior -- which is unlikely.
7
Since the wearing of white attire was encouraged to show support for women's issues using what have been termed suffragette colors, why were there no men dressed in white suits to show solidarity with women in general? I was truly hoping for the whole congress or at least a more substantial proportion that made that fashion choice to look like the male characters of Fantasy Island characters. Hope springs eternal
15
@Pete Actually, the article's first photo does show a man in an all-white suite. I applaud that gentleman.
4
@Pete I read that a new Minnesota representative, Dean Phillips, wore white, as did Rep. Bobby Rush, D-IL. Some other men wore white ribbons.
3
Only one male representative — Dean Phillips of Minnesota — actually wore white clothing. But many of the rest wore white lapel ribbons provided by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.
2
At this point one knows who the democratic nominee should be, but we’re just not saying it. It’s plain to see!!
4
It says a lot when the only thing they got excited about was cheering for themselves. That's a reflection of their values to the base they support I assume. However, I would say the white outfits are a preferred upgrade to the pink hats.
10
No reason we can't have both!
2
@AntiDoxDak
Silly comment, considering Trump is always cheering for himself. That is what gets him excited. What about Trump reflecting the values of his base? That is all he is doing, appealing to his base for all it is worth, because they are all he has.
Moderates, Independents, the undecided and, of course the liberals, the Democrats and the Progressives constitute a very large group that excludes his base. That is a lot to overcome. This does not even include those who have left the Republican Party. If not for the confounded Electoral College, we would not even be talking about Trump's chances for re-election. After all, he did not even get the popular vote.
3
Do you really think it was any different on the other side of the aisle?
I love the multi-ethnic and multi-cultural women and men who make up this new House. My many years of military service at home and abroad made me profoundly grateful to be an American and live in a land of such incredible diversity. Our history of slavery, racism, sexism and oppression has been a stain on our republic. This administration has been a repudiation of all that has truly made America great and is a stain. Change cannot come soon enough.
66
So, Trump took credit for all the new women in congress. Now, let him take credit for a female president in 2020.
40
Trumps comments on lowering the number of food stamp recipients, he's ACTUALLY lowered the amount of benefits that people can receive.
I am disabled (so says the Social Security Administration) and, as a result, am not working. I was getting the full benefit amount for assistance ($192/month) for the last year+ and it has been reduced to $15/month. How is this helpful?
36
@Newfi444-So shameful. Please write to the NY Times tip line; this deserves a whole story in and of itself.
4
More propaganda. The speech was a clear success: well over half of viewers approved of it. The Democrats’ sulking reflected poorly upon them. And no one watching would have known they were in the (slight) majority.
14
@Mike Livingston
In this day and age it’s easy to not watch SOTUS. Many people made a point not to watch. From watching streaming services to simply turning the TV off. Large number of people voted with their remote to switch or to switch off. Most of the approval came from his base which is still only at 40 percent.
7
It was a great speech? His lies did wonders for the Americans who don’t care about basic facts and the truth I suppose. A man can come out and lie about everything and as long as he didn’t “sulk” it’s a win? America.
3
@Mike Livingston
The key is "among the viewer". Many abstained from watching SOTU live because, quite frankly, we have reached the point of utter disgust for this man without morals, principles and experience.
10
I'm gratified to see that Dems were able to coordinate something...
Also, Alex sure manages to get right in front, a good skill to have.
4
What’s the point of being well mannered and trying not to look bad when everything is at stake. I expected more. An uproar, maybe a boycott.
But truly nauseating is to see that Republicans really stand behind him. They love the guy and everything he stands for.
Democrats have to bring much more to the table than some point count on a board that no one can see but themselves.
13
I don't see a Democratic resurgence! I see a lot of women dressed in white! Now, let them be a POSITIVE force for ALL Americans! Then, I will applaud their rise!!!
7
@Counter Measures
Yes just as Trump has been a positive force for all Americans.
Have you any idea that the white was to signify solidarity for suffragettes- a lot of women not allowed to vote?
2
Democrat identity politics, and no platform or ideas on full display.
Rather than a solution, let's just block Trump's wall.
Rather than a compromise, we will insult him.
Rather than economic plan, we will borrow Hugo Chavez's plan. Yea, that should work.
11
@Joe Yoh
Being respectful and not causing a ruckus is not being insulting. Wearing white and sitting quietly honors both the women who are being discriminated against and the OFFICE of the Presidency if not the holder of that office.
3
@Joe Yoh Whatever are you talking about? Sitting politely and listening to the speech was the whole purpose of the exercise. Did you want an uprising on the floor? And if you think the wall is a bad idea, why would you vote for it just to appease the person who wants it?
5
Give them a break, they’ve only been at it for a couple of weeks. The Republicans played that game for six years.
No long red ties, either.
2
I find trumps juvenile shenanigans insulting, but it masks the destruction of the middle class by the GOP elitists who are only interested in their yacht size.
How proud trump was to proclaim how much Carbon we are now exporting to other countries! How disgusting the eerie silence regarding climate change this current set of GOP clowns has given us!
Is the 99% benefiting from anything they’ve done? Heck no. Only a complete quash of the GOP agenda by these brave women for the next two years will help us.
Vote in 2020!!!!
30
What I saw was a disrespectful display of attention starved women that pooled some money and searched “pinrest” for matching outfits to take selfies. I saw several instances of wranglers telling the whites whether to clap or stand. yuk.
12
I saw the country's next wave of leaders, and not a moment too soon.
4
@Pilot
Being respectful and not causing a ruckus is not being insulting. Wearing white and sitting quietly honors both the women who are being discriminated against and the OFFICE of the Presidency if not the holder of that office.
4
Wow! The Democratic ladies looked like bridesmaids at a teenager’s wedding. Or perhaps a cheap high school senior prom.
What happened to good old fashioned feminism?
2
On what hasn't been said: What Mr. Trump means by "invasion" at the border is that there is still the possibility of one brown faced immigrant getting into the United States. He and his supporters are racists. From kidnapping children at the border and holding them hostage for a Wall, intended as a Racist Symbol, they have gone to just kidnapping them with no intention or plans to return them to their parents (Why? Because they can and were doing this long before Senator Murphy showed up at the border to ask what was going on, the only push back being from airlines refusing to transport the children--but nothing from law enforcement or Congress.). And now they intend no asylum seekers allowed, again not one brown face, and very much akin to not allowing Jewish refugees to enter during the '30s. Comparing them to Nazi sympathizers is relevant.
On Russian interference in our elections, which is ongoing, we have just learned that the Attorney General is pressuring to end the investigation and Trump has all but said he will not release the results. Has it occurred to anyone, that this is just what Putin has ordered, as it appears that Trump and his conspirators (political power by any means) are still taking orders. What are in the secret talks between Trump and Putin? Talk about the Dossier, ..or "Donald, you should shutdown the U.S. government".. but certainly not about adopting Israeli babies.
And oil oligarchs reign. No mention of climate change, not even on MSNBC.
15
Remember when the Donald (there is only one Donald both figuratively and in his own history making cranium); do you remember when the one and only Donald proposed that if the Democratic congress investigated him that he would retaliate by investigating them? I thought it amusingly curious because he seemed to assume that they must have been up to improprieties, the way he appears to have been. He was projecting his world view that everybody must be operating scams; as if it were normal. Well, in the SOU rambling rant, the Don more or less threatened not to legislate if he were further investigated. As he would say: excuse me? How any self-respecting public figure could play jack-in-the-box every time the child-in-chief pressed the jack-in- the-box button is an imponderable. I just hope the toddler-of-the-free-world keeps his hands off the nuclear button.
12
Not impressed with the women in ‘suffragette white’ stunt. Sanctimony on display, with Nancy in the role of sorority House Mother. Uh...this isn’t high school, ladies.
11
High school would be several steps up from Trump's nursery school. Bring it on, ladies!
5
Not high school?
Republicans certainly brought back memories of many mindless pep rallies.
2
Rather than wearing white, why didn't Democrats send Donald Trump a loud message by not bothering to come and hear him speak in person and instead just watching the SOTU on television, preferably while they were also doing something else more important, say, doing a load of laundry?
4
@Jay Orchard
Because this is the beautiful US with enduring traditions that rise above partisan squabbles and personal animus. You just witnessed one.
1
Leader Pelosi and the House women looked positively brilliant in their suffragette whites. They were the correct answer to our misogynist president and his cynical enablers.
32
I'm sorry, but can someone tell me what this article is about? Other than Trump is a liar, no one believes him, there are more women in Congress now, and everyone applauded and cheered a lot. We knew all this already. Until real action takes place, every article written, every CNN mouthpiece who blabs on and on, every Fox News idiot who tries to magically tie Trump to the greatest thing since sliced bread will all just be boring old same ole same ole. And the Times won't even publish this comment, because they only publish what justifies their stories anymore.
4
And a swing, and a miss!!
Mr. Know-It-All comes up empty, yet again...
1
@John
Wrong. They published it.
My sincere condolences to anyone who could find nothing better to do (make love? clean the toilet? de-flea the dog?) than watch the latest installment of the Entertainer-In-Chief's ongoing "reality show" soap opera.
5
The Democrats reversal from 2006 is amazing. The neo cons had led the US into an illegal ill conceived war where lots of innocent people got killed and the US lost 4400 service people with 15000 seriously wounded. The Democrats forced Rumsfeld out and put Cheney in a box. Now we have the Democrats doing the neo cons business with this never ending evidence free investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election. They have taken to vilifying people who are against the dumb illegal use of 2000 troops in Syria. There game plan apparently is to make sure the civil war there never ends. There are weird accusations of Russian bots and the Democratic opposition to Hillary Clinton. The Democrats need to focus on the environment, fair taxation not tax giveaways to the super wealthy, improving health care for Americans, a humane immigration policy etc. etc. But they seem intent on pushing the bellicose anti Russia hysteria. Screaming about ending the war in Afghanistan. I hope the new Democrats in the house will focus on social democratic issues. I hope they move to reduce world tensions, and reduce the obscene spending at the Pentagon.
5
I like the guy in the back in white too!!
30
@ELM
i liked the expressions on Nancy's face. Priceless. Behind every intellectually challenged president is a smart woman.
17
Oh please, it was like a sea of white clad Stepford wives waiting for Mistress Pelosi to cue them. Wake up Ladies.
20
Wake up to what?
11
They are wide awake. You perhaps need to wake up.
22
@kate
No kate you are confusing her with the mistresses that are really associated with the hero of the evangelicals. Moreover it was a poor analogy since Stepford wives are submissive to men. These great women were not expressing submission to males.
29
I don’t agree with others who speak of the “sullen” Democratic women seen during Trump’s address. I saw lots of big smiles and clapping at some very opportune times, making it clear that there’s a new sheriff(s) in town. At other times, their silence, as the Times says, spoke volumes.
And except for a few instances, what was there to celebrate? We saw a petulant president calling for an end to investigations and more lies about an emergency at the border. If he shuts down the government again, even Republicans will be ready to toss him out.
245
@Peter ERIKSON.
No one is asking for celebration, just grace.
Trump’s defense of his policies/goals was expected and isn’t valid.
His seemingly patriotic and compassionate verbiage was obviously composed by someone other than our self-serving, greedy, soulless and probably criminal president.
What a sad day for this country that there are citizens so ignorant, gullible and bigoted that they support this dangerous but pathetic human being to lead our country.
85
Mr. Trump has some nerve, objecting to "ridiculous investigations" when he's the leader of the party that insisted on re-re-re-re-investigating Ben Ghazi how many times? 7? 9? (An investigation, by the way, which the GOP's own Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy admitted -- on the record -- was intended mainly to hurt then-candidate Hillary Clinton!)
98
If the Ladies in “White” were to send a strong message by wearing mostly all white attire, this may not have been the best idea or choice of colors to express their diversity.
5
It was the perfect choice, harking back to the suffragettes.
12
The shutdown was not caused by a conflict between the Democrats and the President, it was caused by a president who will hurt people without discrimination or reason if he doesn't get his way.
129
@David Seemann Not to mention a president who refuses to follow the rules. John and Jane Q Developer have to complete environmental impact studies, but Trump wants to skip environmental impact studies or ignore existing ones when it comes to his border wall. The wall will also be much more effective at stopping wildlife, than deterring human drug smugglers who can dig tunnels, use ladders and hide contraband in vehicles, ships and airplanes going through ports of entry.
I am one of those poor people who were not born into wealth. I am one who Trump would label a “sucker.” As a born loser, I have to pay taxes and would have had to go to the military, if drafted. I am 60 year old male, and I am no longer represented in government. A third independent party is needed. Our political parties attract the worst of our society.
6
@Fausto Alarcón Third parties have never worked in the US. Even a President as popular as Teddy Roosevelt was not successful with his Bull Moose Party.
3
We must have been watching different things, because what I saw showed that President Trump owned the night.
11
Brewster Millions, no one who tells malicious lies to benefit only himself like Trump never owns the night. Two things will occur 15 years from now. Donald Trump will have conceded sometime before then that the night he was elected president was the worst night of his life and at least 80% of his supporters will deny they ever voted for him. Decisions he has made will be revealed by then to have done great damage to us.
22
Trumps speech was like the Super Bowl this year until the Congresswomen took over with their celebration! Loved it! To me, there many shades of white!
24
As a woman who has had to live with an openly misogynistic president, supreme court justices bent on taking away the decisions women can make about their bodies, a culture that has denied women economic equality while we face sexual harassment, it was comforting to see this display in Congress.
Maybe we won't allow our hard fought rights to be taken away. These women may be up to that task.
172
Nonsense.......all show no substance
Typical.
27
@There But enough about Trump...
26
If Colin K-whatever his name is can't even get paid to throw a football around for even a bad team, these ladies have no chance. I agree with their stance, but clothing isn't going to cut it.
Also, ladies don't wear white until after Memorial Day. And men don't wear hats indoors. Everyone really needs to focus more on decorum and less on yelling about each other. It's called civilization.
10
Who says women can’t wear white until Memorial Day? Surely, you jest! Those fashion rules went out the windows dons ago.
7
I found their behavior at times last night rather unbecoming. They took their movement backwards!
17
@Isle
What? No unauthorised laughter and high spirits? You know what is really unbecoming? Access Hollywood. That didn't take his movement backwards.
2
“Unbecoming”! Heavens! Don’t you hate it when women fail to understand that their role is that of a decorative, unobtrusive object?
The photo of this piece is awe inspiring. It is their House and the people they represent. Show their emotions. Take selfies. Show suffrage history. Be teary for their accomplishment courtesy of their voters. Make USA an example of good government again to the world. It is their House to repeat. Donald was invited and needs to respect their House. Donald needs to learn that this House is not like a Trump enterprise and it applies to his GOP lemmings.
90
@Uly Excellent comment. Thank you.
6
So Trump is going to protect the country from “ socialism.” Sounds like a 2020 campaign theme. Socialism is the new 1950’s Joe McCarthy communism. I wouldn’t put it past this guy.
122
@jwgibbs Trump picked up on Social Media and FOX; "Socialism; Caravan; Illegals;Abortion;Liberals" are the hot button words to get his base rabid with hate. Hate; hate and more hate. Full of adrenaline.
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@jwgibbs-As you've pointed it out, I'm wondering if we poor beleaguered taxpayers could stop paying for Trump's fundraising events, speeches, and golf weekends to his properties estimated at costing us $87+ million to date.
A Government Accountability Office reports just 4 trips early in Trump's presidency cost taxpayers $13.6 million, or some $3.4 million each. The GAO found also found the government spent $10.6 million for the operating costs of government aircraft and boats and $3 million for "temporary duty costs of government personnel supporting the President's travel, including transportation, lodging, and meals and incidental expenses." Enough already!!!
https://www.npr.org/2019/02/05/691684859/government-watchdog-trumps-trips-to-florida-costing-taxpayers-millions
https://trumpgolfcount.com
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Trump has a chance to show his new self with the upcoming vote to fund the government.
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Trump doesn’t have a “new self”. Narcissists don’t change. He’s still the same hateful self.
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Democrats are willing to compromise. We will give him money for a northern wall. Trump would have been better off giving the women a gift basket from his hotels. Robes, towels, toiletries and maybe even a paid shopping spree. It might have gotten him a few more claps. LOL!
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@alan
Canada welcomes a northern wall, to keep Americans out.
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If so many (millions, billions worldwide) viewers are presented with the speech; doesn't the (1? 2? 5?) editor(s) and cameraoperators have complete control of the message, by instruction of the director(s)? Who directs this?
So where is the second and third party view: They all seem to have smartphones which I can't believe are allowed in Congress (?!). So:
We only get the one presentation of this event. Given the current evolutions in technology, It might as well have been a projection years after his passing. Actual truth is a novel thing these days (check Jean Baudrillard's "Simulacra and Simulation").
Applying lex parsimoniae (Occam's razor) The entire event is a human construct. Made by man. It means nothing.
I have seen 7 presidents jump through the hoops so far. Nothing has really changed.
Except the fact your attempts at converting history are proving more and more effective.
Oh and Mr. President, I missed the bit about global warming and the effect that has on climate change which causes mass migration and loss of sustainable life as we know it on Earth. Can you tweet that?
I'll go back to my tea and lovely novel now thank you. Living CO2 neutral and leaving for the east of Europe for the high grounds soon.
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"As the president was extolling the economy and the new jobs it had created for women in particular, Democratic applause became a crescendo as they realized that some of those new jobs were in the House of Representatives, where Democratic women had taken the place of ousted Republicans. They cheered and cheered."
Once again this man has been outdone by not just one woman, i.e., Speaker Pelosi, but by an entire chorus of women. Men continue to underestimate the power, the strength, the fortitude and the intelligence of women.
I loved seeing their solidarity last night by dressing in white. It was a refreshing and positive change compared to the drab black ensembles worn at the Academy Awards ceremony two years ago in support of the #MeToo movement.
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President Trump delivered a brilliant speech. The ladies in white on the Democratic isle looked like a bunch of sorority sisters. Or perhaps, even a private high school class. Shame on them.
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@Virginia Grandma,
You live in Virginia! You might want to do some self-reflection. Given the scandals about democrats there, I shudder to think what digging up repulicans’ pasts would unearth.
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@Virginia Grandma Maybe you should look up the suffragette movement. And might powerful sisters they were!
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@Virginia Grandma - you do realize what the color white represents? Women got the franchise in 1920, not even 100 years ago - we finally got a voice. 100 years is not that long ago. I may not agree with everything from each party, but I'm proud these women remind us with their symbolic suit color, that women have a voice!
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I didn't listen to the address. I haven't listened to one of those addresses in more than 20 years. Why? Simple. Every President is claiming success for things that they had no hand in or for things that are not successful as well as putting the blame for failures elsewhere. This one is no different.
But beyond that President Trump has dug his own grave. He had a chance to become a landmark President so to speak. And he has, for all the wrong reasons.
He's even more divisive than his predecessor, who ranked as one of the most divisive Presidents in our history.
Mr Trump utterly failed at cleaning out the swamp. There was the slightest hint that he might try that back when there was the first funding fight and he said he was going to shutdown the government unless the immigration issue was addressed. But he quickly folded just like his predecessors and sided with his party, just like his predecessors.
Unfortunately the Socialists are so riled up he could agree with them and they'd still fight him.
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President Obama was the most divisive President ever? How so? By trying to work with the GOP and figuring out that there was no level at which they would agree to compromise on ANYTHING? What did Mitch say at the get go about thwarting Obama on everything??
You have got to be kidding,seriously.
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you could say the same about his base, there’s no reasoning with crazy, or need for any “socialist” to negotiate with anyone who knows only one trick-bad faith.
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The sad part of the Democratic reaction to Trump's speech is that it was made very clear that they care more about pandering to their base than to actually getting anything done.
It is very hard to understand how they could fail to applaud when Trump announced that black-, Hispanic- and Asia-American unemployment were at all time lows.
How is it possible that this is not something to celebrate ?
The Democrats are starting to believe their own rhetoric.
The echo chamber is all-encompassing.
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Oh please, you have got to be kidding. Pandering to the base is the ONLY thing this man knows how to do. Accusing the democrats of that is almost funny.
Keep in mind that almost every statistic DJT tossed out there is flawed and some in bigger ways than others. There is absolutely nothing this despicable and ignorant man represents that we can clap for.
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@G I would speculate that the abundance of jobs that keep workers in poverty is really nothing to celebrate. And, as to pandering to their base, it's about time! Given your statement, I would guess that you have a YUGE problem with Trump constantly pandering to his base. All in all, you have presented a classic case of pure projection, a rampant right-wing malady.
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@G Trump pandered to some of his constituents, but the list of groups Democrats have to pander is long. Or maybe they just rally everyone against Trump, no pandering required.
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It was very noticeable Melania wore black and Ivanka wore blue plaid; speaks volumes. But Tiffany wore white and stood next to Melania. Brave girl and good for her.
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@Mother Sounds like a New York Fashion Week critique.
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Both side are showing defiance and bravado. Call it political theatre last night, but neither side is willing to look at the real issues facing the average American.
When Obama left office, the total debt obligation (both current future committed debts) left a debt of $843,000 per US taxpayer, last week in just two short years it exceeded $1,000,000 per US taxpayer.
Add the US corporations losing over $10 million per minute in asset value with only small business making up the losses in the US economy, the level of focus and political access given to the corporations and lobbying as opposed to the citizens and small business owners keeping the country afloat and it is easy to see both sides of the aisle are tone deaf when it comes to the real calls to action.
The ship is taking on water, instead of talking about a wall or the growing power and resistance of the democrats versus the republicans, we need to talk about how we keep the ship afloat and fix the problems which will lead to it capsizing.
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Completely disagree. Dreadful optics. The women should not have worn white, sitting together scowling. A total turn off to look so beaten down and defeated. We won't win in 2020 like this. Anyone who believes any Democrat with a pulse can beat Trump is inviting another 'surprise'. And who says our opponent will be Trump? The criteria should be a candidate that can defeat Pence, just in case.
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@AS,
No one was there to turn you or anyone else on.
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Trump's disgusting comments at the luncheon before the SOTU were real and raw. The words were angry, hateful and full of malice. Then 4 hours later he is up there before the nation LYING about his intentions. Trump and the GOP have absolutely no interest in working with the Democrats on any issue.
On CNN, Rick Santorum was recoiling in horror at Ms. Abram's response speech!
The State of our Union is horrible but that's the way Trump and the GOP want it. The horror of voting integrity and rights for all of Mitch McConnell and the GOP can only be held in check and mitigated with divide and conquer. That is Trump's specialty. The wall,abortion, guns. Trump will adjust accordingly and use the red meat issues to tear the country apart.
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A solid speech, well delivered -- not FDR or Reagan, but respectable, with strong approval numbers afterwards. And no backing away from a policy standpoint.
Meanwhile, the sullen Congressional Democrats applauded only for themselves; the Virginia Democratic leadership is in full meltdown; and Elizabeth Warren got caught doing precisely what she had denied doing previously. Not a good day at all for the Democrats.
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Sorry, Mr. Left of Center, but the Republicans and their president would take the Democrat’s yesterday as Christmas morning.
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Yeah. At least no one had the audacity to scream out ‘liar’ in the middle of the speech. Who would ever do such a thing?
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@Steve Speech was written by writers; not Trump. GOP watched the speech; not America. Trump going down after all the investigations get going.
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I disagree.
I turned the TV off 2/3 of the way through for two reasons.
The first: Trump's demeanor and liberties with fiction as fact were hard on the ears.
The second: every time the camera panned to Democratic Congresswomen they were teary-eyed and and carried defeated looks as if they just lost the Super Bowl on a last second kick. This was hard on the eyes and the heart. The only supposed "exception" was an awkwardly delayed, unsure, and inorganic response the white suited among the attendees had to Trump's acknowledging women Congress.
Democrats, for the sake of our country:
Be tough. Be confident...be women.
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@Allentown. I saw nothing of the kind. The Democratic Congresswomen almost to a one had steely looks of resolve and fury on their faces. They were not amused and they certainly didn’t look defeated.
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@Allentown
With all due respect, it sounds as if you WERE watching the Super Bowl from the eyes of the LA Rams rather than Trump's State of the Union address for I did not witness what you described in your comment unless it occurred when I blinked a few times. I do not doubt that what you saw was your interpretation, I just did not see what you saw. Did you hear the part where these wonderful women in white were chanting, "USA! USA! USA!"?
I'm sorry you feel the way you do because from my view point, the women at this address were never more compelling, strong, confident, and resolved to stand their ground to fight the good fight.
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“President Trump must now take concrete steps to work with Democrats to strengthen the health and economic security of families across America,” Ms. Pelosi said. “After two years of the president’s empty words, the American people deserve real results.”
Google translate returns: "Mr. President, actions speak louder than words."
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