President Trump's First Address to Congress **live commentary thread**

[Illiniwek]

Look at where Trump is looking; he's avoiding the Democratic side of the aisle like the plague, focusing on the GOP section and the balcony as much as possible.

True but when the applause happens he looks over at the Dems to see if/who is standing for him. But you are right he is speaking only towards the GOP.

[Suburbia]

The speech is somber. However, both sides do it. It's partisanship. We have not had an Independent Centrist president. We have not had a centrist president in nearly 20 years. We need one. NOW.

[henster]

His base/low info voters will eat this speech up, he'll probably get a bounce from this for next few weeks and then back to earth.

[Ronnie]

Apparently, liberals aren't Americans according to Ann Coulter:

https://twitter.com/AnnCoulter/status/836772453963681792

[Matty]

That speech was like catnip for  midwestern voters.

Dmocrats refusing to clap for any of the pro-manufacturing policies put forward is bad politics.

[The Other Castro]

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Seemed like a nice and touching moment to me.

[Goldwater]

Well, Trump, my family and I were finally able to get health insurance thanks to the ACA and prior we couldn't, yes it isn't perfect but keep the damn law.

A repeal and replace of Obamacare doesn't necessarily mean that the provisions that helped your family get insured will be thrown out. Of course, you know that, but I'd imagine the adrenaline of panic has you hooked.

FTFY. Of course, this also assumes they ever get around to the "replace" part...

[Mr. Morden]

https://twitter.com/bennyjohnson/status/836777135528370177

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[Crumpets]

I'm not sure what I think of this Democratic response so far. It reminds me of the Pietanza's meeting for the Republicans in 2009.

[Suburbia]

Former Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear. White male politician. He has a good message so far.

[Suburbia]

Apparently, liberals aren't Americans according to Ann Coulter:

https://twitter.com/AnnCoulter/status/836772453963681792

Coulter is a weirdo. We are all Americans. Liberals, conservatives, moderates, etc.

[Illiniwek]

Did Beshear flub that line with "I'm a Republican...."? or was that what he meant to say?

[Classic Conservative]

What is this?

[Suburbia]

Beshear is a good man. However, is he too white for the Democrats?

[Crumpets]

I'm really liking this response so far. I can definitely see Trump angrily tweeting about it at 3 am.

[The Other Castro]

Beshear is a good man. However, is he too white for the Democrats?

The majority of Democrats are white.

[Technocracy Timmy]

I'm really liking this response so far. I can definitely see Trump angrily tweeting about it at 3 am.

Same. I think this response was fantastic.

[Crumpets]

MSNBC pretty much panned the response, saying Beshear has no future in the party and that it looked like a hostage situation in the diner. At the same time, I'm glad they didn't try to get a 2020er to give the response, since that has never served to advance anyone's career ever.

[Illiniwek]

It won't move the Earth, nothing will, but I liked the response. It did seem pretty genuine.

[Confused Democrat]

MSNBC pretty much panned the response, saying Beshear has no future in the party and that it looked like a hostage situation in the diner. At the same time, I'm glad they didn't try to get a 2020er to give the response, since that has never served to advance anyone's career ever.

[Crumpets]

Also, when are we getting the Liberal Tea Party response? SAlt just gave their annual "Socialist response."

[Maxwell]

can we say "teleprompter president"?

this is the same speech that he gave at the convention but slightly less "lord of darkness".

[SteveRogers]

Increasing defense spending is so stupid.

We have to increase it a bit. Obama made a mockery out of it. Making fun of them, depleting our veterans. It was time.

Do you know anything at all about defense spending under Obama? Can you give specific examples of how Obama "made a mockery of it?"

Um..Steve, remember the sequester? Remember his 2008 and 2012 DNC speeches, remember his bashing of American military in '08 before the Wright story came out, and he had to change his tune, the civilian force that he wanted?

Sure, the sequester slowed the growth of defense spending for a period. First of all that wasn't Obama's fault. Second, while I would have preferred more precise cuts than what the budget "compromise" in 2011 forced, we can certainly afford to trim some fat from the military's budget. The idea that any and all cuts to defense spending constitute a "making a mockery" of the military is absurd. The continual quagmire in the Middle East has nothing to do with the fact that we haven't built as many F-35s or cool destroyers as we planned.

And no, I don't remember Obama ever "bashing" the troops in any speech. You're just parroting tired and generic Republican talking points and equating any and all criticisms of the Iraq war to troop bashing.

[Suburbia]

Eh, a okay speech by Beshear. Overall, a divided nation. A bitterly divided nation. That's all. We haven't had a united country in nearly 30 years. That's all.

[Xing]

So, yeah, about that message of "unity"...