February 28, 2017

President Trump's address to Congress.

1. Let's watch the big it's-not-a-State-of-the-Union address.

2. The Supreme Court Justices who are sitting this out are Clarence Thomas, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Samuel Alito.

3. Some Democratic women are showing their suffragette colors, wearing white. I'm seeing Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Nancy Pelosi in white. But Elizabeth Warren is in purple.

4. Trump is given a full standing ovation. Maybe a few are remaining seated.

5. Trump introduces the First Lady, who looks unusually happy... and also very glamorous, in sparkly black. Trump isn't wearing a red tie for once. It's blue. And striped.

6. He condemns hate, and says he wants to deliver a message of optimism and strength.

7. I haven't kept up with live-blogging this. Thanks for keeping up the conversation in the comments.

257 comments:

1 – 200 of 257   Newer›   Newest»
FWBuff said...

Is there going to be a separate SOTU this year?

Humperdink said...

"Is there going to be a separate SOTU this year?"

Since they are typically given in Jan or Feb, I am guessing the next speech Trump gives to a joint session will be next year.

Bob Ellison said...

Is purple a thing? I have a sort-of purple shirt. Should I be careful when I wear it?

Humperdink said...

"Elizabeth Warren is in purple."

Native American declaration-of-war garb.

Snark said...

Faye Dunaway kind of ruined white for a while.

Fabi said...

No drinking game?

D. said...

"Elizabeth Warren is in purple."

The purple revolution. H. Clinton wore purple after her defeat.

Bob Loblaw said...

Elizabeth Warren is in purple.

Might be a Cherokee thing.

Bob Loblaw said...

Sigh. I guess that was an easy layup.

Rob said...

His jacket is buttoned. Wonders never cease.

tcrosse said...

Elizabeth Warren is in purple.
The color of sour grapes.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Ann Coulter said ...
While Trump was making billions of dollars building skyscrapers, developing golf courses and starring on a hit reality TV show, members of Congress were slowly working their way up the political ladder -- interning at think tanks and congressional offices, taking some small government job, then running for the House or Senate, and, hopefully, marrying a woman with a large inheritance.

A stunning number of senators and congressmen are supported by rich wives -- Sens. John McCain, Mitch McConnell, Richard Blumenthal, John Kerry and Ron Wyden, and Reps. Michael McCaul, Scott Peters and Paul Ryan, to name a few. Is there any other profession with as high a percentage of men sponging off their wives' inheritances?

Then a self-made billionaire came along, violated all the rules they had lived by, and swept aside more than a dozen experienced politicians just like themselves! Not only did Trump make his own money, but he beat them at the one thing they thought they knew how to do.


Bob Loblaw said...

You really can't go wrong bashing Congress.

Kathryn51 said...

Who gives a damn about Lizzie W?? Melania looks lovely, as usual.

CStanley said...

Trump isn't wearing a red tie for once. It's blue. And striped.

And Pence and Ryan are wearing matching ties!

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

That new national spirit sweeping over the country may be what is knocking over all those gravestones.

Bob Loblaw said...

That's true, ARM. We should probably do something about anti-semitism in academia.

FWBuff said...

Smart to note Black History Month and attacks on Jewish cemeteries up front.

Big Mike said...

Elizabeth Warren is in purple.

As befits an Indian princess!

Marty Keller said...

That new national spirit sweeping over the country may be what is knocking over all those gravestones.

Such stupidity, so early in the proceedings. Shame on you, ARM.

I'm Full of Soup said...

It's still hard to believe Trump is president. I smile and am pleased every time I think of that. He really did slay the HildaBeast.

FWBuff said...

Deregulation is a big deal if he can do it.

gspencer said...

"But Elizabeth Warren is in purple."

It matches her scowling face and all its war paint.

Big Mike said...

@ARM, I'm pretty sure that (1) the Jewish gravestones are being knocked over by Democrats and (2) being blamed on Trump voters so that (3) they can get more $$$ raised from Jews and Jewish organizations, meanwhile (4) causing Jews to overlook the inconvenient fact that the second in command at the DNC is a virulent anti-Semite. And it will work.

Humperdink said...

Did I see Morning RINO caucusing .... er ......sitting with the democrats?

Humperdink said...

Pelosi's skin is so tight, I thought her face was going to crack.

FWBuff said...

Clear speech about ISIS. And I have to say, I'm glad he says ISIS instead of ISIL.

Fabi said...

How long before Chuck shows up with the DNC talking points?

David Baker said...

" Trump isn't wearing a red tie for once. It's blue."

Red, the color of war. Blue, the color of trust.

n said...

Trump has totally stuck to the script... 5-4-3-2-1...

Mark said...

I would like Trump to expressly remind them that the immigration policies he is implementing are NOT his, but are the policies enacted into law by Congress and signed by Obama, Clinton and other presidents.

Rob said...

What's the big deal about entering the middle class? I couldn't wait to get out of it.

n.n said...

FWBuff:

Hopefully, this will be the beginning of the end of the abortion fields and catastrophic anthropogenic immigration reform including refugee crises caused by Obama's noncommittal social justice adventurism from Africa to Asia to Europe a la Clinton's war on Serbian Christians.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Bernie clapped for the state takeover of industry proposed by a Republican president.

Chuck said...

Haha. I was just about to say that Trump sounds very much like a President, when he sticks, absolutely, to his speech. He did fine, for the first 20 minutes. He's slipping, now that he's getting into it.

It's not much of a speech. Not a bad speech. But nowhere near great. It's the sort of speech that every governor, every mayor and every county executive has given in these first weeks of 2017. He repeated the goofy error about Gorsuch being confirmed "unanimously," when in fact it was a voice vote. I heard laughter in the chamber when Trump talked about Harley-Davidson showing motorcycles "on the front lawn of the White House." It was the South Lawn, which is really the "back lawn."

Richard Dillman said...

OK, the Harley Davidson section was a brilliant appeal to voters in flyover country, absolutely brilliant rhetoric for a working class audience.

Paul Ryan was beaming, almost smiling.

Lewis Wetzel said...

AReasonableMan said...
Bernie clapped for the state takeover of industry proposed by a Republican president.
2/28/17, 8:38 PM


If a conventional Republican had won the GOP nomination, you'd be looking at President Hillary right now.

Mark said...

So Dems sit on "protecting all Americans."

Chuck said...

I'm interested in the dynamic between Paul Ryan and Mike Pence. Pence's position, but mostly his white hair, gives the impression that he would be the senior partner. But the body language is all for Ryan. Ryan is the leader, between the two of them. See; Garner, John Nance.

D. said...

say drugs and demonrats stand up

Chuck said...

Geezus what a promise. Better care, at lower cost.

I want that on tape. No wait; I want it in writing.

Humperdink said...

Chuck, you wearing white tonight?

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

"Everything that is broken can be fixed." Sounds like nanny statism to me.

FullMoon said...

D. said... [hush]​[hide comment]

"Elizabeth Warren is in purple."

The purple revolution. H. Clinton wore purple after her defeat.

S.E.I.U color. Surprised it had not been noticed before.

FWBuff said...

Trump's calling for a united effort by both parties is more than I remember Obama doing in his SOTU speeches.

Lewis Wetzel said...

I've owned my share of Harleys. Never liked the corporate personality. I liked Brit bikes better, but never found one with long legs for those long Midwestern blacktops.
On a some "highways", a fifty mile ride on a Bonneville will leave you with blood in your urine.

JackWayne said...

Life-long Republican sees the next President of the US and it's Ryan?

Mark said...

Why do some people repeatedly insist in each and every discussion on shouting to everyone, "Hey everybody, look at me! I'm a petty, small, punk ass tedious bore"?

We get it.

Rob said...

All right, I'll go to hell, but how did they get Rosie O'Donnell into that wheelchair?

Chuck said...

This "rare disease" case that Trump is making is very good indeed. It is one that the Wall Street Journal has been backing for many, many years. It's really an FDA claim. I see Elizabeth Warren standing to applaud it. Any Democrat that opposes it is a scoundrel.

gspencer said...

The guy's doing pretty well.

Democrats, most of them, are acting as Democrats.

Mark said...

OK, all you congressmen and senators standing up, when are you going to get off your ass and reauthorize the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, which you allowed to lapse last year?

Chuck said...

Humperdink said...
Chuck, you wearing white tonight?


Nope. And, I am not wearing even one lapel pin. I think I have worn a lapel pin about a dozen times in my life. I have never, ever, worn two lapel pins at once.

I am like Trump, on lapel pins. A man has a 1-lapel pin limit at all times, and there must be a good reason for a lapel pin. And when you purchase or receive a new lapel pin, you must get rid of two lapel pins.

It is time, for lapel pin reform. It's time. It really is. Big time. No more special interest lapel pins. No more. I'm telling you. You know I'm right. Right? You know it.

FullMoon said...

Lotsa KKK white on the Dem side......sitting on their hoods?

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

The problem with developing treatments for rare diseases is that rare means tiny market. It is economics not the FDA that is the problem.

JackWayne said...

With all of these personal stories, Trump is stealing the strongest weapon in the Democrat arsenal. They thrive on passing laws by citing the personal and particular. Usually, Republicans don't know how to deal with that.

FullMoon said...

A shame Nichole Kidman is not there clapping.

sunsong said...

So who is fact-checking this bull shit?

Chuck said...

AReasonableMan said...
The problem with developing treatments for rare diseases is that rare means tiny market. It is economics not the FDA that is the problem.


That may be true, but that isn't what Trump, or the Journal, have been talking about. It is all about fast-tracking experimental treatments. Different thing. Trump is right about this one. He's got it exactly right. I wish I knew who put the bug in his ear. Some very smart, very well-connected Pharma lawyer I'll bet.

Mark said...

If Carolyn McCarthy can make a career off of her husband being killed in the Long Island Rail Road shooting, then Trump can highlight families who were killed by aliens illegally in the country.

Left Bank of the Charles said...

An excellent speech by Trump, coming across as very Presidential. I guess he does know how to do that after all.

Chuck said...

Mark said...
If Carolyn McCarthy can make a career off of her husband being killed in the Long Island Rail Road shooting, then Trump can highlight families who were killed by aliens illegally in the country.

Hell, Trump can highlight families whose peace officer loved ones were killed by illegal aliens, because it is the right Goddamned thing to do.

JackWayne said...

ARM, you are partially wrong. What pharma company wants to spend 8-12 years on the testing program as laid out by the FDA unless they KNOW the payout will be huge? Our country used to approve hundreds of drugs in a year. In 2016 we approved 22! If that's not a government problem in search of a solution, I've never seen one before.

Anonymous said...

Ok, stop already with wavng the bloody shirt.

FullMoon said...

The widow

Known Unknown said...

"ARM, you are partially wrong. What pharma company wants to spend 8-12 years on the testing program as laid out by the FDA unless they KNOW the payout will be huge? Our country used to approve hundreds of drugs in a year. In 2016 we approved 22! If that's not a government problem in search of a solution, I've never seen one before."

Not too mention throwing millions of dollars away on a compound.

ARM does have a point, though. Treatments for rare diseases are less likely to be targeted simply due to cost vs. market potential. But Trump's argument for fast-tracking is a huge help to those in need.

Mark said...

The left should stop with bloodying shirts.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

" So who is fact-checking this bull shit?"

Lemmee guess. This is the first time you've heard a politician speak?

Kathryn51 said...

sunsong said...
So who is fact-checking this bull shit?

You mean Hillary doesn't have her super duper insta-fact checker system up and running tonight?

Original Mike said...

AReasonableMan said..."The problem with developing treatments for rare diseases is that rare means tiny market. It is economics not the FDA that is the problem."

Right, the FDA has no impact on the economics of drug development.

FWBuff said...

Very moving tribute to the Navy SEAL and his widow.

Scott said...

I'm laughing my ass off! The men and women in the room still have NO FUCKING CLUE how to deal with him! They clap and gaze like zombies! It's the second most amazing piece of political theater I have ever seen in my life -- the first being after 9/11, in Congress, when Prime Minister Tony Blair sat there as the Constitutional representatives of the three branches of government gave him a standing ovation. The British Prime Minister was gang raped by most powerful nation in the world on national television. The expression on his face was something I will never forget.

Anonymous said...

I see his father wasn't there.

Mark said...

I see McCain is there with his date at his side. You think the date will get lucky later tonight? Probably.

Chuck said...

It strikes me; this is a speech that will divide people on purely partisan grounds. Even NeverTrump Republicans will appreciate this speech. And absolutely no Democrats will give this speech the benefit of the doubt.

It ought to be a lesson to the Trump inner circle; get your guy to straighten up and fly right, and he could have a unified party behind him.

Mitch McConnell has been saying the same thing for months; he likes the policies, a lot. He could do without the Twitter account(s) and the sideshows.

FullMoon said...

sunsong said...

So who is fact-checking this bull shit?


Got Google, don't ya? Make a list for us. Text of speech is online.

Mark said...

Dems sit down for God.

Anonymous said...

Oh please, what a narcissist.

MikeR said...

"The problem with developing treatments for rare diseases is that rare means tiny market. It is economics not the FDA that is the problem." Huh? It currently costs a billion dollars to develop a new cancer drug, and takes close to twenty years beginning to end - mostly because of the last FDA clinical trial. Europe requires nothing like it.
I have a friend who can't find anyone to fund a cancer drug he is developing, because there aren't enough new patients a year to make that billion dollars back.

JackWayne said...

A much better speech than any of the soporific offerings from Obama or Bush.

FullMoon said...

Vicki McKenna‏ @VickiMcKenna 6m6 minutes ago

Isn't it wonderful to listen to a speech that isn't all "me" and "I" and more about "we" and "us"

I'm Full of Soup said...

I am at work and only caught the last few minutes. What is with the white suited women?

Clyde said...

All in all, a solid speech. The lemon-sucking Democrat brigade didn't like it, but hey, they weren't going to no matter what. For the rest of us, not bad.

Original Mike said...

Well done. Who knew Hitler had it in him?

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...


"It strikes me; this is a speech that will divide people on purely partisan grounds."

And after every one, there'll be fewer Democrat/Lifelong Republican partisans, and more Trump partisans.

Mark said...

With the Dems running away, the President ought to do like one of those fake movie endings where, in the middle of the credits, the movie continues.

Anonymous said...

Half of us never stopped believing in America.

The speech was full of promises, short on plans.

Chuck said...

Jack Wayne said...
A much better speech than any of the soporific offerings from Obama or Bush.


No. I liked about 5% of what Obama did in office. But he had a speechwriter -- Jon Favreau -- who was the best speechwriter in a generation. And Obama delivered those speeches with the persistent excellence of the Jordan-era Bulls.


Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

It was a good speech and I agree with some of Trump's goals. I doubt he can deliver.

I think historians will come to view Trump's election as the end of the American century, a withdrawal from the world, conceding leadership to others.

rcocean said...

I love how the Democrats sat when Trump said he'd put "America First"

Run on that in 2018 Democrats:

"Put America 4th - Vote Democat"

JackWayne said...

Thanks for the laugh life-long Republican!

Mark said...

Half of us never stopped believing in America

They would be the ones who did NOT think that we needed a "fundamental transformation of America."

Lewis Wetzel said...

What a gloriously strange country America remains!

rcocean said...

I think historians will come to view Trump's election as the end of the American century, a withdrawal from the world, conceding leadership to others.

Yeah, because its either "Invade the world and invite the world" or America in decline, giving up leadership to the Commies in China.

No other option possible.

mockturtle said...

Chuck is wearing purple, of course, in Hillary's honor.

Chuck said...

The Cracker Emcee said...
"It strikes me; this is a speech that will divide people on purely partisan grounds."
And after every one, there'll be fewer Democrat/Lifelong Republican partisans, and more Trump partisans.

No, that is a different matter. Trump has to deal with Mick Mulvaney, and pass a budget. And the "lifelong Republican partisans" will win that fight. We own the House and the Senate, and Mulvaney is one of ours.

JackWayne said...

ARM thinks that Trump will "lead from behind"?

mandrewa said...

Not bad at all. There are points to dislike of course. I particularly don't promises that can't be kept.

But still, pretty darn good.

Ken B said...

In "Hillary's honor"? Then he's naked.

robother said...

Biggest new policy proposal: Repeal and replace the 65 Immigration Act with a Canada/Aussie style immigration regime. No more mass immigration driven by cheap labor/family reunification. I imagine most Trump supporters would be willing to trade amnesty for non-felon illegals here prior to, say, 2011 fro that plus the Great Wall.

Lewis Wetzel said...

AReasonableMan said...
It was a good speech and I agree with some of Trump's goals. I doubt he can deliver.

I think historians will come to view Trump's election as the end of the American century, a withdrawal from the world, conceding leadership to others.

2/28/17, 9:13 PM

That's certainly a possibility, ARM, but who will these others be?
The US has just gone through nearly a decade of < 3% GDP growth. Trump was the result of this sub-normal growth. I wonder what China would look like after a serious recession? And that recession will come. Live by the business cycle, die by the business cycle.

David said...

"What is with the white suited women?"

They are campaigning to allow women to vote in federal elections.

Bob Loblaw said...

S.E.I.U color. Surprised it had not been noticed before.

That seems to be a bit out in left field. There must be thousands of organizations that claim every common single color.

rcocean said...

Mitch McConnell has been saying the same thing for months; he likes the policies, a lot. He could do without the Twitter account(s) and the sideshows.

McConnell is a corrupt loser. If it was up to "Mitch" Hillary would be POTUS and he'd be minority leader to Harry Reid. I think him, McCain, and Graham were happier when they could just come into work everyday, punch the clock, collect their graft, and leave the governing to the Democrats.

Bill said...

It just isn't the same without Maxine Waters there.

Richard Dillman said...

Assessment -- a rhetorically effective speech marked by a strong focus, a linear structure, effective rhythm and pauses, and strategic control of images and emotional appeals (pathos). It was quite different than his other public addresses like the recent long press conference.

This was a speech marked by the very effective use of the principles of classical rhetoric, not Cicero, but Aristotle.
It was an Aristotelian speech.

Bob Loblaw said...

I think historians will come to view Trump's election as the end of the American century, a withdrawal from the world, conceding leadership to others.

I don't even know what that could mean after the Obama years.

Humperdink said...

Little Known said: "The speech was full of promises, short on plans."

I suppose Trump could have brought charts, graphs, and detailed outlines, but I suspect you and Chuck would have bellyached about that too.

mockturtle said...

Chris Wallace just remarked that, for the first time, Trump became the President of the United States. It was an excellent speech and well delivered.

It was fun watching Pelosi and Warren make faces. Or, at least Pelosi tried to make faces. Her face has been lifted so many times expression is almost impossible.

David said...

AReasonableMan said...
It was a good speech and I agree with some of Trump's goals. I doubt he can deliver.


Boy has he softened you up.

He can't deliver alone. The Republicans in Congress have to deliver too. Their party is toast if they do not. Nobody else to blame.

Mark said...

Repeal and replace the 65 Immigration Act with a Canada/Aussie style immigration regime.

I didn't catch that, but I've thought that maybe the U.S. ought to adopt a reciprocal immigration policy. That is, treat foreign nationals the same way that their home country treats migrants. For example, deal with Mexicans unlawfully in the U.S. the same way that Mexico deals with aliens unlawfully in Mexico.

Chuck said...

Oh God; 30 seconds into the Dem response and it is a disaster. Why does anybody even try to do a "response" to an address to a Joint Session of Congress by the President of the United States.

Talk about a "a bucket of warm shit."*


*The answer to my John Nance Garner trivia hint above.

Bay Area Guy said...

I'm watching an old Kentucky Dem former Governor give the response. He's a nice old man that nobody has heard of. He's in a diner.

Kentucky went 63-37 for Trump.

JackWayne said...

Beshear - representing the party of very old white People.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

David said...
Boy has he softened you up.


No, I have always supported Trump's economic nationalism. I think it is too little too late but it is still better than the Dem's offerings.

n.n said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mark said...

"What is with the white suited women?"

They are saying, "No, we won't check our privilege." It is a statement of white supremacy from the party of slavery, secession, and segregation.

David said...

The Oscar for most effective use of the teleprompter by a President of the United States goes to . . . .

(the envelope please)

Barack Obama!!!!

Applause. Confusion.

No, wait. It's Donald Trump. No really, we mean it, it is Trump.

n.n said...

Democrats are concerned that Trump is giving a voice to victims of alien violence and others disenfranchised by foreign and domestic influence.

Lewis Wetzel said...

Back in the early 90s I sponsored an immigrant. It was a very serious business. Legal documents were signed and witnessed. It was made very clear to me that if the person I sponsored received public benefits from the feds, the government would take the money from me.
Do they not do that anymore?

EMyrt said...

ARM

I worked in biopharma for 30 years. If the FDA process wasn't so cumbersome, expensive and unpredictable, it wouldn't be prohibitively expensive to develop drugs for rare diseases.

Clyde said...

I knew the Democrats' bench was depleted after the last few disastrous elections cost them thousands of seats in state and national legislatures and state houses, but the best they can do for a response is a former Democrat governor?! That's powerfully symbolic, isn't it? And I'll be that there are exactly zero real Republicans in the gathering in the diner, regardless of what the former governor says.

Anonymous said...

"And when we fulfill this vision; when we celebrate our 250 years of glorious freedom, we will look back on tonight as when this new chapter of American Greatness began."

This is pathologoical narcissism.

Bay Area Guy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Clyde said...

"And I'll beT that there are exactly zero real Republicans in the gathering in the diner, regardless of what the former governor says."

Chuck said...

Somebody actually wrote a few good paragraphs for Beshear. (What a "committee" speech!)

I give them a B+ on the articulation of the Obamacare-repeal problems. And most everything else a D.

What I want to know, is how many Democrats turned down that gig. About 50, I'd bet.


Bay Area Guy said...

This guy is older than Bernie.

Outta the gate, the Dems go old, white, straight, Southern male.

It's like a Neil Young song.

They're polling must be sending them confusing messages.

Lewis Wetzel said...

Unknown said...
"And when we fulfill this vision; when we celebrate our 250 years of glorious freedom, we will look back on tonight as when this new chapter of American Greatness began."

This is pathologoical narcissism.


Obama responds . . .
Because if we are willing to work for it, and fight for it, and believe in it, then I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal; this was the moment when we ended a war and secured our nation and restored our image as the last, best hope on earth.

EMyrt said...

I see Mike R beat me to it, with more details.

Rob said...

Why are the Democrats having the former governor of Kentucky speaking for them? Why not the current governor? Oh, I guess it's because the current governor is a Republican. Funny how that works out.

Humperdink said...

Unknown said: "This is pathological narcissism."

Sheez, where were you for the past 8 years?

Laslo Spatula said...

America has become a divorced couple still living in the same house together.

The house has two floors, equally appointed, but they chose to split it vertically: bathrooms are on one side, stairways on the other.

The kitchen is the only shared area.

In that kitchen: the refrigerator is Social Media, with angry notes stuck to the door by magnets.

On those notes: complaints about unwashed dishes.

On those notes: complaints about which recycling bin should be used for paper plates.

On those notes: Do Not Put Meat Products On This Side.

On those notes: Hitler was a Vegetarian.

On those notes: Quit being so Passive-Aggressive.

On those notes: Who's being Passive-Aggressive, Bitch?

On those notes: That was MY box of wine, motherfucker.

On those notes: Do you remember when we used to just drink some wine, together, and talk?

On those notes: Yeah. I miss that.

On those notes: Maybe we could just watch a movie together.

On those notes: I'd like that. What about "Moonlight"?

On those notes: How about "La La Land" instead?

On those notes: I really would like to watch "Moonlight."

On those notes: I'd really rather watch "La La Land"

On those notes: Why is it you always want to see that White Privilege shit?

On those notes: Why is it you always want to see that dreary Social Justice crap?

On those notes: That's the Problem. We can't even watch the same movie together.

On those notes: That was MY box of wine, motherfucker.

I am Laslo.


FullMoon said...

Bob Loblaw said...

S.E.I.U color. Surprised it had not been noticed before.

That seems to be a bit out in left field. There must be thousands of organizations that claim every common single color.

S.I.E.U has between 2 and 3 million members.
Name another purple gang as prominent.

Mark said...

"And when we fulfill this vision; when we celebrate our 250 years of glorious freedom, we will look back on tonight as when this new chapter of American Greatness began."

This is pathologoical narcissism.


Totally. And even worse, he is plagiarizing Obama, who said, "America, this is our moment. This is our time. Our time to turn the page on the policies of the past. . . . if we are willing to work for it, and fight for it, and believe in it, then I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal; this was the moment when we ended a war and secured our nation and restored our image as the last, best hope on Earth. This was the moment - this was the time - when we came together to remake this great nation so that it may always reflect our very best selves, and our highest ideals."

Yes, Obama was (and continues to be) a much, much better narcissist than Trump could ever dream to be.

Known Unknown said...

"I think historians will come to view Trump's election as the end of the American century, a withdrawal from the world, conceding leadership to others."

Hmmm... I don't know. Leadership is one thing, but adventurism without purpose is another. What has it gotten us? I think that's what a lot of people/voters who responded to America First have been thinking.

The fatal flaw in Obama's foreign policy is that there was no policy. No consistent theme. No vision. Just paradoxes and starts-and-stops. Leaving Iraq to ISIS may have been somewhat inevitable, but Obama didn't seem to care enough to devote the time and effort needed to resolve Bush's works, as folly as they may have been. "Leading from behind" is both oxymoron and bad fucking policy.

Everyone wants to talk about Putin, but unless his economy suddenly gets better, he's like a tempest in a teapot.

China? They've secretly discovered the joys of capitalism. I think the genie is out of the bottle on that one. Eventually, they'll be CINOs. And, they've got to figure out what the hell to do with North Korea.

Europe? Forget it. They've systematically dismantled themselves in short order and will be suffering the strife of refugeeism for years to come. A relatively wise man once prognosticated: "you can't have free immigration and a large welfare state."

Britain is finally seeing the light that sovereignty isn't a terrible thing after all, but they're still unwittingly committed to a two-state solution in their own backyard with their own muslim brotherhood.

Mark said...

Damn it stupid "I'm not a robot" verification. Lewis you beat me to it.

Known Unknown said...

"Name another purple gang as prominent."

The Minnesoda Vikings!

Chuck said...

Rob said...
Why are the Democrats having the former governor of Kentucky speaking for them? Why not the current governor? Oh, I guess it's because the current governor is a Republican. Funny how that works out.


Aw, shit it is so much worse than that!

Why not the newly-elected DNC chairman?

Why not the Senate Minority Leader?

Why not rising star Senator Kamala Harris?

Why not spiritual leader Elizabeth Warren?

Why not enthusiasm icon Bernie Sanders?

Why not Alec Baldwin, Barbra Streisand, Lena Dunham or Madonna?

EVERYBODY must have turned this gig down! They gave the job to a 72- year old retired dead end governor from Kentucky.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

EMyrt said...
I worked in biopharma for 30 years. If the FDA process wasn't so cumbersome, expensive and unpredictable, it wouldn't be prohibitively expensive to develop drugs for rare diseases.


I disagree. You can make an argument that the FDA is a problem but they could provide no barrier to entry and most rare diseases would not be addressed by big pharma. It takes a prohibitive amount of money just to find viable leads that make it through toxicity tests in animals. This make most rare diseases economically unviable. This is long before you have to deal with the FDA.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Althouse is not all that interested in the Trump as she was in Obama. But she gave Obama so much digital ink she feels obliged to give Trump some semblance of equal time. #unsaidthings

Gahrie said...

A much better speech than any of the soporific offerings from Obama or Bush.


No. I liked about 5% of what Obama did in office. But he had a speechwriter -- Jon Favreau -- who was the best speechwriter in a generation. And Obama delivered those speeches with the persistent excellence of the Jordan-era Bulls.


Somebody get a hold of Chuck and tell him his account has been hacked again. This Moby should pick on someone else, because no one believes a lifelong Republican like Chuck would hijack a thread about a Republican president to write a love letter to a Democrat.

Mark said...

-- BREAKING NEWS --

And its not fake.

Washington Post big headline does NOT bash Trump, but is actually fair: "Trump lays out broad vision and agenda for America".

Let's see how long it is before they change it.

Bay Area Guy said...

If Gorsuch is confirmed to SCOTUS and Obamacare repealed/replaced, we should start carving a new spot on Mt. Rushmore for The Donald.

I'm dead serious.

Known Unknown said...

Maybe he's turned that C/C+ into a B- after tonight.

MacMacConnell said...

Lewis Wetzel said...
I've owned my share of Harleys. Never liked the corporate personality. I liked Brit bikes better, but never found one with long legs for those long Midwestern blacktops.
On a some "highways", a fifty mile ride on a Bonneville will leave you with blood in your urine.

Lewis have you been on a new Bonnie or tried one of Triumph's big bikes?

Lewis Wetzel said...

"Unknown" puts up ducks, Mark, it's easy to shoot them down.
Perhaps next "Unknown" will claim that Trump is lying about Obamacare . . .

David Baker said...

La La land: Blind support of the police is a bridge too far. Hiding behind trees and shaking down the public is not an honorable profession.

We need a new model, and not one which perpetuates the law of war against citizens - like getting shot for a broken taillight, or choked to death for selling loosies.

Give us ethical men wearing badges, not criminals wearing badges. Because it's not the "apple," it's the whole rotten barrel.

Chuck said...

Gahrie I was afraid that you were going to challenge me on the 5% of Obama that I liked. And I was scrambling to think of what I had, to back that up.

Here's what I've got...

I love Obama's Hartmarx American-tailored suits. They are beautiful. They hang beautifully on Obama's slender frame which is a tailor's dream. Like Cary Grant.

I also liked Obama at the WHCA dinners. Nice job there, Barack.

Oh, and he green-lighted the hit on bin Laden.

I'm running out of substance, and I am not getting close to 5%. And, I don't think anybody is going to help me.

MacMacConnell said...

It was a great speech, but I was disappointed Trump didn't end it with a chant of "Lock her up!" as the Dems scurries away.

wildswan said...

Outstanding Comment Laslo.

People compare what they saw with what Dem hysteria prepared them to see; people calm down. I hope.

Richard Dillman said...

Trump may have broken the "hitler frame." Reference to Instapundit and Scott Adams.
.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Chuck said...
I don't think anybody is going to help me.


I like that he saved US automotive manufacturing.

Original Mike said...

"I like that he saved US automotive manufacturing."

Saved it? He fucked up what would have been an orderly bankruptcy and reorganization.

Rance Fasoldt said...

The tie was a superb choice.

Known Unknown said...

"I love Obama's Hartmarx American-tailored suits. They are beautiful. They hang beautifully on Obama's slender frame which is a tailor's dream. Like Cary Grant."

Chris Matthews, call your office!

Marc in Eugene said...

I think that Mark at 9:11 was alluding to the fact that it seemed that most of the Democrats' caucus was leaving the House before Mr Trump had even descended from the podium? anyway, I noticed that myself-- just after he had made a not ineffective rhetorical plea for putting aside partisanship &c &c. Not going to get lots of print at the NYT or WaPo of course but people outside the media's thrall will have seen it, too.

I had never listened to an entire speech. Gosh. If I didn't already know that Mr Trump is an intelligent and successful man I'd have never guessed it from this. Had to laugh at the image of those NATO partners pouring funds!! into our treasury.

Known Unknown said...

Trump should immediately start growing a small mustache just to fuck with people.

Chuck said...

AReasonableMan said...
Chuck said...
I don't think anybody is going to help me.

I like that he saved US automotive manufacturing.


Obama took GM and Chrysler through federally-supported managed bankruptcies. He protected the UAW, and screwed everybody else. Almost a year before, Mitt Romney suggested a managed bankruptcy. He laid it all out, in a New York Times Op-ed. And a Times editorial page editor tagged it with a headline, "Let Detroit Go Bankrupt." It was a lie-in-a-headline. And it falsely and maliciously poisoned Romney in Michigan and Ohio. It was a crime. A mainstream media crime against the truth.

Mark said...

He likes the crease of Obama's pants.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Original Mike said...
Saved it? He fucked up what would have been an orderly bankruptcy and reorganization.


Not the view of people who work in the automotive industry.

Rob said...

Original Mike said, "Saved it? He fucked up what would have been an orderly bankruptcy and reorganization.

But an orderly bankruptcy wouldn't have paid off his UAW supporters nearly as richly as the Administration plan did, at the expense of secured creditors.

Known Unknown said...


Not the view of people who work in the automotive industry.


I don't know why some industries are special and protected and others are not. Thoughts?

mockturtle said...

Has the First Lady received a standing O before?

Chuck said...

Rob said...
Original Mike said, "Saved it? He fucked up what would have been an orderly bankruptcy and reorganization.

But an orderly bankruptcy wouldn't have paid off his UAW supporters nearly as richly as the Administration plan did, at the expense of secured creditors.


Secured creditors, and middle class non-union white collar engineers and managers at Delphi. Et cetera, et cetera.

I fucking gag, every time I hear somebody say that Obama "bailed out" the auto industry, while Mitt Romney wanted to "let it go bankrupt. NO; Obama led a managed bankruptcy. Just like Mitt Romney foresaw, before Obama ever thought about it.

Michael K said...

Excellent speech. I also wondered at the Former Governor to give the rebuttal.

Juan Williams has adopted the Alan Colmes role as left wing patsy for Fox.

The widow was very moving and it must have been avery difficult moment for her.

The father of the SEAL is busy having his moment of public notoriety, sort of like the Bergdahl father and his beard.

If anyone really pursues an investigation of the Yemeni mission, they may learn that the four Arab Democrat staffers betrayed the mission.

Shades of Hillary and Benghazi.

Mark said...

Government Motors still owes America money (as well as still making crappy cars).

Meanwhile, Ford was able to get through just fine without putting its grubby hands into taxpayers' pockets.

Known Unknown said...


"Meanwhile, Ford was able to get through just fine without putting its grubby hands into taxpayers' pockets."

Part of the reason I now own my first Ford.

FullMoon said...

mockturtle said...

Has the First Lady received a standing O before?


Mine has.

Sebastian said...

DJT improved his communications grade.

The speech also showed he's getting better help.

Perhaps even more than during the campaign, he is taking the fight to the Dems -- the non-conservative conservative going over their heads, stealing some of their issues, boxing them in.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Mark said...
Meanwhile, Ford was able to get through just fine without putting its grubby hands into taxpayers' pockets.


Ford openly supported the bailout because they would have also gone down without it, if for no other reason than the economic chaos in their supply chains.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Known Unknown said...
I don't know why some industries are special and protected and others are not. Thoughts?


Economic security equals physical security. The Chinese recently made manufacturing television screens a national security priority. I agree with them. We should do the same. These are basic technologies that we should at least have an active industry in.

Vimax Medan said...


PUSAT PEMBESAR PENIS, OBAT KUAT TAHAN LAMA, PERANGSANG WANITA, KOSMETIK, DAN ACCESORIES SEX P/W TERLENGKAP...!!


OBAT FOREX MAKASSAR
OBAT ANABOLIC RX24 MAKASSAR
OBAT HAMMER OF THOR MAKASSAR
OBAT VIMAX ASLI MAKASSAR
OBAT LINTAH PAPUA ASLI MAKASSAR
OBAT LINTAH PAPUA HITAM ASLI MAKASSAR

traditionalguy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
traditionalguy said...

I watched it on CSPAN, and without the spin announcers it felt like a happy crowd.

The GOP is genuinely happy with this man governing us. They feel comfortable in his love.

And the Dems actually seemed glad to see a brilliant performance.

Every last person there felt better with DJT leading us than they felt enduring unreality over the last 28 years of New World Order crap.

JackWayne said...

Ann needs a late night curator.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Obama was the worst at speeches. All cliche and faux professorial mannerisms. Worse he was BORING. How soon people forget that every obamacare pitch he made shaved 20% of its support.

This was good. Democrats have no answer and no clue.

Gahrie said...

I'm not a big fan of this Vimax Medan guy...very derivative, not nearly up to laslo's standards.......

Known Unknown said...

He's just playing the anagram game.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Little Known said: "The speech was full of promises, short on plans."

Did JFK bring detailed rocketry and moon landing plans when he said we would go to the moon?

Goals - we all have goals in life and the president, traditionally whether you like it or not, lays out what his vision and goals are for the country.

You dopey libs also ask for details on things like the Border Wall as if a wall is an engineering miracle and never had been done before.

Drago said...

Mike: "This was good. Democrats have no answer and no clue."

The democrats, with their li'l white dresses (the women, not the men, NTTATWWT), sitting on their hands at critical junctures (hey, not even applause for the victims of crimes? sheesh) and their overall demeanor means that they got the strategy wrong.

They clearly thought Trump would be Campaign Trump. Trump was not Campaign Trump. And now the dems look a little mixed up.

Throw on top of that the hilarious Hail Mary of the old dem white guy former Gov of Kentucky who just helped the Republicans take total control of the Kentucky state government!

Hey everybody, we dems don't hate those rural white voters! Honest we don't. Why lookee here, we got a whole room full of 'em just to give you confidence that we, the dems, no longer want all the white folks to die off so we can usher in Heaven On Earth! We just LOVE you guys! Now that that's out of the way, would all you working class whites please, pretty please, come back to Pelosi/Schumer/Ellison Central?

LOL

Seeing Red said...

It's more inspiring than we are going to weatherstrip the country.

So democrats want to lead the world?

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

Friend of Titus falling by?

Drago said...

ARM: "Not the view of people who work in the automotive industry"

Correct. It's not the view of the people in the US automotive industry who took the industry into the ditch (less Ford, of course).

However, it's very much the view of those whose entire careers are made by turning around companies and industries and where their very own money is at risk.

Achilles said...

Chuck said...

It's not much of a speech. Not a bad speech. But nowhere near great. It's the sort of speech that every governor, every mayor and every county executive has given in these first weeks of 2017.

The difference is Trump is following through. After he is done he is going to be right there with Reagan because it is clear he means to do what he said in the campaign. We haven't had a republican in DC do that since Newt Gingrich. We remember what the Vichy GOPe did to Newt and how they treated Reagan the same way they treat Trump.

The Bush dynasty will be remembered in history as mistakes and failures for the GOP bookended by the successful presidents Reagan and Trump.

The GOPe has no excuses now. You can see them squirming like stuck pigs. Especially the life-long ones.

William said...

I think the moment everyone will remember--and for the longest time--is the grief that was etched into that widow's face. The applause seemed to have a healing effect, and the grief gave way to gratitude for the recognition of her husband's service. Trump responded in a human way to that woman's anguish and grace. There are some things that are beyond the words of speech writers.

Achilles said...

Chuck said...

That may be true, but that isn't what Trump, or the Journal, have been talking about. It is all about fast-tracking experimental treatments. Different thing. Trump is right about this one. He's got it exactly right. I wish I knew who put the bug in his ear. Some very smart, very well-connected Pharma lawyer I'll bet.

If you knew anything about Republicans you would know that Tom Price is Secretary of HHS, is a doctor, and that health care is his specialty.

But of course you have to try to turn something good into a smear.Bbecause life-long republican. You probably are in the GOPe. There are lifeforms lower than democrat congresscritters.

exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

"They clearly thought Trump would be Campaign Trump. Trump was not Campaign Trump. And now the dems look a little mixed up."

Exactly. They were Trump to come out breathing fire, so they could boo and get on camera later to give indignant speeches about crazy Trump, racist Trump, unpresidential Trump.... I'm sure Schumer had a little diatribe already plotted out in his mind. Then Trump comes out and is calm and presidential and they look like a pack of sour assholes for sitting on their hands while he's talking about things like job creation.

Those white outfits sure looked stupid.

I haven't seen them look so grim on CNN and MSNBC since November 9.

A CNN poll showed 78% of viewers either strongly or somewhat approved of the speech. 78%. CNN poll.

Unknown Inga and sunsong are in their safe spaces right now, weeping as they hug their therapy puppies and rock themselves to sleep.

Real American said...

Trump hit a grand slam. Democrats dressed and acted like clowns. Petty people!

Achilles said...

sunsong said...
So who is fact-checking this bull shit?

Probably no one. But there are a bunch of democrats with bylines making shit up at all the usual major media outlets.

Bay Area Guy said...

Watching the CNN post-speech analysis is funny. They're a bit solemn, a bit confused. It's hard for them to process.

Peter Irons said...

The congresswomen in white looked like a high school glee club--silly and juvenile at their stage of life.

Achilles said...

FullMoon said...

S.I.E.U has between 2 and 3 million members.
Name another purple gang as prominent.


Not a Viking fan, but S.K.O.L.!

Way more than 3 million of them.

exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

Viking fans? They're worse than the SIEU!

(said the Packer fan)

JackWayne said...

They should have remembered that history repeats itself. Suffragettes + Eugenics = Democrats + Abortion. Not a real good PR move.

Sammy Finkelman said...

AReasonableMan said...2/28/17, 8:13 PM

That new national spirit sweeping over the country may be what is knocking over all those gravestones.

No, it's probably a false flag operation - certainly the threats, some of which have been detected to be coming from outside the country, and are technoogically sophisticated enough to disguise voices in some cases. It's probably the Russians.

Trump did not nothing to give any comgort to people doing this n their own. Trump really seems to have paid attention to that question at that press conference.



Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Could the democrats have found an older whiter room full of hillbillies to represent their party in the "response" speech? I didn't know Marshall Applewhite had a brother!

Sammy Finkelman said...

FWBuff said...2/28/17, 8:28 PM

Clear speech about ISIS. And I have to say, I'm glad he says ISIS instead of ISIL.

Saying ISIL is another policy of Barack Obama that Donald Trump reversed. ISIS is now the official U.S. government name, although Daesh and even ISIL can be used.


exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

I like this observation from John Hinderacker at Powerline:

"Near the end, Trump said something to the effect that as president, he doesn’t represent the world. He represents the people of the United States. This is tautological, and it was stunning to see the Democrats glumly sitting on their hands. Do they seriously not understand the president’s role, and their own?"

No, they don't. And they don't understand America either.

exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

Mike said...
Could the democrats have found an older whiter room full of hillbillies to represent their party in the "response" speech?"

They're pretending they give a shit about the deplorables. It's a little late for that, Dems. You're not fooling anybody.

Churchy LaFemme: said...

> Name another purple gang as prominent.

The whole rhythm section

«Oldest ‹Older   1 – 200 of 257   Newer› Newest»