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

[Mike88]

I didn't watch the speech so i will try to watch it later, but the overall reaction here, in Europe, is not bad. Here in Portugal, the media is labeling the speech as quite moderate and solemn.

[Warren 4 Secretary of Everything]

And of course the media is running with a "New, Presidential Trump!" narrative because he stuck to a TelePrompTer. Like seriously? We're still holding him to such a low standard? It's like putting a dog on stage and applauding because he didn't crap himself.

[ApatheticAustrian]

the austrian standard called it his best speech yet.

the author must be pleased.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Excellent speech, duh.

[ApatheticAustrian]

via robert costa:

Some sources in WH are frankly surprised at how pundits are warming to the speech. Say Trump has not changed, no big shift in policy coming.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

And of course the media is running with a "New, Presidential Trump!" narrative because he stuck to a TelePrompTer. Like seriously? We're still holding him to such a low standard? It's like putting a dog on stage and applauding because he didn't crap himself.

Normalizing him like this is going to destroy us. It was a Frankensteined together vaguely-patriotic nothingburger that wouldn't have been out of place for an actor playing the president in a B-movie.

I guess it will be interesting to see if performing monkey Trump will be a supersedes raving madman Trump, and for how long. I expect him to rest on his laurels from the speech for about a week, tops, then restart the downward spiral.

[Santander]

I'm watching it now, and I'm glad that he ditched his signature gaudy red Italian clearance rack tie for a more Anglo-Saxon style.

[Grumpier Than Thou]

via robert costa:

Some sources in WH are frankly surprised at how pundits are warming to the speech. Say Trump has not changed, no big shift in policy coming.

lol


Beshear's response was...so-so. It was a nice sentiment, but a white bread, boring former solid GOP state Governor was a strange choice. Could've been worse though.

[The_Doctor]

"President does not crap himself on stage, media hails him as savior." 

The President will return to crapping himself on the national stage soon enough. I'll read the transcript later for actual text to see what the White House is trying to convey to the country in a semi-coherent fashion.

[Crumpets]

I can totally see this going over very poorly with the most rabid members of his base for the fact that he didn't go off script, cuss, shoot some random Congresspeople, etc. After all, wasn't this supposed to be the guy who would shake things up in Washington?

[Comrade Funk]

And he'll go back to tweeting and doing moronic things next week.

Americans are short sighted, and we'll be duped enough to see his approvals maybe go above water shortly.

[Hindsight was 2020]

Mediaite notes that Nielsen’s overnight numbers show that Trump’s address drew 27.8 million viewers on Tuesday evening across all major networks and cable news outlets. While this is an impressive number, Obama’s first address to Congress in 2009 drew an overnight rating of 33.4 million viewers, or roughly 20% more viewers than Trump’s drew.

https://www.rawstory.com/2017/03/nielsen-ratings-for-obamas-first-congressional-address-dwarfed-trumps-tuesday-night-speech/amp/

Trump just isn't a draw

[Crumpets]

Mediaite notes that Nielsen’s overnight numbers show that Trump’s address drew 27.8 million viewers on Tuesday evening across all major networks and cable news outlets. While this is an impressive number, Obama’s first address to Congress in 2009 drew an overnight rating of 33.4 million viewers, or roughly 20% more viewers than Trump’s drew.

https://www.rawstory.com/2017/03/nielsen-ratings-for-obamas-first-congressional-address-dwarfed-trumps-tuesday-night-speech/amp/

You could kind of tell when the instant polls came out that a lot of Democrats didn't watch the speech. It's probably not the best strategy, but at least it annoys Trump and will probably cause him to spend most of this week bragging about how 5 billion people watched the speech instead of reinforcing the "New and Improved Trump" image.

[Associate Justice PiT]

via robert costa:

Some sources in WH are frankly surprised at how pundits are warming to the speech. Say Trump has not changed, no big shift in policy coming.

lol


Beshear's response was...so-so. It was a nice sentiment, but a white bread, boring former solid GOP state Governor was a strange choice. Could've been worse though.

     The choice suggested to me that the Democrats recognize that they need to make more of an effort to compete in Midwestern states where they are currently getting obliterated. Good news for them if so, but I think there were better strategic choices than Beshear.

[Blue3]

via robert costa:

Some sources in WH are frankly surprised at how pundits are warming to the speech. Say Trump has not changed, no big shift in policy coming.

lol


Beshear's response was...so-so. It was a nice sentiment, but a white bread, boring former solid GOP state Governor was a strange choice. Could've been worse though.

     The choice suggested to me that the Democrats recognize that they need to make more of an effort to compete in Midwestern states where they are currently getting obliterated. Good news for them if so, but I think there were better strategic choices than Beshear.

Like who?

[Associate Justice PiT]

via robert costa:

Some sources in WH are frankly surprised at how pundits are warming to the speech. Say Trump has not changed, no big shift in policy coming.

lol


Beshear's response was...so-so. It was a nice sentiment, but a white bread, boring former solid GOP state Governor was a strange choice. Could've been worse though.

     The choice suggested to me that the Democrats recognize that they need to make more of an effort to compete in Midwestern states where they are currently getting obliterated. Good news for them if so, but I think there were better strategic choices than Beshear.

Like who?

     Someone from, say, Missouri or Ohio. A state where Dems can really compete. Other than Governor Kentucky is likely a dead letter for them. It teases, but denies.