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

[Maxwell]

can we stop judging Trump as a fringe candidate or as an outsider anymore? he's president now.

[Holmes]

also see: Bernie Sanders

We've figured out his real secret sauce.

[#TheShadowyAbyss]

CNN/ORC poll who watched the speech:
Reaction:

57% very positive
21% somewhat positive
21% negative

78% positive - 21% negative

69% right direction with policies
29% wrong direction

Did Trump speech make you feel:
69% more optimistic
29% less optimistic

[Ronnie]

It appears he knocked it out of the park.

[Crumpets]

can we stop judging Trump as a fringe candidate or as an outsider anymore? he's president now.

I agree. As much as Democrats want to avoid normalizing Trump, being considered "normal" is basically his kryptonite. If he just becomes "generic rich president dude," he loses a lot of his appeal.

[#TheShadowyAbyss]

Apparently more people saw this speech positively than they did for Obama's first speech in 2009.

[ApatheticAustrian]

trump is president but besides the real power, his general attitude - if not held on a string like today - is that of a 10-year old forced to go to church.

[Holmes]

(consider who watched and who didn't watch the speech)

[Maxwell]

I also didn't think Steve Beshear's speech was that bad *shrugs shoulders*

[ApatheticAustrian]

I also didn't think Steve Beshear's speech was that bad *shrugs shoulders*

it wasn't bad i just wasn't narrowed down for the people who are going to - grudgingly - vote democratic anyway, but those who really could go either way.

[Calthrina950]

I watched the speech, and I think President Trump did a very good job. All of the policy proposals he laid out I agree with, and they contain agenda items which I think will move this country forward. The behavior of the Democrats in that chamber was absolutely despicable, and they certainly did themselves no favors with the electorate, acting that way. The speech raised my confidence in what lies ahead, and it lowered my opinion of the Democrats.

[Trapsy]

2020 Sanders/Harris

[Hindsight was 2020]

I watched the speech, and I think President Trump did a very good job. All of the policy proposals he laid out I agree with, and they contain agenda items which I think will move this country forward. The behavior of the Democrats in that chamber was absolutely despicable, and they certainly did themselves no favors with the electorate, acting that way. The speech raised my confidence in what lies ahead, and it lowered my opinion of the Democrats.

How the dems act was bad? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qgce06Yw2ro

[m4567]

Tom Perez has some funny responses on MSNBC.

[Trapsy]

I watched the speech, and I think President Trump did a very good job. All of the policy proposals he laid out I agree with, and they contain agenda items which I think will move this country forward. The behavior of the Democrats in that chamber was absolutely despicable, and they certainly did themselves no favors with the electorate, acting that way. The speech raised my confidence in what lies ahead, and it lowered my opinion of the Democrats.

wait what did they do that was so despicable?

[Calthrina950]

I watched the speech, and I think President Trump did a very good job. All of the policy proposals he laid out I agree with, and they contain agenda items which I think will move this country forward. The behavior of the Democrats in that chamber was absolutely despicable, and they certainly did themselves no favors with the electorate, acting that way. The speech raised my confidence in what lies ahead, and it lowered my opinion of the Democrats.

wait what did they do that was so despicable?

Clearing out of the chamber so fast, the "wearing white" gesture, the stubbornness, and a number of other things. Also, I am well aware of what happened in 2009 to President Obama. For me, displays of partisanship by either side are unacceptable, but an unfortunate reflection of our polarization. The Democrats should have at least put on the appearance of some conciliation.

Also, by inviting illegal immigrants to the hall, they once again displayed their lack of interest in our nation's true border security.

[Associate Justice PiT]

Apparently more people saw this speech positively than they did for Obama's first speech in 2009.

     I'm surprised; I would have thought there'd be enough anti-Trump folks who would have a negative opinion of anything he said. I guess they just didn't watch it.

[ApatheticAustrian]

Apparently more people saw this speech positively than they did for Obama's first speech in 2009.

     I'm surprised; I would have thought there'd be enough anti-Trump folks who would have a negative opinion of anything he said. I guess they just didn't watch it.

since i am not assuming, i can believe even one word coming out of his mouth, being 1) his own line of thinking and 2) something he is going to fight for in congress, his speeches don't really got any power for me.....

[Blue3]

I watched the speech, and I think President Trump did a very good job. All of the policy proposals he laid out I agree with, and they contain agenda items which I think will move this country forward. The behavior of the Democrats in that chamber was absolutely despicable, and they certainly did themselves no favors with the electorate, acting that way. The speech raised my confidence in what lies ahead, and it lowered my opinion of the Democrats.

wait what did they do that was so despicable?

Clearing out of the chamber so fast, the "wearing white" gesture, the stubbornness, and a number of other things. Also, I am well aware of what happened in 2009 to President Obama. For me, displays of partisanship by either side are unacceptable, but an unfortunate reflection of our polarization. The Democrats should have at least put on the appearance of some conciliation.

Also, by inviting illegal immigrants to the hall, they once again displayed their lack of interest in our nation's true border security.

Republicans in Congress have been on TV praising the civility of Democrats, saying it offers hope for some bipartisanship.

[Maxwell]

These ratings look like the ones he got during, you guessed it, the Republican National Convention.

[Calthrina950]

I watched the speech, and I think President Trump did a very good job. All of the policy proposals he laid out I agree with, and they contain agenda items which I think will move this country forward. The behavior of the Democrats in that chamber was absolutely despicable, and they certainly did themselves no favors with the electorate, acting that way. The speech raised my confidence in what lies ahead, and it lowered my opinion of the Democrats.

wait what did they do that was so despicable?

Clearing out of the chamber so fast, the "wearing white" gesture, the stubbornness, and a number of other things. Also, I am well aware of what happened in 2009 to President Obama. For me, displays of partisanship by either side are unacceptable, but an unfortunate reflection of our polarization. The Democrats should have at least put on the appearance of some conciliation.

Also, by inviting illegal immigrants to the hall, they once again displayed their lack of interest in our nation's true border security.

Republicans in Congress have been on TV praising the civility of Democrats, saying it offers hope for some bipartisanship.

It wasn't civil to me.

[Maxwell]

The party of "You Lie!" can literally shut up.

[ApatheticAustrian]

It wasn't civil to me.

welll, i figure the voices of those, who would need to work with dems to make trump's possible wishlist a reality are more important for that matter.

[ApatheticAustrian]

another seemingly not-so-big-fan.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

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Seemed like a nice and touching moment to me.

I doubt that SEAL's father agrees. He explicitly refused Trump a chance for a shameless photo op with him when they were both at Dover for the arrival of his son's remains. Being in the military doesn't automatically make one a Republican.