“I forgot how fun this was. I could watch it for three more hours.” This observation from a young, male conservative encapsulates how middle America viewed President Donald Trump’s historic State of the Union speech.
Trump delivered what they were looking for, from plans for the economy, celebrations of Olympic wins, spotlights on forgotten Americans, and, not least of all, sharp contrasts between his policies and those of the Democratic Party.
Trump did it all in spades, and with a lot of unintentional help from the Democrats, who did everything from heckling him to holding a bizarre resistance event that included furries, to sitting stoically when 80-20 issues were offered for them on a silver platter.
Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) shouted at the president when he spoke of his immigration crackdown. Trump’s comment that “the first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens,” sparked their ire. But the majority of Americans support the idea of removing immigrants who have arrived in the country illegally, according to a recent survey from the New York Times and Siena University.
Jason Zugai, a third-generation steelworker and the president of United Steelworkers Local 2227, was Sen. Dave McCormick’s (R-PA) guest for the speech. Zugai said he found himself beaming with pride as the president hit all the marks that matter where he comes from in Mon Valley. This was especially true “when President Trump acknowledged the military heroes” and expressed sympathy “for the families that were affected by unnecessary crime in this country by illegal immigrants,” Zugai said.
American politics is all about contrasts. And Trump is a master at understanding the visuals. Nowhere was this more evident than when he asked the room to stand up if they agreed that the first duty of American governments is to put U.S. citizens before illegal immigrants.
IN FOCUS FORUM: STATE OF THE UNION EDITION
“One of the great things about the State of the Union address is how it gives Americans the chance to see clearly what their representatives really believe,” he told the audience, offering both Republicans and Democrats — minus the 70 who refused to attend — an opportunity.
“Tonight, I am inviting every legislator to join with my administration in reaffirming a fundamental principle. If you agree with this statement, then stand up and show your support,” he said. When Democrats refused to stand, Trump just shook his head, smiled, and said, “You should be ashamed of yourselves for not standing up.”
Democrats even refused to stand for the clearly sobbing mother of the murdered Iryna Zarustaka, the 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who had fled her country because of the Russian invasion, only to be stabbed while seated on a North Carolina train. The murderer, DeCarlos Brown, was out of jail at the time of the stabbing. Trump visibly took offense at this. “How do you not stand? How do you not stand?” he asked sternly.
Trump’s speech comes one week after Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a forceful but persuasive speech at this year’s Munich Security Conference in a room filled with the global national security elite.
The Hudson Institute’s Paul Sracic said both speeches are important and demonstrate the complexities of achieving the country’s priorities at home while also projecting strength abroad. The scholar also observed that they highlight the striking differences between the direction that the United States is going and Europe’s struggle to grasp it.
“Secretary Rubio’s speech in Munich, and President Trump’s speech last night shared a common theme, and it is in stunning contrast to the direction that both Europe and the U.S. were going over the past decade,” he said. Both speeches shared a message of unity in the service of a common heritage.
Sracic said that the West has been engaged in years of self-criticism. “Instead of focusing on our achievements, we have been obsessed with our sins,” he noted. “This has undermined our confidence and our unity.” In short, a constant focus on diversity has become a source of division rather than something that brings us all together.
Sracic said that the West has much to be proud of. Europeans and Americans have accomplished great things together.
“Trump, last night, used people to illustrate that message. On the surface, there isn’t much in common between hockey players and soldiers. These were people, however, who were able to accomplish amazing things by working together and sacrificing for something larger than themselves,” Sracic explained.
No one in the room watching the speech expected Democrats to stand and clap for policies that are hallmarks of conservatism. However, Trump offered several opportunities for Democrats to join in on policies that poll 80-20. For political reasons, they declined.
But perhaps the most striking moment of contrast between the president and Democrats was when the latter refused to applaud his proposal to bar states from allowing teenagers to undergo gender transition treatment without parental consent.
“Look, nobody stands up. These people are crazy. I’m telling you. They’re crazy,” he said of yet another 80-20 issue with voters — one that wouldn’t have caused any political harm for them except with the fringe.
Republican strategist Brad Todd said that Trump’s spontaneous remark, “these people are crazy,” has longevity.
READ IN FULL: PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S STATE OF THE UNION SPEECH
“That is the midterm strategy to hold the House. Swing voters know it. There is naturally energy against the president’s party in any midterm, but there is an opposition with a bar to clear,” he noted.
“‘These people are crazy’ is the campaign Democrats should fear,” Todd said.
