Wednesday, January 9, 2019

Thoughts on Trump's address

It was short.  Presidential addresses typically run much longer - I guess they think that if they're going to barge into your living room they may as well make themselves at home.  Trump said his piece and got off the air.

It wasn't an elegant speech in the Reagan (or even Clinton) mold.  I think that this is a big part of why the establishment hates him - he does not follow their norms or aspire to their goals.

It was an effective speech.  It's said that Winston Churchill's most famous speeches ("We shall fight them on the beaches ...") used simple words.  Old words, dating back to Anglo-Saxon times.  Words that would resonate with the population.  I think that Trump's use of vocabulary is similarly chosen, and it works.  Not in the Acela Corridor, but in the places that voted for him.

Boy, did Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi look like they had swallowed something unpleasant.  It seems that Trump's speech wasn't published beforehand and so Check and Nancy had to think on their feet.  That's clearly not their strong suit and so they fell back on the usual pablum.

The address was a huge challenge to the Democrats.  It will be very interesting to see which way the polls break (assuming you trust the polls, that is).

6 comments:

LindaG said...

I don't trust the polls. They are made by the same people who make the news for the most part.

I did like his speech; but as you pretty much say, the proof will be in the pudding.

Old NFO said...

Yep, NOW it's going to get interesting... :-) And the Memes on Chuckie and Nancy have been hilarious this morning!

Archer said...

Part of me suspects that Trump kept his speech short and to the point because the Democrats were demanding "equal time" to respond afterward.

By giving a short, direct speech, "equal time" means they don't have the luxury of long-winded soliloquy. They have to use the verbal equivalent of Tweets, which due to time constraints contain vehement opposition but no logic or real argument.

Trump: Justice and safety.
Schumer/Pelosi: ORANGE MAN BAD!!

Beans said...

He challenged them, openly, in public, not behind doors and away from the newspeople and thus the citizens of this nation and the people of the world. They (Schumer and Pelosi) are like cockroaches, they do not appreciate light, open dialogue or people watching.

The next meeting between all of them, which I think is today, will be interesting. Hope the media gets to stay for the whole thing.

Trump won big. Now we get to see if the enemy of this nation finally capitulate or if they'll strike back twice as hard.

2ABill said...

I agree with Stuart Rhodes (Oath Keepers) on this one. Republicans had full control of the executive and legislative branches for two years. NOW they decide to play hardball and sling mud. They blew their chance then and should be called on the carpet for that failure.

LSP said...

Good address and Schumer/Pelosi were exposed for the reptilians they are.