March madness began both in basketball and on Capitol Hill where President Donald Trump delivered his first of eight speeches before the Joint Congress. Well, the madness we usually expect from the nation’s leader was toned down Tuesday evening and he did his best to make nice, though the venom was still apparent.
In more of a feint than a pivot, as some have described the speech, Trump stunned his opponents with his first words, referencing African-Americans and Jewish people.
“Tonight,” he began, his eyes fixed on the teleprompter, “as we mark the conclusion of our celebration of Black History Month, we are reminded of our nation’s path toward civil rights and the work that still remains to be done. Recent threats targeting Jewish community centers and vandalism of Jewish cemeteries, as well as last week’s shooting in Kansas City, remind us that while we may be a nation divided on policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all of its ugly forms.”
From these opening salvos, the speech veered downhill and into that promissory terrain devoid of substance, details, as well as the means by which any of these goals would be achieved.
In the president’s address to Congress, particularly someone like Trump whose vitriol has defined him, you are poised to hear what is not said.
While there was no direct mention of his feud with the media, which he defined as the “enemy of the people,” we know this is but a temporary lull in his attacks. He will certainly resume his charges about “fake news” and the inability of the press to treat him fairly as soon as he can get back to his tweets. Blacks and Jews got their shout-outs in the beginning, but immigrants and Muslims got only passing nods, though in a press briefing with television anchors earlier in the day he expressed a softer rhetoric on undocumented immigrants and a possible path toward citizenship.
As expected, there was his declaration against ISIS and “the protection against radical Islamic terrorism.” Last week we learned that Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, the newly installed national security adviser, took exception to the term radical Islamic terrorism, feeling ISIS and other terrorists had defiled Islam and that the term was too sweeping in its condemnation. Whether this proves to be of any consequence between the president and the general and their relationship is to be seen.
Trump stayed away from any mention of Russia or climate change. Both topics are recurring themes in the news cycle and with Wilbur Ross confirmed as the Secretary of Commerce and Scott Pruitt heading the EPA, there is no reason to believe they are going to disappear. Nor was there any discussion about China.
Rather than having a former governor from Kentucky deliver the Democratic response, the Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer would have been a better choice. Here’s a sample of what he might have said from an interview on CNN. Schumer said that when Trump talks about action, “he goes to hard right. The divergence between the speech-like campaign promises and reality is miles apart. That’s why he had a tough 40 days—and he will have a rough rest of his term until his reality catches up with the speeches. He’s got big trouble.”
Sitting presidents are fond of citing and quoting from their predecessors, and Trump went all the way back to Abe Lincoln with brief stops on Eisenhower and Reagan, particularly in talking about a “new beginning.”
Some of the grand promises may be forgotten after the attention given to the widow of Navy SEAL William Ryan Owens, who was killed in a botched raid in Yemen. “We are blessed to be joined tonight by Carryn Owens, the widow of U.S. Navy special operator, Senior Chief William “Ryan” Owens,” Trump began. “Ryan died as he lived, a warrior and a hero, battling against terrorism and securing our nation.” During the sustained applause, Trump said it was a record-breaking salute to the fallen warrior. It should be noted that Owens’ father refused to meet with the president and has called for a full investigation of what happened to his son.
In his hour-long speech, Trump offered Republicans ample time to exercise as they rose on many occasions to applaud him, something they have been reluctant to do in the first month of his administration. Meanwhile, the Democrats sat on their hands and many of them quickly departed at the end.
At Trump’s end he asked that we set aside “trivial fights” and, like charity, this is something that begins at home in the White House.
“From now on,” he concluded, “America will be empowered by our aspirations, not burdened by our fears, inspired by the future, not bound by failures of the past, and guided by a vision, not blind by our doubts.”
This is good advice and the nation and the world would be well-served if he’s the first to accede to these wishes.
