The disparate views of the state of our union

The biggest news coming out of President Trump’s speech at the Capitol on Tuesday night was that he stayed on script.

“The president’s state of the union was notable for something his second term has largely lacked: restraint,” says Politico. “There were the mistakes he avoided making: Trump did not attack the Supreme Court. He did not blitz members of his own party who have criticized him. He avoided rambling, angry digressions from the script.”

Reuters says: “For much of the speech, Trump was uncharacteristically disciplined, mostly appearing to stick to his prepared remarks and eschewing his usual stream-of-consciousness digressions. But he flashed his combative side while discussing his immigration crackdown, exchanging shouted insults with several Democratic lawmakers.”

Trump, in sales mode, used the speech to deliver an upbeat vision of the U.S. economy, says The Associated Press in the best summary of the speech I’ve seen. “But that portrayal collides with the sentiment of Americans who remain anxious about their finances and feel they haven’t benefited from Trump’s policies. He took the high road to honor the gold medal-winning U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team and a war hero before pivoting abruptly to a darker tone as he ridiculed Democrats.”

In her Democratic response to Trump’s speech, Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger offered a sharp contrast to Trump’s depiction of the nation as being in a “golden age,” saying families are still struggling under Trump’s policies.

On the National Mall, hundreds of people, including about 30 Democratic members of Congress, turned out in the cold for the alternative “People’s State of the Union,” reports The Guardian. Attendees held signs reading “No Money for ICE” and “Healthcare Not Warfare.” There were an estimated 220,000 live viewers of the event on YouTube and other platforms, a spokesperson at event organizer MoveOn told The Guardian.

Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said: “Between now and November, the president will make every effort to discourage Americans from voting. He will make it harder to register and turn out, he may send ICE agents to polling places to intimidate our citizens. He will cast doubt on the results when his party loses.” The crowd cheered when Schiff asked: “Are you ready to throw the bums out in November? Are you ready to defend our democracy?”

At the “State of the Swamp” counter-event at the National Press Club, green frog-themed swag filled every seat. Members of the Portland Frog Brigade, a group that became famous after wearing inflatable frog suits to ICE protests last fall, had come to D.C. to lead the evening’s swampish revels.

Among the speakers at that event was former Montana Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock, who exhorted the crowd to “organize” to “fight for our elections.”

“Our voices matter. I’m not sure they’ve ever mattered more,” he said. ”If we don’t fight for our elections we’ll have nothing left to fight for.”

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