Trump speech leaves Democrats befuddled, in ruins, with …
ANALYSIS/OPINION:
The president opened by celebrating Black History Month. Lady Democrats wore white.
Donald Trump delivered the most finely crafted speech of his political life Tuesday night in what will go down as one of the best speeches delivered to a joint session of Congress in the past two decades.
He hit stirring emotional high notes. And he laid out his vision for his presidency.
Mr. Trump stole the issue of affordable health care from Democrats. He unabashedly owned the fight against illegal immigration.
Obamacare is collapsing and we must act decisively to protect all Americans, he said. Action is not a choice it is a necessity.
In other words, Democrats led by President Obama swindled poor Americans into this disastrous program with their usual host of lies and false promises and now these good people are stranded. But Mr. Trump and Republicans are not going to leave these innocent Americans to dig themselves out of the mess Democrats put them in.
So I am calling on all Democrats and Republicans in the Congress to work with us to save Americans from this imploding Obamacare disaster.
When the camera panned to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi who, inexplicably, is still the Democratic leader in the House she looked like she had been sucking on the bitterest of lemons.
Strategically, it was brilliant. It completely cuts Democrats out of the debate.
And then the presidents salute to Megan Crowley, who is alive today because of the Herculean efforts by her father to find a drug to combat Pompe Disease, sealed the deal.
Mr. Trump then laid out the broad brush parameters of a health-care law he would like to see Republicans hammer out to replace Obamacare.
On illegal immigration, Mr. Trump held firm.
To any in Congress who do not believe we should enforce our laws, I would ask you this question: What would you say to the American family that loses their jobs, their income, or a loved one, because America refused to uphold its laws and defend its borders.
Another question he might have asked those in Congress who do not believe in enforcing immigration laws: If you dont like the immigration laws, why dont you change them? You are the only branch of government that can.
Mr. Trump also deplored the hellfire violence in Chicago and called education the civil rights issue of our time.
The senator from Illinois and other Democrats offered only the most paltry, perfunctory applause.
The entire speech was supremely presidential. But it wasnt without humor. After excoriating both Democrats and Republicans for spending $6 trillion in the Middle East, he said, we could have rebuilt our country twice.
He waited two beats. And maybe even three times if we had people who had the ability to negotiate, Mr. Trump said, dropping into his finest Apprentice tone of voice.
The camera panned to Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who was exchanging perplexed glances with an equally befuddled senator. They didnt get the line. Apparently, Ms. Warren never achieved her merit badge for reading smoke signals.
In the end, Donald Trump so dominated the entire night that Democrats were left nothing but sullen protests.
The ladies wore white, but nobody was exactly sure why.
In a shocking development, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg did not doze off during the hour long address. At least not on national television. She did not show up.
And in another development that absolutely nobody cared about, Rep. Eliot Engel, New York Democrat, announced he would not shake Mr. Trumps hand. It was not clear at press time if Mr. Trump even knows who Eliot Engel is.
There were so many protests on the Democratic side of the aisle, it was hard to keep track. Even the Democrats seemed confused about what they were protesting.
Rep. Joseph Crowley, New York Democrat, wore an giant pin protesting, well, not sure exactly what. It simply featured a large question mark.
In all honesty, that pin could be the partys entire platform in the next election.
Charles Hurt can be reached at churt@washingtontimes.com; follow him on Twitter via @charleshurt.
Original post:
Trump speech leaves Democrats befuddled, in ruins, with ...
- Democrats and activist groups plan to push back if Trump tries to interfere in midterm elections - AP News - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- House Democrats expand the map and the definition of a Democrat - MS NOW - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- Pa. Democrats hold shadow hearing to discuss election integrity as legal fight over mail-in ballots wages on - WHYY - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- Democrats to train tens of thousands to monitor polls amid election interference fears - The Guardian - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- Is Kansas really in play for Democrats? Republicans are acting like it. - The Washington Post - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- The Data Dive: Kornacki on the Texas voters giving Democrats hope - NBC News - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- Exclusive / House Democrats ready oversight of Trumps Balkans policy - Semafor - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- House Democrats pitch bill to save people from having pay garnished for medical debt - The Guardian - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- Democrats seek to bar Otzma Yehudit from election as polls show continued deadlock - The Times of Israel - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- Alabama Democrats have had a few good weeks. But political gravity is tough. - Alabama Reflector - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- Are Texas Democrats Finally Reaching the Mountaintop? - The New Republic - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- How Democrats Are Rethinking Election Protection for the 2026 Midterms - usnews.com - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- Congressional Democrats in Hysterics About Saving the World From AI - The American Prospect - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- Democrats Ask Court To Force FCC Action In Political Ad Rate Battle. - Insideradio.com - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- Some Democrats are recalibrating their approach to transgender issues as they seek a path to power - Los Angeles Times - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- Obama Urges Democrats to Move A.I. Oversight to the Center of Their Agenda - The New York Times - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- CBS News Battleground Tracker poll finds Trump motivating both sides, Democrats have edge in seats in fight for House - CBS News - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- Democrats eye a new tool to hold Trump accountable if they win the House - CNN - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- We asked dozens of people what they want from Democrats. Heres what they said. - The Washington Post - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- Democrats shift their mail voting message: From the Politics Desk - NBC News - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- A wave is building for Democrats. Republicans are building a wall to stop it - CNN - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- These are the Trump investigations Democrats plan if they win in November - The Washington Post - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- Andy Shaw: Democrats message for the midterms is hiding in plain sight - Chicago Tribune - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- Democrats put new emphasis on early and in-person voting amid mail ballot concerns - NBC News - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- Warmington on how Democrats can retake governor's office | Conversation with the Candidate - WMUR - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- Instead of a working-class reckoning, Democrats got the DSA | Opinion - USA Today - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- Cynthia Lummis Says Democrats Got Almost Everything They Asked for in Revised CLARITY Act Now They Need to Vote - Yahoo Finance - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- All the persuasiveness of a North Korean newscast: Democrats denounce Fetterman video at GOP convention - The Guardian - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- The Democrats Divide Over Israel Comes to the House Foreign Affairs Committee - Arab Center Washington DC - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- Sen. John Fetterman's isolation from Democrats grows stark in Pennsylvania - 6abc Philadelphia - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- Democrats Plan Investigations into Trump Family If They Win House: Media - - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- If Democrats like Ben Gruber can win in rural areas, the GOP is toast - Daily Kos - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- Democrats gain ground among Hispanic voters disenchanted with Trump - The Hill - September 13th, 2026 [September 13th, 2026]
- GOP turns to Trump as Democrats expand their target map in midterm sprint - CNN - September 8th, 2026 [September 8th, 2026]
- Veterans and Democrats intensify fight against Trumps planned arch - The Washington Post - September 8th, 2026 [September 8th, 2026]
- Opinion | Democrats have lost Silicon Valley. Here's what it will take to win it back - calmatters.org - September 8th, 2026 [September 8th, 2026]
- Democrats on track to outperform 2026 House forecasts - Brookings - September 8th, 2026 [September 8th, 2026]
- How Republicans and Democrats see their own ideology and their partys - Pew Research Center - September 8th, 2026 [September 8th, 2026]
- Exclusive: Obscure Committee Set To Be at Center of Trump Fight if Democrats Win House - Time Magazine - September 8th, 2026 [September 8th, 2026]
- Here's a look at 'reach' election races where Democrats hope to pull off House upsets - pbs.org - September 8th, 2026 [September 8th, 2026]
- Road to the Capitol - Democrats on the Trail - C-SPAN - September 8th, 2026 [September 8th, 2026]
- WHAT THEYRE SAYING: GOP In Real Trouble and Facing Challenges in Retaining Control as Senate Democrats Compete Even In Red Territory - dscc.org - September 8th, 2026 [September 8th, 2026]
- Democrats need to win. Heres the message our research says works - The Guardian - September 8th, 2026 [September 8th, 2026]
- Democrats promise a big agenda if they win control of Congress, but their unity is being tested - pbs.org - September 8th, 2026 [September 8th, 2026]
- Pritzker, Eyeing 2028, to Help Midterm Democrats With a $20 Million Group - The New York Times - September 8th, 2026 [September 8th, 2026]
- Gavin Newsom on how to beat the GOP: 'Democrats need to grow a backbone' - pbs.org - September 8th, 2026 [September 8th, 2026]
- Smith County Democrats hold grocery drive during RNC convention week - cbs19.tv - September 8th, 2026 [September 8th, 2026]
- The Case for Why Democrats Will Win the Midterms. And the Case for Republicans, Too. - The New York Times - September 8th, 2026 [September 8th, 2026]
- How to Tell if Democrats Are Poised for a Huge Midterm Win - Politico - September 8th, 2026 [September 8th, 2026]
- Democrats try a novel path to defeat a battleground Republican: Moving to the left - The Washington Post - September 8th, 2026 [September 8th, 2026]
- Democrats look to turn data center backlash into votes in the midterm elections - CNN - September 8th, 2026 [September 8th, 2026]
- Are Democrats having a Tea Party moment? I'm not buying it. | Opinion - USA Today - August 11th, 2026 [August 11th, 2026]
- Democrats Are Blaming Each Other Over Minnesotas Welfare Fraud Scandal - wsj.com - August 11th, 2026 [August 11th, 2026]
- Can Democrats still win if socialists take over their party? - The Hill - August 11th, 2026 [August 11th, 2026]
- Moderate Democrats Scramble to Block a Socialist From Winning in Wisconsin - Time Magazine - August 11th, 2026 [August 11th, 2026]
- As Democrats elsewhere squabble among themselves, Kansas voters just want to win - Kansas Reflector - August 11th, 2026 [August 11th, 2026]
- Trump tries new line of attack on Democrats, calling them jihadists - CNN - August 11th, 2026 [August 11th, 2026]
- Crypto Democrats Are Ghosting the Industry - The American Prospect - August 11th, 2026 [August 11th, 2026]
- Democrats have a working-class voter problem that progressives like Abdul El-Sayed are still struggling to solve - The Conversation - August 11th, 2026 [August 11th, 2026]
- Opinion | Democrats need to face their real liability - The Washington Post - August 11th, 2026 [August 11th, 2026]
- Centrist Democrats dismiss Abdul El-Sayed as a freak radical. Do they want to win in 2028 or not? | Nesrine Malik - The Guardian - August 11th, 2026 [August 11th, 2026]
- Can NC Democrats gain legislative power in November elections? Races to watch. - WRAL - August 11th, 2026 [August 11th, 2026]
- House Democrats Demand Answers From Trumps VA on Vets Struggling to Access Mental Healthcare - ProPublica - August 11th, 2026 [August 11th, 2026]
- Can Gluesenkamp Perez win over the Democrats who voted against her in Washingtons primary? - opb.org - August 11th, 2026 [August 11th, 2026]
- Ocasio-Cortez says Democrats are 'unifying,' focused on 'working people' in midterms - ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos - August 11th, 2026 [August 11th, 2026]
- Democrats face their next big fight between moderates and the left - The Seattle Times - August 11th, 2026 [August 11th, 2026]
- Democrats Vow to Unite Behind Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, but Tensions Remain - The New York Times - August 11th, 2026 [August 11th, 2026]
- Hostage activist Zangauker says Golan broke pledge to put her on Democrats slate - The Times of Israel - August 11th, 2026 [August 11th, 2026]
- The GOPs free cash for education puts Democrats on the hot seat - Politico - August 1st, 2026 [August 1st, 2026]
- Democrats see an chance to flip a US House seat as abuse claims mount against Ohio Rep. Max Miller - ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos - August 1st, 2026 [August 1st, 2026]
- Opinion: Georgia Democrats state convention will double down on a losing agenda - AJC.com - August 1st, 2026 [August 1st, 2026]
- The Democrats have one last chance to halt the erosion of US democracy and its less than 100 days away - The Guardian - August 1st, 2026 [August 1st, 2026]
- Democrats factional battle hits a swing district in Michigan - NBC News - August 1st, 2026 [August 1st, 2026]
- Two looming primaries will test pro-Israel Democrats role in the party - Politico - August 1st, 2026 [August 1st, 2026]
- Trump shattered ethics norms. Will voters trust Democrats to fix them? - npr.org - August 1st, 2026 [August 1st, 2026]
- Democrats big Virginia plans were foiled, but its still at the center of the battle for the House - NBC News - August 1st, 2026 [August 1st, 2026]
- Will Left-Wing Democrats Reinvent the Party or Hurt Its Chances in November? - The New Yorker - August 1st, 2026 [August 1st, 2026]
- 100 days until midterms and Democrats are winning because they actually have a message - Fox News - August 1st, 2026 [August 1st, 2026]
- Opinion | Fauci and the Democrats Have a Lot to Answer For - The New York Times - August 1st, 2026 [August 1st, 2026]
- To win over working-class voters, Democrats need to stop talking about democracy - npr.org - August 1st, 2026 [August 1st, 2026]