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The Irish Times view on Trump’s State of the Union speech: weak, divisive and incoherent


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2019 Feb 6, 4:49pm   1,514 views  15 comments

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This was unmistakably a president who senses his authority is waning

Donald Trump’s second state of the union speech was a pastiche of the genre.

In an uncharacteristically reassuring, even tone, he paid ritualistic lip service to the demands of the occasion, his script sprinkled with assertions of American greatness, appeals for bipartisan co-operation and calls for national unity.

But in its substantive elements, the speech had precisely the opposite effect, feeding off the divisions of a riven country, alienating the opposition and starkly underlining the damage Trump has done to America’s standing in the world.

Trump, by turns combative and conciliatory, had some good ideas.

“At one point, he even tried to cast himself as a feminist

His proposals for paid family leave and lower drug prices are long-overdue, while his desire for a large infrastructure Bill to repair and renew the country’s creaking roads and bridges should be supported by Democrats.

He pledged new funding to eradicate Aids and spoke of a campaign to reduce childhood cancers.

Yet this was unmistakably the speech of a weak president who senses, now that he is into the second half of his term and faced with an energised Democratic majority in the House, that his authority is waning.

Take Trump’s reflexive recourse to falsehoods and bluster. He claimed that the US economy is “far and away” the fastest-growing in the world, that his administration had cut more regulations in a shorter period of time than any other, and that 5.3 million jobs had been created since he took office. None of the above is true.

Where he seemed to believe he was projecting strength, instead he underlined his failings. For example, the news that he will hold a second meeting with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un was a reminder that he has yet to win any concessions from Pyongyang on nuclear weapons. Shamefully absent was even a mention of global warming, the biggest issue of our era.




A reconfigured Congress and a looming fight for re-election require Trump to speak to two audiences simultaneously. He must reassure the base while appealing for Democratic co-operation in Washington.

The result is pure incoherence. On one hand, he pledged a new law on “late-term abortion of children” and warned of a “tremendous onslaught” of migrants at the southern border. On the other, he urged the opposition to put party interests aside and find common ground.

At one point, he even tried to cast himself as a feminist, reflecting on the economic gains women have made in the past two years and cheering the election of so many – mainly Democratic – women in the House.

All this from a man who has paid hush money to a pornographic actress and has admitted on tape that he sexually assaulted women.

For all that, however, the speech contained an essential truth.

As a snapshot of a presidency two years in, its underlying messages – incoherence, weakness, division and disingenuousness – captured the moment perfectly.

https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/editorial/the-irish-times-view-on-trump-s-state-of-the-union-speech-weak-divisive-and-incoherent-1.3784230

#SOTU #DOTARD #WEAK #INCOHERENT #DISINGENUOUS

Gotta love the Irish....now I have another reason to celebrate St. Patrick's Day

Comments 1 - 15 of 15        Search these comments

1   MrMagic   2019 Feb 6, 5:06pm  

Van Jones, is that you?
2   anonymous   2019 Feb 6, 5:29pm  

The reviews are coming in from around the world and they are mostly the same as the Irish Times - they all see him for what he is but 30% of the voting public can not.
3   MisdemeanorRebel   2019 Feb 6, 5:33pm  

Kakistocracy says
The reviews are coming in from around the world and they are mostly the same as the Irish Times - they all see him for what he is but 30% of the voting public can not.



Fake News. Even among CNN viewers, the speech was seen by 76% as positive.
4   anonymous   2019 Feb 6, 5:36pm  

MisterLearnToCode says
Literal Untruth.


That was national polling - a quick tour around my daily reading list form Asia, Europe etc. are primarily in line with the 23%.

Remember the vote. 50% did not bother to vote and of the 50% that did vote it was almost an even split even though someone lost the popular vote.

That translates to 25% of the population that put the Dotard in office
5   MrMagic   2019 Feb 6, 5:47pm  

Kakistocracy says
The reviews are coming in from around the world and they are mostly the same as the Irish Times - they all see him for what he is but 30% of the voting public can not.


I wonder which 30%....

6   MrMagic   2019 Feb 6, 5:50pm  

Kakistocracy says
Remember the vote. 50% did not bother to vote and of the 50% that did vote it was almost an even split even though someone lost the popular vote.

That translates to 25% 75% of the population put the Dotard DIDN'T Put Hillary in office.


There, fixed it for you.
7   komputodo   2019 Feb 6, 6:06pm  

What was the approval rating of the speech from those that didn't watch it?

8   komputodo   2019 Feb 6, 6:12pm  

Kakistocracy says
The reviews are coming in from around the world and they are mostly the same as the Irish Times - they all see him for what he is but 30% of the voting public can not.

And why are we supposed to care what some irish assholes opine about Trump? Do you care about their president?
9   anonymous   2019 Feb 6, 6:25pm  

komputodo says
What was the approval rating of the speech from those that didn't watch it?


It's a fucking speech - not action. Like a kids letter to Santa but those are more entertaining and much more honest.

Want to bring up the Dotard's job approval rating ?

The guy has the attention span of a fruit fly - I doubt highly he even remembers what the hell he was babbling about last night.

Lets all check back in 6 months and see what exactly has been accomplished - if anything.
10   MrMagic   2019 Feb 6, 7:16pm  

Kakistocracy says
Want to bring up the Dotard's job approval rating ?


Sure, I'd be happy to.... Look at that, 2 points HIGHER than your hero, O'Bozo at the same point in their terms.




Imagine that!!

What else you got?
11   Ceffer   2019 Feb 6, 7:28pm  

I'm sure the fill in the blanks adjectivory assault was penned before the talk and mildly nudged based on what Trump actually said. "Hey, don't forget 'weak, divisive, incoherent and sprinkle in a few 'ineffective's' and 'insane's' if you get a chance. It's all in the LibbyFuck Propaganda Assault Thesaurus in case you forget a few."
12   HeadSet   2019 Feb 6, 7:38pm  

Ceffer says
I'm sure the fill in the blanks adjectivory assault was penned before the talk and mildly nudged based on what Trump actually said. "Hey, don't forget 'weak, divisive, incoherent and sprinkle in a few 'ineffective's' and 'insane's' if you get a chance. It's all in the LibbyFuck Propaganda Assault Thesaurus in case you forget a few.


Like a MAD lib from days of old.
13   komputodo   2019 Feb 6, 8:39pm  

Kakistocracy says
komputodo says
What was the approval rating of the speech from those that didn't watch it?


It's a fucking speech - not action.

Is that an answer?
15   Onvacation   2019 Feb 7, 11:14am  

Kakistocracy says
Shamefully absent was even a mention of global warming, the biggest issue of our era.


TDS.
They forgot Trump solved climate change by pulling out of Paris.

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