TRUMP’S POWERFUL ADDRESS
John and I don’t always agree about President Trump, but I agree with his assessment of Trump’s address tonight on immigration/the partial government shutdown. Trump laid out a common sense case for the need to fund border security and build more wall (or whatever one prefers to call it).
I’m pretty sure most Americans agree with the substance of what Trump said. I also believe that Americans overwhelming agree that, even if the wall isn’t as important as Trump says, it would be reasonable for Democrats to agree to the funding request as part of a compromise that ends the partial shutdown.
Some people who would normally agree with the substance of Trump’s talk, or at least find it unobjectionable, will balk because Trump is the messenger. There’s nothing Trump can do about that phenomenon at this late date.
However, Trump’s presentation tonight was calm and reasoned. There was no bombast and no name-calling — indeed, none of the stuff that many find off-putting. The case he made was a straightforward blending of facts and common sense, with no gratuitous attacks on Democrats.
I’m sure the fact-checkers are examining all of the numbers Trump cited. They may find, or at least allege, some sort of disparity here or there. But I think Trump’s address was free of hyperbole and exaggeration. If he erred on any particular, the error was trivial.
Trump abstained from declaring a national emergency and announcing an intention to build more wall without congressional funding. This was a good call even assuming Trump has the power to so act and could win the legal battle over this.
Trump has a good hand to play. He would forfeit that hand by acting unilaterally, and it’s far from clear that the Supreme Court would back him in that event.
TRUMP KILLS IT
President Trump started a little slowly tonight, but picked up steam and finished very, very strong. He holds a winning hand: there is indeed a crisis at the Southern border. Illegal immigration is a huge problem. It is the number one reason why Trump is president, and the issue is stronger today than it was two years ago.
Trump’s closing was very strong, talking about Americans who have been murdered and otherwise brutalized by illegal immigrants. Democrats are utterly unconcerned about this fundamental security issue, just as they are unconcerned about drugs and MS-13.
The Democrats’ response was delivered by Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer. They came off poorly, I thought. First, they looked ridiculous:
Schumer and Pelosi totally missed the mark, talking not about the border crisis, but about the partial “shutdown” which hardly anyone cares about. They came across as petty and partisan.
Our country is being invaded, as President Trump and most Americans understand. It is far past time to defend ourselves. President Trump wins this one, hands down.
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