I Survived SOTU—Thanks to You |
OK, so…what did we think? First: thank you to everyone who pulled up to the Subtext watch party and live-texted your way through President Donald Trump’s record-length, 107-minute State of the Union. Misery loves company.
My take: I thought Trump mostly hit the notes he had to hit, had strong visual moments, stayed on message (for him), and came across more or less in command. I’ve also watched so many Trump speeches at this point in my life I think I know his mannerisms better than my own wife’s. Like when he starts to do the thing where he breathes in through his bottom teeth? That means he’s getting tired.
It's safe to say my lively Subtext group don't find such mannerisms endearing, but at least they kept me sane.
The chat basically split into two camps: the “good TV” caucus and the “turn it off before I throw my phone” coalition. And then there was the pure, uncut despair, which Cheryl voiced perfectly:
“I don't think I can stand listening to this pack of delusions. So many, who can name them all!!!!! This is all about Trump praising Trump. Congress doesn't exist anymore for him.”
“I don't think I can stand listening to this pack of delusions. So many, who can name them all!!!!! This is all about Trump praising Trump. Congress doesn't exist anymore for him.”
Timothy responded to what might’ve been the biggest actual-news morsel of the night: Trump saying “we” took down a cartel kingpin in Mexico. And he immediately went full foreign-policy-brain about it, and called on the president to give his Mexican counterpart some credit.
“Yes. I'd like to see Trump compliment Sheinbaum. She led the very tough dangerous task. It's hard to take care of the bully. She and the team did it. And I'm glad that the U.S. is on that team even within Mexico. Not U.S. troops on foreign sovereign land, just intelligence.If only Trump knew that giving others credit when due is the way to soar in getting respect. And for future continued progress.”
“Yes. I'd like to see........