by George Rasley, CHQ Editor
The contrast between President Donald Trump’s generous and optimistic State of the Union address and Democrat Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi tearing up the speech in a rage provided a perfect metaphor for today’s politics.
While President Trump celebrated a group of American heroes, including 100-year old Tuskegee Airman and World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War fighter pilot Retired Brigadier General Charles McGee, and generously bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom on a stunned Rush Limbaugh, Democrats either boycotted the speech or vented their rage at Trump’s successes on social media.
Imagine the list of accomplishments that could have been recited had Democrats chosen to spend the months they spent on trying to impeach President Trump negotiating with him on doing the “beautiful deals” he talked about during and after the 2016 campaign.
But for Democrats rage supersedes all common sense and any sense of public duty.
Although a significant amount of time was spent on the list of accomplishments and plans typical of all modern State of the Union speeches, the philosophical and rhetorical elements of the speech and President Trump’s delivery were among the best of his public life.
Whether it was in his recognition of Rush Limbaugh:
Almost every American family knows the pain when a loved one is diagnosed with a serious illness. Here tonight is a special man, someone beloved by millions of Americans who just received a Stage 4 advanced cancer diagnosis. This is not good news, but what is good news is that he is the greatest fighter and winner that you will ever meet. Rush Limbaugh: Thank you for your decades of tireless devotion to our country. Rush, in recognition of all that you have done for our Nation, the millions of people a day that you speak to and inspire, and all of the incredible work that you have done for charity, I am proud to announce tonight that you will be receiving our country’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. I will now ask the First Lady of the United States to please stand and present you with the honor. Rush, Kathryn, congratulations!
Or his encomium of General Charles McGee:
Charles McGee was born in Cleveland, Ohio, one century ago. Charles is one of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen — the first black fighter pilots — and he also happens to be Iain’s great-grandfather. After more than 130 combat missions in World War II, he came back to a country still struggling for Civil Rights and went on to serve America in Korea and Vietnam. On December 7th, Charles celebrated his 100th birthday. A few weeks ago, I signed a bill promoting Charles McGee to Brigadier General. And earlier today, I pinned the stars on his shoulders in the Oval Office. General McGee: Our Nation salutes you.
President Trump hit all the right notes.
And without the pettiness and churlishness that are the hallmarks of the rhetoric of today’s Democrats, President Trump reinforced key political messages to his political coalition: the right to life, law and order, religious liberty, rebuilding our military, cutting regulations, education choice, border security, ending sanctuary cities, creating opportunity zones, protecting the Second Amendment, tax cuts, and lowering medical and prescription drug costs all made their way into the speech.
And while Democrats sat on their hands in glum recognition that their gambit to destroy the Donald Trump presidency has failed, the rest of America was moved as Trump delivered the conclusion of his speech with this tribute to the country he so obviously loves and loves to celebrate:
As the world bears witness tonight, America is a land of heroes. This is the place where greatness is born, where destinies are forged, and where legends come to life. This is the home of Thomas Edison and Teddy Roosevelt, of many great Generals, including Washington, Pershing, Patton, and MacArthur. This is the home of Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, Amelia Earhart, Harriet Tubman, the Wright Brothers, Neil Armstrong, and so many more. This is the country where children learn names like Wyatt Earp, Davy Crockett, and Annie Oakley. This is the place where the pilgrims landed at Plymouth and where Texas patriots made their last stand at the Alamo.
The American Nation was carved out of the vast frontier by the toughest, strongest, fiercest, and most determined men and women ever to walk the face of the Earth. Our ancestors braved the unknown; tamed the wilderness; settled the Wild West; lifted millions from poverty, disease, and hunger; vanquished tyranny and fascism; ushered the world to new heights of science and medicine; laid down the railroads, dug out canals, raised up the skyscrapers — and, ladies and gentlemen, our ancestors built the most exceptional Republic ever to exist in all of human history. And we are making it greater than ever before!
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Photo “State of the Union” by CSPAN
