The State of the Union

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? What Biden will tell the nation next week

President Biden's State of the Union address next Thursday will highlight "historic" accomplishments — from infrastructure spending to scrapping junk fees — and make the case for "protecting and implementing" that agenda, a White House official tells Axios.

• "The president will talk about whose side he is on and the work ahead to make life better for every American," the official said.

? Alex Thompson's thought bubble: Based on this outline, Biden will focus on selling his existing accomplishments — "protecting" rather than pivoting — and betting voters will opt for stability over change.

The preview says the speech will cover "making the wealthy and corporations pay their fair share," "saving our democracy," and a "unity agenda" that includes curbing fentanyl, helping veterans and ending cancer.

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How speechwriters delve into a president’s mind: Lots of listening, studying and becoming a mirror

WASHINGTON (AP) — Speechwriting, in one sense, is essentially being someone else’s mirror.

https://apnews.com/article/biden-state-of-union-speech-writers-34499ed74a04000e2bf754109de848b6?

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State of the Union 2024 live updates | What to expect tonight

President Joe Biden is set to deliver his 2024 State of the Union address on Thursday at 9 p.m. EST. His aim will be to convince frustrated voters he’s got a solid second-term vision and he’s up for the job.

https://apnews.com/live/state-of-the-union-updates-watch?

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Biden uses fiery State of the Union to contrast with Trump President Joe Biden delivered a defiant argument for a second term in his State of the Union speech Thursday night, lacing into Republican front-runner Donald Trump — referred to 13 times only as “my predecessor” — for jeopardizing freedom at home and abroad. Read more.

Key takeaways: Biden fired multiple broadsides at Trump without ever mentioning him by name, raising his voice repeatedly in a sharp break from his often humdrum daily appearances as he worked to quell voter concerns about his age and performance.   In a substantive portion of the 68-minute address, Biden unveiled plans for a temporary pier on the coast of Gaza to boost the flow of aid. He also goaded Republicans over their policies on immigration, taxes and more — and derided the overturning of Roe v. Wade, showing how much he believes the issue is key to a second term.   Trump responded to the speech in real time on his Truth Social site, defending himself and blasting Biden for what he said “may be the Angriest, Least Compassionate, and Worst State of the Union Speech ever made.”

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Who sits behind the president? For Biden, it’s a new face every year   Biden speaks the name of Laken Riley at the urging of Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene   WATCH: All the moments you missed during the State of the Union

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Sex Trafficking Survivor Says Sen. Britt’s SOTU Story Was Bogus

Karla Jacinto Romero said it isn’t fair to distort her experience for political purposes.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/sex-trafficking-survivor-karla-jacinto-romero-says-sen-britts-sotu-story-was-bogus?

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?️ Britt laughs off SOTU backlash

Scarlett Johansson playing Britt on SNL. Screenshot via SNL's YouTube page. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) joked on Sen. Ted Cruz's (R-Texas) podcast that she was "pretty pumped" that Scarlett Johansson played her in SNL's skit mocking her State of the Union rebuttal last week. "How come you get a gorgeous movie star? That is a real compliment that you ought to be pretty psyched with," Cruz responded. The big picture: Britt has come under scrutiny for misconstruing a human trafficking victim's story to attack Biden's border policies. The Alabama senator didn't address the controversy on Cruz's podcast, but accused "the liberal media" of "burying the truth about Joe Biden and his border crisis." "I mean, my crime was putting too much passion, too much heart and soul behind the issues that I genuinely care about, and they slaughtered me across the airwaves," Britt said.

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? Top Republican: No Biden SOTU invitation next year

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) said GOP leadership should reconsider how they invite presidents to give the State of the Union address, citing President Biden's "divisive" speech.

Why it matters: Emmer argued Biden's remarks were a "hyper-partisan" campaign speech, telling Axios' Juliegrace Brufke that the president should not be invited to address Congress next year if he's elected to a second term.

The big picture: The Minnesota Republican said he's bullish on Trump's odds of defeating Biden in November, but felt Biden's speech should have had a more unifying tone.

• "That was about the most divisive State of the Union — I wouldn't extend him an invitation next year, if that's what we're going to get," Emmer said during an interview at the House GOP retreat.

Keep reading

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? State of the union

Data: Gallup; Chart: Axios Visuals Americans are as dissatisfied as ever with conditions in the U.S., Axios' Avery Lotz writes from new Gallup data. The average satisfaction score across 31 key elements of U.S. life hovered at just 38%, in a survey conducted shortly before President Trump took office. ? By the numbers: Republicans and Democrats were both pessimistic about 17 issues — including abortion policy, race relations, and health care quality and affordability. Only one issue area garnered a majority of satisfaction from both sides of the aisle: The overall quality of life in the country. But the percentage of respondents who said they were satisfied with quality of life has still dropped by roughly 18 percentage points since 2017. Go deeper.

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📺 Resistance hot spots

Rep. Al Green shouts at President Trump during his joint session address in March 2025. Photo: Win McNamee via Getty Images

Democratic resistance to President Trump will come in all shapes and sizes at next week's State of the Union address. Why it matters: State of the Unions are more defined by surprise moments than scripted theater. Think the ripped speech (Pelosi after Trump finished), the snap negotiation (Biden and Republicans) or an indelible phrase (Bush 43's "Axis of Evil"). For Democrats this year, the strategies differ, but the goal is the same: Challenge Trump. That resistance is splitting into three main categories: 📺 Counterprogramming: A dozen Democratic lawmakers, including Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), will host an event during the speech Tuesday night. It'll be streamed by MeidasTouch, a progressive media company considered a safe space for Democratic politicians. 🎟 Going, with some eyeing protests: Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) told us last week he plans to attend the speech and that he would "love to show some resistance to what is going on." Most Democrats disagree on his approach. 👀 Boycotting altogether: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) told us she's "probably not" going. This list will grow ahead of the speech. 🤐 For those who do go, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has urged his caucus to avoid floor disruptions during the speech. "He's coming to our house. It's my view that you don't let anyone ever run you off of your block," Jeffries told Fox News today. "It's a somber moment in our country ... and so I don't expect anybody to do anything that takes away from the importance of that moment," Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) told us last week. Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) was censured last year after getting booted from the chamber for repeatedly interrupting Trump's joint address to Congress. The bottom line: "These aren't normal times, and we have to stop doing normal things," Murphy told the N.Y. Times about why he's skipping the SOTU. Trump has "made a mockery of the State of the Union speech, and he doesn't deserve an audience," Murphy said. — Justin Green, Andrew Solender and Hans Nichols

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🎟 Schumer's SOTU guest list

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's guests at next week's State of the Union include an Epstein survivor, a mother whose child was apprehended by ICE and union members who have lost work under the Trump administration.

• Why it matters: Schumer has taken massive heat from the Democratic base for allegedly not fighting hard enough.

But his SOTU guest list, shared first with us, is a six-pronged attack on Trump 2.0.

1. Dani Bensky, a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein from New York City, who met the late convicted sex offender when she was a young ballerina. Schumer has repeatedly pushed legislation to force the Justice Department to release all Epstein-related files.
2. Raiza Contreras, a mother of the first NYC public school student detained by ICE under Trump's nationwide immigration crackdown. Trump and Schumer remain far apart amid a partial government shutdown over ICE's enforcement tactics.
3. Gearóid Keogh, a union construction worker on the Gateway Tunnel Project, who lost his job after Trump froze funding. Construction on the $16 billion Hudson River project will restart next week after a court ordered the Trump administration to release the funds.
4. Aleshandra Fernandes, a union ironworker from Long Island, New York, who works on major offshore wind projects but has had her job delayed because of the Trump administration.
5. Eva Wood, a mom of seven who relied on expired Affordable Care Act tax credits to take care of her family but is now facing increased health care costs of more than $3,600 a year. Schumer and Trump clashed over the ACA credits last year, which led to a record-breaking government shutdown.
6. Ben Pearson, a small-business owner from Upstate New York who has had his costs increase nearly $1 million a year because of tariffs and has had to lay off over 15 people.

— Stephen Neukam

ps:What he thinks that will shame trump? Obviously not, but maybe his minions?? But personally I even doubt that!!!!!

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State of the Union

President Donald Trump will deliver his State of the Union address tonight; the annual speech has traditionally been used to outline the president's agenda and recap accomplishments. The speech comes against the backdrop of last week’s Supreme Court decision to eliminate much of his tariff policy as well as tensions with Iran and a crackdown on migration. Trump is expected to acknowledge the high court’s tariff ruling and his subsequent decision to impose a blanket 15% tariff on goods entering the US. That policy goes into effect today and is scheduled to last for 150 days. Trump may also discuss immigration and foreign policy, following last month's capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and a US military buildup in the Middle East amid nuclear negotiations with Iran. Explore facts and figures on the US. The address will be aired on major networks beginning at 9 pm ET. Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger will provide the Democratic response. See our favorite resources on the history of the president's address.

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🎟️ Johnson's guest list

Artemis II lunar mission astronauts at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., in December. Photo: Gregg Newton/AFP via Getty Images

🚀 Speaker Johnson's guests at tomorrow night's State of the Union will include the crew of NASA's Artemis II lunar spaceflight mission, we're told. The big picture: Lawmakers often use their guest lists to raise visibility for priorities and causes that are important to them and their districts. 🌝 Johnson wants to highlight Louisiana's manufacturing role in the Artemis program and draw attention to the upcoming mission, which centers on a return to the Moon. 🚜 The rocket stage was constructed at NASA Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, also known as "America's Rocket Factory." Driving the news: "It is my privilege to welcome these brave and courageous astronauts as my guests at the State of the Union Address," Johnson said in a statement first shared with us. Johnson said the crew — commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen — "will embark on this historic journey carrying forward the hopes and dreams of all humanity." The details: Artemis II will take the four astronauts on a 10-day lunar flyby this year as NASA eyes its next chapter of space exploration, including a long-term presence on the Moon and future trips to Mars. It's the first time in more than 50 years that NASA will be sending astronauts around the Moon. — Kate Santaliz

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🏛️ The state of the union is... long

Data: The American Presidency Project. Chart: Axios Visuals President Trump's State of the Union speech tonight (9 p.m. ET, all major networks) will focus on the economy and affordability — and could become his longest ever. Trump said during a White House event yesterday: "It's going to be a long speech because we have so much to talk about." 🎙️ Trump's fourth SOTU comes amid rising tension over possible war with Iran, the Supreme Court striking down his tariff plan and the looming midterm elections. Trump will use the speech to "sell the public on the economy and unveil new measures meant to lower costs, as Republicans try to address voters' concerns ahead of the midterm elections later this year," The Wall Street Journal reports (gift link). The official theme, according to White House officials: "America at 250: Strong, Prosperous and Respected." Erika Kirk will be one of Trump's special guests for the address. Trump spoke an estimated 9,906 words — 100 minutes — during his record-breaking 2025 address to Congress, Axios' Josephine Walker reports. The previous record holder: President Clinton, who spoke for over 89 minutes in 2000. Go deeper ... White House SOTU channel.

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Trump swagger

For months, President Trump's advisers wanted him to make the case that his tax cuts are working, that the economy is improving, and that more winning is on the way as the 2026 midterm elections loom, Axios' Marc Caputo writes.

• On Tuesday, Trump finally stayed on script with his State of the Union speech.
• Part policy, part theater and stuffed with patriotic appeal, the hour and 47-minute address is Trump's rhetorical roadmap for Republicans in November.

Why it matters: Republicans' fortunes revolve around Trump. So the fate of their control of Congress hinges on whether the president can consistently make speeches like this —and whether the electorate believes in the case he's making.

So far, however, voters aren't buying what Trump is selling. His approval ratings are near all-time lows.

• Republicans, worried about a wipeout in November, hope Tuesday's speech will be more than a one-off and serve as a preview of a more disciplined messenger (for Trump at least).

Zoom in: Trump didn't just want to say that America is winning. He made sure the speech showed it by featuring the dramatic entrance of the men's U.S. Olympic hockey team, which was met with a standing ovation and chants of "USA, USA!"

• "Go ahead," Trump beamed, soaking in the atmospherics.

The scene unfurled in the first 15 minutes because, a Trump adviser tells us, the president is keenly aware that audiences drop off quickly in speeches.

• "People really just watch the first 30 minutes, maybe an hour," the adviser said. "And what they saw was winning."

Twenty members of the U.S. men's Olympic hockey team attended the State of the Union. Photo: Matt Rourke/AP

Zoom out: The speech was the longest-ever State of the Union address. It was also a two-in-one address.

• It started with a positive (though not always accurate) recitation of Trump's accomplishments on the economy, tax cuts and foreign policy.
• And it veered into a darker condemnation of crime that he blamed on Democrats.

Trump baited Democrats by announcing poll-tested themes favored by Republicans — immigration crackdowns and bans on transgender surgeries for minors if parents don't approve — before drawing attention to Democrats who refused to applaud his riffs.

• "These people are crazy. I'm telling you. They're crazy," he said, pointing at Democratic lawmakers as Republicans roared in approval.

📱 "He is giving Republicans the conversation map for the midterms," a second adviser said via text message.

• "A complete political show. It MIGHT BE the start of the turnaround if the economy turns."

Go deeper: For Americans without a 401(k), Trump announces plan to offer access to a retirement account similar to those available to federal workers.

[Asia Joe]

Quote

What Biden will tell the nation next week

President Biden's State of the Union address next Thursday will highlight "historic" accomplishments — from infrastructure spending to scrapping junk fees — and make the case for "protecting and implementing" that agenda, a White House official tells Axios.

• "The president will talk about whose side he is on and the work ahead to make life better for every American," the official said.

This is what every leader in every country does. As I have become older, I am not moved by these speeches.  Some people think Pres Trump did a great job. Some say the country is back on track. 

Not me. I am no longer impressed by the speeches no matter who gives them. I have seen so many, in so many countries, I don't get excited either way. 

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Trump's night of heroes

President Trump staged a rose-colored spectacle at last night's State of the Union — the longest-ever address to Congress, from a president facing his lowest-ever approval ratings, Axios' Zachary Basu writes.

• Why it matters: A defiant Trump bragged, weaved, smiled and sparred his way through 108 minutes of prime-time television, projecting his vision of a "Golden Age" for a country that — according to recent polls — mostly isn't buying it.

4 takeaways:

1. A night of heroes: Trump shrewdly filled the chamber with people far more popular than himself — honoring gold-medal Olympians, decorated veterans and everyday American heroes in a parade of made-for-TV moments.

• Ever the showman, Trump declared Americans are "not tired of winning" before welcoming the U.S. men's Olympic hockey team into the chamber, to the only bipartisan standing ovation of the night.
• He went on to award two Purple Hearts, two Medals of Honor, a Medal of Freedom to Team USA goalie Connor Hellebuyck, and a Legion of Merit to a Coast Guard swimmer who rescued 164 Texans from floodwaters.

2. A "dirty, rotten lie": With voters souring on his economic stewardship, Trump lashed out at Democrats for adopting an "affordability" message — arguing their policies created the high prices they're now campaigning against.

• Trump counterpunched with his trademark fact-challenged hyperbole — $18 trillion in foreign investment, "plummeting" food prices, and drug cost reductions of "300%, 400%, 500%, 600%."
• Trump brushed off last week's Supreme Court ruling striking down his tariffs, insisting they'll survive under alternative legal statutes — and hinting the eventual goal was using tariffs to replace income taxes.
• Buried in the bravado were a few new populist proposals, including expanded access to retirement accounts and a plan to force tech giants to build their own power plants for AI data centers.

3. Dems take the bait: Defying warnings from Democratic leadership, Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) was ejected for holding up a sign that read "Black People Aren't Apes" — a reference to the racist video depicting the Obamas that was reposted recently by Trump's account.

• Roughly half of Democratic lawmakers boycotted the speech. Those who attended faced repeated provocations from Trump, including a challenge to stand if they agreed that "the first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens."
• "Look, nobody stands up," Trump remarked after condemning gender reassignment surgery for minors. "These people are crazy. I'm telling you, they're crazy."

4. War drums grow louder: Having ordered the largest U.S. military buildup in the Middle East since the invasion of Iraq, Trump began laying the groundwork with the American public for a potential war with Iran.

• He leveled three stark accusations: that Iran has killed and maimed thousands of Americans with roadside bombs, is "working to build missiles that will soon reach" the U.S., and is once again pursuing its "sinister ambitions" to obtain a nuclear weapon.
• With his envoys set to meet the Iranians in Geneva on Thursday for last-ditch talks, Trump declared, "I will make peace wherever I can, but I will never hesitate to confront threats to America wherever we must."

Heroes highlighted by Trump included Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Eric Slover, a helicopter pilot wounded in last month's risky Maduro raid in Venezuela.

• Slover, who used a walker as he stood to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor, was the pilot of the lead CH-47 Chinook helicopter. Trump said Slover had been "wearing the dog tags his wife, Amy, had blessed with holy water before he left — she knew it was going to be a rough one." More on Slover.

Between the lines: Trump didn't mention fallout from the Epstein files. Several Epstein victims attended as guests of Democratic lawmakers.

The bottom line: Rather than address cratering polls or the looming midterms, Trump aimed higher — casting his presidency as the fulfillment of 250 years of American destiny.

• "The revolution that began in 1776 has not ended; it still continues because the flame of liberty and independence still burns in the heart of every American patriot," he concluded his marathon address. "And our future will be bigger, better, brighter, bolder and more glorious than ever before."

SOTU transcript ...

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🤔 Dem response: "Is the President working for YOU?"

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D), who was inaugurated last month, used the official Democratic response to argue a real-life contrast to the "golden age of America" President Trump portrayed in his State of the Union.

• "Democrats across the country are laser-focused on affordability in our nation's capital and in state capitals and communities across America," the former CIA officer said from the historic House of Burgesses chambers in Colonial Williamsburg.
• "In the most innovative and exceptional nation in the history of the world, Americans deserve to know that their leaders are focused on addressing the problems that keep them up at night."

Why it matters: Democrats plan to carry her message nationwide ahead of November's midterms. Party leaders point to Spanberger's double-digit victory in Virginia last November as validation of a disciplined, cost-focused campaign they now hope to replicate nationwide.

• Full text.

Data: The American Presidency Project. Chart: Axios Visuals

Above: As President Trump arrived in the chamber, he shook hands with Chief Justice John Roberts.

• Trump shook hands with all four justices who attended — Justice Brett Kavanaugh plus three who ruled against him on tariffs — Roberts and Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett. They smiled and politely clapped as he made his way to the lectern. (N.Y. Times gift link)

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Back to the Show

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The longest State of the Union in modern history is now over. Donald Trump held court in the House of Representatives and said little of substance, but substance wasn’t the point. This year, he intended to put on a show, with an array of guest stars and special appearances. He was happy because he was playing the roles he clearly loves: game-show host, ringmaster, emcee, beneficent granter of wishes—and, where the Democrats were concerned, a self-righteous inquisitor.

Trump did his usual rote lying about the economy—pity the fact-checkers who tried to keep up even in the first 10 minutes or so of the speech—along with some of his other greatest hits, including the many wars he stopped and the magic of tariffs. (He referred to the “unfortunate involvement” of the Supreme Court on the tariff issue, as if the justices had barged into his office like interlopers.)

President Ronald Reagan, the “Great Communicator,” once managed to do the entire State of the Union address in 31 minutes; that’s because he could say important things efficiently and well. Tonight, however, was not about communication—it was about showmanship. Almost every line was a cue for applause from obedient Republicans; they even gave Jared Kushner a standing ovation. Every few minutes, Trump told a story and reached out into the audience like the host of The Price Is Right, telling people to come on down.

He started, of course, with the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team. Just basking along with Team USA wasn’t enough. Trump soon announced that the goalie Connor Hellebuyck would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Normally, this honor is bestowed for a lifetime of achievement, but this time it was given as if the young athlete had chosen the right door and found a new car.

And so it went, all night. Sometimes, the guests were meant to tug at the heartstrings, such as when Trump recognized Erika Kirk, the wife of the murdered activist Charlie Kirk. Others were presented as ornaments meant to illustrate Trump’s successes: Enrique Márquez, a Venezuelan political prisoner freed after U.S. forces deposed the strongman Nicolás Maduro, was given a round of well-deserved applause. Trump also gave a shout-out to a woman whose IVF medications were now, he claimed, cheaper.

But no group received more attention than the U.S. military. Trump handed out two Purple Hearts (one posthumously), a Legion of Merit, and not one but two Congressional Medals of Honor. Military awards that should have been treated with dignity and respect were placed on men like prizes, including a moment when Trump’s co-host, the first lady, put one of the Medals of Honor around the neck of a 100-year-old fighter pilot.

Trump even had designated heels in the audience: the Democrats. He called them crazy and accused them of impoverishing the nation. He dared them to stand up if they agreed with him that “the first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.” This stunt was obviously meant to force Democrats either to stand or boo or otherwise do something that Trump could exploit; instead, it merely resulted in several awkward seconds of a staring contest between the president and the Democrats in the chamber. Trump managed to bait Representative Ilhan Omar into shouting at him, but for the most part, he seemed genuinely irritated that the Democrats sat through his show in stony silence.

As the whole business dragged on, the atmosphere started to seem less like a game show and more like the late-night Jerry Lewis telethons of the 1970s, in which a tired but pumped Lewis alternately griped at the audience, broke into maudlin emotion, or jumped up to welcome a new guest. The only thing Trump did not do was explain his policies—especially about war and peace—to Congress or the American people.

The largest American armada assembled since the second Gulf War is now encircling Iran. Trump never mentioned the buildup; instead he claimed that his one overriding interest was that Iran would forswear nuclear weapons forever. But the brief case he laid out was not for nonproliferation, but for regime change. The president claimed that Iran has killed 32,000 of its own people in recent crackdowns, a number far higher than most estimates. He made the accusation—rightly—that Iran is an odious regime and a supporter of terrorism. He vowed that they would never get a nuclear weapon.

And that was it. Back to the show!

But if some of the address was a game show, much of it was a bloody Grand Guignol theater of horror stories, almost all about immigrants preying on the helpless and the innocent. Trump led into these anecdotes by starting with an accusation that the Somali community of Minnesota was scamming the state. He followed up with stories of murder and mayhem, including the tale of a tractor trailer driven by someone in the country illegally—“let in by Joe Biden”—who hit a little girl. She and her father were, of course, in the audience.

Some sort of a message from the chief executive to the legislature about “the state of the Union” is required by the Constitution. Most presidents have treated it as a chance to note their accomplishments, to harangue Congress into supporting their priorities, and to speak to the American people. It’s an outdated institution, and Americans would likely be better off if the report were delivered from the president to Congress in a letter rather than the media festival it has become.

But Trump tonight went far beyond what even the most self-indulgent presidents would have envisioned. Beset by scandal, facing multiple defeats in America’s courts, and hitting levels of unpopularity that would make President Richard Nixon nod with empathy, he turned the State of the Union into a vulgar, populist carnival.

Trump made a great show of honoring a handful of U.S. military heroes. Meanwhile, thousands of young men and women are a world away, waiting for his orders to go to war. The president of the United States might have taken a moment tonight to tell their families why they’re out there, and what they’re supposed to do. But why bother? The show must go on.

Related:

• What the Roberts court is actually trying to accomplish
• Trump is doubling down on all the wrong things.

[Asia Joe]

Slover, who used a walker as he stood to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor, was the pilot of the lead CH-47 Chinook helicopter. Trump said Slover had been "wearing the dog tags his wife, Amy, had blessed with holy water before he left — she knew it was going to be a rough one." More on Slover.

Ohh my word.  We are really laying it on now. 

[Asia Joe]

1 hour ago, phkrause said:

Trump shook hands with all four justices who attended — Justice Brett Kavanaugh plus three who ruled against him on tariffs — Roberts and Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett. They smiled and politely clapped as he made his way to the lectern. (N.Y. Times gift link)

That is sad. All nine should have been there. No matter if you like him or not, he is still the president and should be respected. 

43 minutes ago, phkrause said:

President Ronald Reagan, the “Great Communicator,” once managed to do the entire State of the Union address in 31 minutes; that’s because he could say important things efficiently and well. Tonight, however, was not about communication—it was about showmanship.

Reagan was a great speaker.  But that was a time before polarization. 

After reading your summary, I am glad I missed it. 

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🇺🇸 SOTU sheds viewers

Data: Nielsen. Chart: Sara Wise/Axios 32.6 million people watched President Trump's State of the Union address on 15 TV networks, down from the roughly 36 million who tuned in to last year's address, Axios' Sara Fischer writes. Fox News had by far the most viewers. ABC was the top broadcast network. 📺 The TV audience was down significantly from the 45 million who watched his address in 2018. State of the Union address viewership, like most live TV programs, has declined as younger audiences turn to social media and streaming for big events. The vast majority of viewers on live TV were over 55. Explore the data ...