President Donald Trump’s first address to a joint session of Congress was by all measures a triumph. In what is by far his most presidential and unifying performance yet, Trump not only won over a strong majority of viewers (both CBS and CNN finding a stunning 70+ percent approval of the speech), he also managed to win over many of the left-leaning pundits and journalists, at least those honest enough to admit it. The only people he does not appear to have impressed are the shell-shocked House and Senate Democrats, as highlighted in one particularly awful moment below.
Here are four shocking/surprising/dumbfounding responses to Trump’s congressional address:
1. Top Democrats Refuse to Stand During Unprecedented 2-Minute Applause for Navy SEAL’s Widow
As Daily Wire editor-in-chief Ben Shapiro highlighted Tuesday night, a few high-profile Democrats apparently refused to honor the Navy SEAL who died in Yemen and his wife, who accompanied Ivanka Trump to the speech. Here is the remarks Trump made in a moment that many pundits, even ont the left, are calling one of the most memorable of any presidential address to congress in recent decades:
TRUMP: We are blessed to be joined tonight by Carryn Owens, the widow of a U.S. Navy special operator, Senior Chief William “Ryan” Owens. Ryan died as he lived: a warrior, and a hero — battling against terrorism and securing our nation. I just spoke to General [Jim] Mattis, who reconfirmed that, and I quote, “Ryan was a part of a highly successful raid that generated large amounts of vital intelligence that will lead to many more victories in the future against our enemies.” Ryan’s legacy is etched into eternity. For as the Bible teaches us, there is no greater act of love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. Ryan laid down his life for his friends, for his country and for our freedom — we will never forget him.
Shapiro describes the “awful” thing that happened next:
Democrats initially stood for the widow. But then they sat.
Trump didn’t.
As his widow wept and mouthed to heaven, “I love you, baby,” Trump led a round of applause that lasted two minutes.
And House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) apparently sat there and didn’t cheer as the incredible moment progressed, along with Senator Bernie Sanders and others – see this video at approximately three minutes in, as the cameras pan the crowd. Look at the right hand side of this screenshot:
Watch the incredible moment in which Trump lead the house to a two-minute standing ovation for the widow of the fallen soldier here.
2. Left-wing CNN commentator Van Jones:Trump Just Pulled Off “One of the Most Extraordinary Moments” Ever In American Politics, “Period.”
Trump’s speech managed to earn the praise of left-wing CNN commentator Van Jones — certainly no fan of Republicans and Trump — to declare that in his address to Congress, Trump had done something “extraordinary” and “unifying,” and had finally “became president of the United States.”
“There are a lot of people who have a lot of reasons to be frustrated with him, to be fearful of him, to be mad of him, but that was one of the most extraordinary moments you have ever seen in American politics, period,” said Jones.
“He did something extraordinary, and for people who have been hoping that he would become unifying, hoping that he might find someway to become presidential, they should be happy in that moment,” he said. “For people who have been hoping that maybe he would remain a divisive cartoon, which he often finds a way to do, they should be a little bit worried tonight. Because that thing you just saw him do, if he finds a way to do that over and over again, he’s going to be there for eight years.”
Not only did CNN produce a poll that showed overwhelmingly positive reaction to Trump’s speech, they actually reported on that poll.
Here’s host Anderson Cooper and company reporting on the stunning 57 percent of viewers who didn’t just have a positive reaction, but a “very positive” reaction to the speech:
Some more details from CNN’s poll that they somehow brought themselves to publish:
On specific issues, Trump scored the highest marks for his proposed policies on the economy, with 72% saying those went in the right direction. Almost as many, 70%, said the same about his terrorism proposals. Slightly fewer, but still a majority, felt his policies on taxes (64%), immigration (62%) or health care (61%) were heading in the right direction.
Ideologically, about two-thirds saw Trump’s speech as about right, while roughly on-quarter (26%) pegged it as too conservative. Just 8% said it wasn’t conservative enough.
4. Leftist MSNBC Host Rachel Maddow Admits Trump’s Speech Will Be “Very Well-Received”
Another left-wing commentator and host who does not often find herself praising Republicans, Rachel Maddow, admitted during MSNBC’s coverage of Trump’s speech that it was going to be “very well-received” by the public (which the polls have proven to be true). After hearing herself say that out loud, she quickly turned back to try to find something to smack him for, and the best she could come up with was his stance on criminal illegal immigrants.
“[T]his will be, I think a very well-received speech for Donald Trump,” said Maddow. “That’s a part — in part, I think it’s fair to say, a product of expectations, that he’s not seen as somebody who necessarily gives a good, formal speech. He’s more of a rollicking speech-goer, rather than a formal setting speech-goer. I do think, though, what — beyond that surface expectation, it will be a notable thing that the president spent a big portion of what was, in effect, a State of the Union trying to, you know, tell the country what vicious murdering criminals immigrants are. … That’s important. That’s an important part of who he is and what he’s selling the country.”
Here’s the moment MSNBC probably wishes it could get back:
