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Progs and NeverTrumpers celebrate Trump postponing SOTU at their peril
American Thinker ^ | 01/24/2019 | Thomas Lifson

Posted on 01/24/2019 8:50:42 AM PST by SeekAndFind

By Thomas Lifson

There are a lot of foolish back-slapping and high fives among Trump-haters from both parties this morning on the news that President Trump has agreed to postpone the State of the Union Address in the wake of Speaker Pelosi withdrawing the invitation to use the House of Representatives' chamber.  (For example, "Trump waves the white flag and surrenders to Nancy Pelosi on State of the Union" and "Flounder in Chief Folds.")  Celebrate now, repent later.  The chess game is far from over.

As the Shutdown was going on, Nancy Pelosi asked me to give the State of the Union Address. I agreed. She then changed her mind because of the Shutdown, suggesting a later date. This is her prerogative - I will do the Address when the Shutdown is over. I am not looking for an....— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 24, 2019

 

....alternative venue for the SOTU Address because there is no venue that can compete with the history, tradition and importance of the House Chamber. I look forward to giving a “great” State of the Union Address in the near future!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 24, 2019

 

 

But even the New York Times realizes that story is far from over, calling Trump's move a "seeming capitulation."


2018 SOTU; 2019 edition, date TBD (photo credit: KJ Riordan).

Even before Trump's next steps (and Trump always has next steps in mind) play out, there are several takeaways.

Trump has ensured that his next SOTU, whenever it takes place, will get a huge television audience.  He will address the nation with Pelosi sitting behind him,

(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: congress; pelosisaidno; sotu; speech; trump
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1 posted on 01/24/2019 8:50:42 AM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

It’s all about The Wall, not the stupid SOTU.


2 posted on 01/24/2019 8:51:44 AM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: SeekAndFind

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER IN THIS POLITICAL DRAMA THAT ARE ADVANTAGEOUS TO TRUMP:

1) Trump has also given the lie to caricatures of him as “impulsive,” “reckless,” and likely to blunder us into a nuclear war, views held as gospel among the NeverTrump faction of putative conservatives. He has done what wise leaders and generals do when confronted with an unexpected enemy move: he has read the terrain and order of battle and concluded that the odds do not favor him on the enemy’s newly defined terms.

2) Trump has removed a huge distraction from the real battle, over the border barrier, and the Dems’ refusal to fund the federal government with a physical barrier funded. They are stuck with the position of telling federal employees that it is more important to prevent obstructions to illegal entry by foreigners than it is to pay them. They are stuck with the fantasy that walls are outdated, and useless, something so stupid that only an intellectual would believe it. Trump has a wining hand, and time is on his side.

3) Trump has reaffirmed his commitment to constitutional governance, including the specifics of executive, congressional, and judicial power. This is crucial, because both the legislative and judicial branches have disregarded their responsibilities and limitations, and Trump has many fish to fry when it comes to challenging them on their power-grabs and defaults (federal district court judges in Hawaii overruling presidential prerogatives in all 50 states and Congress defaulting its legislative responsibilities in favor of administrative law created by bureaucrats, for example).

4) Some might claim that Trump made a mistake by initially challenging Pelosi over her slap in the face by withdrawing the invitation. But quietly complying would have been a mistake. She offered a phony excuse of security concerns and has now been revealed to have lied to the American people. And, it is clear, Trump needed to explore options, including an alternate location for a SOTU.

5) Incidentally, he still has the option of delivering an address on January 29 that won’t be called a SOTU, but which will draw extra attention, even from the networks (all of them but Fox News) that will not televise it.


3 posted on 01/24/2019 8:52:37 AM PST by SeekAndFind (look at Michigan, it will)
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To: dfwgator

The biggest reason the Rats don’t want DJT to speak is that they don’t want the American people to hear the truth.


4 posted on 01/24/2019 8:55:48 AM PST by laplata (The Left/Progressives have diseased minds.)
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To: laplata

Another reason is she doesn’t want the american people to see a missing RBG.


5 posted on 01/24/2019 9:01:18 AM PST by VastRWCon (Fake News)
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To: VastRWCon

Good point.


6 posted on 01/24/2019 9:02:58 AM PST by laplata (The Left/Progressives have diseased minds.)
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To: SeekAndFind
Your #1 is exactly what I was thinking. President Trump ceded ground to Nancy, yes, but he gave her shaky earth to hold. From the article: "Trump has removed a huge distraction from the real battle, over the border barrier, and the Dems' refusal to fund the federal government with a physical barrier funded. They are stuck with the position of telling federal employees that it is more important to prevent obstructions to illegal entry by foreigners than it is to pay them. They are stuck with the fantasy that walls are outdated, and useless, something so stupid that only an intellectual would believe it. Trump has a wining hand, and time is on his side." She has to manage all of that PLUS the optics and story within her own divided party and the young'uns ain't exactly on the old Dems sides at the moment. That's gonna be fun to watch.
7 posted on 01/24/2019 9:05:32 AM PST by Retrofitted
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To: dfwgator

It’s all about The Wall, not the stupid SOTU.
/////////////////////////////////////////////////

Excellent.


8 posted on 01/24/2019 9:05:42 AM PST by frank ballenger (End vote fraud,noncitizens & illegals voting & leftist media news censorship or we're finished.)
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To: VastRWCon

Another reason is she doesn’t want the american people to see a missing RBG.


Can’t they use a cardboard standup like used in retail stores with a full size blowup celebrity picture next to what’s on sale?

Or a stand-in like Hillary used to good advantage to wave and smile from 100 feet away while she herself was inside, loaded by two strong guys tossing her into Chelsea’s condo?

SNL or a TV studio should have an actor ready for the role.


9 posted on 01/24/2019 9:11:31 AM PST by frank ballenger (End vote fraud,noncitizens & illegals voting & leftist media news censorship or we're finished.)
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To: dfwgator

What do we want?
The Wall!

When do we want it?
Now!


10 posted on 01/24/2019 9:12:18 AM PST by Berlin_Freeper
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To: VastRWCon

Nailed it! Is RBG now incapacitated to the point of unpropupability?

If RBG is dead, there are laws against keeping a dead body longer than permitted for final disposition.


11 posted on 01/24/2019 9:14:03 AM PST by elcid1970 (My gun safe is saying, "Room for one more, honey!")
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To: frank ballenger

Spin all you want but this ticks me off a lot. Trump should not have given in on this. Period. A lost opportunity, IMHO.


12 posted on 01/24/2019 9:14:37 AM PST by gibsonguy
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To: frank ballenger

Not all Supreme Court Justices attend the SOTU. Some years, yes, some no. Her recent health is a good excuse.


13 posted on 01/24/2019 9:19:24 AM PST by GailA (Wife of RET. SCPO, GET OVER IT, DONALD TRUMP IS PRESIDENT!)
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To: gibsonguy

That was my initial response.

And while I personally think he should have pushed the issue, I’m willing to wait and see how this plays out. He has demonstrated considerable skill at taking something like this and turning it to his advantage a little further down the road.


14 posted on 01/24/2019 9:24:16 AM PST by ChildOfThe60s (If you can remember the 60's....You weren't really there)
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To: gibsonguy

(202) 456-1111
The White House, Phone


15 posted on 01/24/2019 9:25:13 AM PST by GailA (Wife of RET. SCPO, GET OVER IT, DONALD TRUMP IS PRESIDENT!)
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To: elcid1970

If RBG is dead, there are laws against keeping a dead body longer than permitted for final disposition.

****************************************************

True but laws are for the little people.


16 posted on 01/24/2019 9:40:31 AM PST by VastRWCon (Fake News)
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To: SeekAndFind
Darn said Nancy....I thought for sure he would submit a written SOTU.

I'm still going to have to sit behind him when he does give the SOTU.

17 posted on 01/24/2019 9:51:57 AM PST by Sacajaweau
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To: VastRWCon

Not all of the Supremes have attended in the past so I don’t see that as a big deal. It will be the presence of Kavanaugh that will be the big deal and make Dems cringe.


18 posted on 01/24/2019 9:53:53 AM PST by Sacajaweau
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To: SeekAndFind

I wonder if Trump TIMED his “we should have the SOTU anyway” letter so that Botox Nan would be guaranteed to reject anything coming out of he Senate, this week.

She sees no need to compromise, and that maybe a prerequisite for what comes next.


19 posted on 01/24/2019 9:58:11 AM PST by Empire_of_Liberty
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To: SeekAndFind

Section three, Article two not only instructs the President to advise the Congress on the state of the union, it also gives him the power to convene Congress unilaterally without seeking the permission of Congress. The President could therefore convene Congress and give his State of the Union address if he so chooses. But in this game of brinksmanship with Pelosi, to do so would be portrayed by she and the media as “bullying” so he has chosen to make her the bad guy. Smooth moove.


20 posted on 01/24/2019 10:06:52 AM PST by vigilence (Vigilence)
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