It was as predictable as a rom-com — simply as certainly as you knew they’d find yourself collectively, we knew how President Trump’s first speech to Congress was going to go.
It was filled with Trumpisms — partisan jabs, private assaults, absurd exaggerations, outright lies and many self-flattery.
It hit all of the MAGA excessive notes, but it surely additionally was lacking one thing…one thing fairly essential.
As essential a problem because the economic system was in getting Trump elected, it appeared like a complete afterthought simply six weeks into his first time period.
Regardless of ballot after ballot exhibiting it was the economic system that mattered most to voters when going to the poll bins, Trump devoted simply 13:53 minutes — of greater than 90 — to the problem.
New polling from CBS Information reveals that earlier than his deal with, 70% of Individuals needed to listen to Trump speak about reducing costs. In 90 minutes he by no means talked about how or if he’s reducing the price of on a regular basis items for Individuals.
Eighty-two % stated the economic system needs to be a excessive precedence — solely 36% of Individuals say Trump is making it one.
Eighty % stated inflation needs to be a excessive precedence — solely 29% say it’s.
However right here’s a listing of simply a number of the issues he talked about earlier than he obtained to America’s prime concern:
- Making English the official language of the USA.
- Eradicating important race principle from public faculties.
- Making it official coverage that there are solely two genders.
- Banning males from enjoying in ladies’s sports activities.
- Renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
- Renaming Denali Mount McKinley.
- Ending DEI insurance policies throughout the federal authorities and navy.
- Beating out George Washington in an imaginary ballot of biggest presidents.
None of these items — not one — made voters’ prime 10 of essential points.
Trump could have placed on a predictable present Tuesday evening, however the efficiency Democrats gave wasn’t a lot better.
Elevating ping-pong paddles and white boards with sayings like “This isn’t regular,” “Begin paying your taxes,” and “Musk steals” seemed juvenile and unserious. Rep. Al Inexperienced’s quite a few interruptions, which finally led to his removing from the chamber, have been annoying and ineffectual. And the plan to face and clap for nothing — together with a mom whose daughter was brutally murdered, a boy who survived most cancers, regulation enforcement, and the seize of an ISIS terrorist mastermind — was a very shameful and horrible one.
Clearly, the Democratic Get together nonetheless hasn’t found out the way to fight Trump and his railroading Republicans but, as a result of that wasn’t it. The opposition must keep in mind that they’re towards Trump and his insurance policies, and never the American individuals and the issues they’re fearful about.
One Democrat appears to get it. Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin, tapped to offer the Dem response, was the perfect I’ve heard at efficient messaging to win voters again.
In her temporary and dispassionate deal with, she boasted of “patriotism,” a phrase Dems have lengthy ceded to the suitable in favor of denigrating Individuals as racist and bigoted for opposing liberal insurance policies.
She talked concerning the working class and the American Dream, not the unconventional liberal pet points that attraction solely to the fringes of the occasion.
She talked proudly of her Republican dad, not like somebody who’s by no means met a Republican and who’d most likely hate them in the event that they did.
Slightly than insisting anxiousness over the economic system, crime and immigration was unfounded, she acknowledged “Individuals made it clear that costs are too excessive and that authorities must be extra conscious of their wants.”
She agreed, “we have to deliver down the worth of issues we spend probably the most cash on: groceries, housing, well being care, your automotive.” And, as an alternative of bashing the very thought of DOGE whereas providing no alternate options, she admitted, “We’d like extra environment friendly authorities — you need to reduce waste, I’ll assist you to do it.”
She knocked Trump for “the senseless firing of people that work to guard our nuclear weapons, maintain our planes from crashing, and conduct the analysis that finds the treatment for most cancers — solely to rehire them two days later.” She known as his cuts “chaotic” and “reckless,” which they’re.
However crucial factor she stated was a easy, three-word sentence: “America needs change.” The shortcoming of her Democratic colleagues to confront, admit, after which say this out loud has been their greatest impediment to profitable voters again.
So, if there was a vivid spot on Tuesday evening, it was in Slotkin’s response — hope that there’s not less than one Democrat who will get it, who could know the way to navigate what’s going to undoubtedly be a fraught, chaotic, even scary 4 years. Will the remainder of her occasion pay attention?
S.E. Cupp is the host of “S.E. Cupp Unfiltered” on CNN.
