Posted on 01/24/2019 10:00:46 AM PST by Kaslin
The last column I wrote for this space called for a “People’s State of the Union,” a massive Donald Trump rally delivered in front of thousands of supporters, a sublime statement to Nancy Pelosi that said: “If you don’t want me in your room, I’ll find someplace else.”
It was fun to write, and fun to think about: a State of the Union speech transformed into a massive MAGA spectacle; she’d regret the snub for sure. Other creative ideas arose: deliver it at the border; deliver it down the hall in the Senate.
But late Wednesday night, the president decided there would be no alternative address, no high drama as he took to some other stage to hammer Democrats about the standoff that they could solve in an hour. He would in fact defer to Speaker Pelosi’s yanking of her House chamber invitation and schedule the address when the shutdown is over. “There is no venue that can compete with the history, tradition and importance of the House Chamber,” he tweeted, promising “a great State of the Union address in the near future.”
The immediate question was not whether his haters would celebrate this momentary surrender; they promptly did. On the left and among his tormentors who still think they are on the right, the mockery was instant, ridiculing a supposed tough, deal-making Trump for bowing to the superior skills of Nancy Pelosi.
But part of their glee assumed that his base would also see it as a dispiriting capitulation—that Trump supporters would recoil, slump their shoulders and wonder what happened to the fighter they voted for.
Well, he’s still there, and the mutiny is not happening.
The reason is clear: Trump is playing a long game here that extends far beyond a thumb in Pelosi’s eye delivered through some relocated State of the Union. His eye is on the only ball that matters—border security. And no matter how his maneuvers may strike any observer, one thing is certain: he does not do anything that he does not expect to accrue to his benefit.
So what are the benefits of bowing to Pelosi at this moment? As this week blends into the weekend, there will be deep examination of the president’s decision to delay his address. Some valuable takeaways will arise, foremost among them that it is Pelosi who offended tradition by rescinding an invitation issued after the shutdown began, and it is Trump who cleaves to that tradition by agreeing to wait until it can be delivered in its customary place.
This very behavior—letting her have her way for this chapter—is deliciously counterintuitive, disarming the critics who berate Trump as unable to restrain his bullying instincts. Now, not only has he offered DACA protections which are a worthy compromise to secure wall funding, he has now yielded when the world expected him to double down. There is one reason the State of the Union is delayed: Nancy Pelosi. There is one reason wall funding is blocked: Nancy Pelosi. These are valuable impressions that could solidify in the coming days, adding to pressure on Democrats to agree to a border security figure smaller than what government wastes over an average weekend.
Now fast-forward to whatever evening that actually finds us watching the State of the Union. There are clear benefits to the delayed gratification now underway:
The political theater of the alternative address would have been enormously satisfying for the base, but may have ultimately been empty calories. It would have been derided as a stunt if moved outside the Capitol, and surely attended by crowds of seething Trump-haters who would have received as much coverage as the supportive throng inside. Even if moved 200 yards down the hall to the Senate, Democrats would have boycotted, arguing that it was not a “real” State of the Union.
Well, it’s going to be real now. Real uncomfortable, for Democrats who will be tradition-bound to attend a speech guaranteed to contain a lengthy scolding by a president happy to regale the attendees with his take on why the government was shut down for so long, and why border security is so hard to achieve. That captive audience is just one reason why waiting will prove beneficial.
Another is the guest list. Any one of several important figures could have been brought to the stage at a Trump event substituting for the State of the Union, but welcoming them onto that famous House gallery balcony has even more value. Maybe that’s when a few maliciously maligned Covington Catholic High School students and families get a deserved recognition. And most importantly, it would be a fitting occasion to welcome some loved ones of Americans murdered by people who would not have been able to kill if stronger borders kept them out of the country.
So, sure, I would have enjoyed the opportunistically relocated State of the Union. But in sidestepping that tactic for the more traditional approach, displaying restraint and even accommodation of a political foe, President Trump positions himself for the far more important bottom line: fighting for the border security he has promised since he announced he was running for office.
Let mockers enjoy a day of finger-pointing. They will be disappointed when the Trump base does not peel away from him, and positively despondent when they see that once again, he knew exactly what he was doing.
In my opinion, it is poor tactics to put down a milestone (end of the shutdown) before giving the state of the union.
He wants Pelosi to be sitting over his left shoulder during the entire speech, squirming and squirming, trying to force a smile onto her frozen-botoxed face, cracking half smiles, etc., all the time while Trump goes on and on about how wonderful he’s helped to make our country these past two years.
And I hope he turns around once in a while to give her a small smile.
I’d give anything to see her having fits behind Trump’s left shoulder.
FR NeverTrumpers landing in 3, 2, 1...
Hmmmmm.........!+
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GyG@PlanetWTF?
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FR NeverTrumpers landing in 3, 2, 1...
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I honestly believe some of these FR NeverTrumpers get off on this type of stuff! They salivate waiting for perceived stories that Trump has caved. Really sick!
My opinion - The Govt Shutdown fight tied to the Wall (Border Security) is the Battle Of The Bulge for the Cold Civil war. The Ginsberg SCOTUS new judge confirm will be Iwo Jima
She has him in box. If he doesn’t declare an emergency, it won’t get done. If he declares, the dems will tie him up in court for over two years and he will lose in 20.
His recourse? Realize she is not negotiating. He can negotiate all he wants but not with someone who isn’t playing.
Build the wall and tell the court they have no standing on emergencies. So far he surrenders his authority to judicial fiat for immigration and security. So our safety is at the mercy of a judge. His only recourse now is to bulld substantial parts of the wall in the next 20 months.
I don’t disagree with this writer’s opinion - Trump is yielding now and showing patience for a final victory, and having this in a month or two will be just fine.
Spin, spin, spin.
POTUS caved to Pelosi on this pure and simple. She should have NO RIGHT whatsoever to dictate if and when a SOTU address can occur.
“Long game” my arse.
This president has spent three and a half years dealing with the biggest negative campaign against one public person in history, and he’s survived fighting pretty much on his own. I figure he knows political strategy better than any of us here!
Trust God.
90% of the furloughed workers are not important votes. Trump can let this go on and eventually it will be the Dems who feel the pressure from THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
Yep...at the end of the day, as my British friends like to say, Speaker of the House, Democrat, Nancy Pelosi will be Speaker for a very short time. POTUS, Trump is a strategic thinker and he knows that Pelosi has two major problems less then a month into her leadership.
One is, she is mentally unfit for this job to begin with, but, even worse, she is a carbon copy of failed ex-Speaker of the House, Republican, John Bohner. The Democrat Caucus is out of control in so many ways, one cannot list them all. The newly elected “lunatic” Progressives could care less about anything Pelosi brings forward....they don’t need her and they do not want her. They want the power for them...not for her.
Pelsoi within six months to one year will surrender her job to Democrat, Steny Hoyer...period.
POTUS, Trump wisely opted to wait for his golden opportunity to be the king and ruler of the hill...while Pelsoi sits in her House chamber chair squirming and twisting as Trump plays to his advantage, the “Angel” Moms, Dads, Families, The Venzuelans & The Cubans that Trump has invited to fill the House Chamber galleries during his SOTU address.
Meanwhile her uncontrollable Democrat Nutcases will not be able to refrain from screaming out at Trump, walking out, running out, all the while cursing the POTUS while millions of Americans get to watch the Freak Show across the country. Actually, methinks Pelosi will get sick the day of Trump’s SOTU and will not attend the speech. Now...ain’t that just peachy!!! I love it.
This president has spent three and a half years dealing with the biggest negative campaign against one public person in history, and he’s survived fighting pretty much on his own. I figure he knows political strategy better than any of us here! Sorry, but you Freepers having the vapors need to chill!
I just read that Pelosi has “agreed” to meet with Trump, for just about the first time. So maybe his tactics are paying off.
Also, I bet she’s getting a lot of heat from the other Reps, most of whom didn’t want her as Speaker anyway and had to be strong-armed into voting for her. She’s apparently a world-class witch, even to her allies.
Trump now has the high ground. And I don’t think he would do this unless he knows he’s going to win on border security.
Plus he gives us an informal state of the union everyday on Twitter.
to do what? Take sides in a political fight. Your delusional. Your God allows millions of babies to die each year before they re born. I trust God to let man make mistakes and commit sins.
I don’t care about the federal workers. The issue is he will lose of the wall is not full speed ahead in Nov 2020.
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