SOTU – Pensito

Trump’s SOTU a Ratings Disaster

February 6, 2020 Buck Banks

-25%

President Trump’s State of the Union address drew a considerably smaller audience on the broadcast networks — down about 25% from the comparable figure last year, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Off His Pace

February 5, 2020 Buck Banks

The Senate has acquitted him of misdemeanors and high crimes,
But Donald Trump still has us watching closely for dementia signs.
In his State of the Union
We detected some confusion —
During the whole 78 minutes of speaking, he only lied 31 times.

Trump’s SOTU Filled with Hoo-Ha

February 5, 2020 Buck Banks

31

The Washington Post flags 31 false or misleading statements in President Trump’s State of the Union address. “Many of these claims have been fact-checked repeatedly, yet the president persists in using them.”

Pelosi Explains Her Post-SOTU Act

February 5, 2020 Buck Banks

“He shredded the truth so I shredded his speech.”

— Speaker Nancy Pelosi, quoted by The Hill, in a meeting with House Democrats.

Coulter Hated Trump’s SOTU

February 6, 2019 Buck Banks

“This was the lamest, sappiest, most intentionally tear-jerking SOTU ever. Please fire your speechwriter.”

— Ann Coulter, who was once President Trump’s biggest cheerleader among conservative pundits, tore into his State of the Union address after the president tried unconvincingly to act like a unifying president.

Santorum: Trump’s SOTU Speech the Worst Ever

February 6, 2019 Buck Banks

“This was probably the worst delivered speech I’ve heard Donald Trump give. He ran over his lines, he mixed up, he didn’t deliver his punch lines, he would deliver a line and go to the next issue, and I don’t think he even realized he was moving on to the next issue.”

— Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA), discussing President Trump’s State of the Union address on CNN.

Turn off the State of the Union

January 27, 2018November 1, 2019 Jon Ponder

What Boehner Did During the SOTU

January 26, 2015 Buck Banks

This is the president’s night, and so I sit there and try to make no news. Although, inside, I’ve got a lotta things rollin’ through my mind.

— Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), quoted by the AP, on what he’s thinking about during the State of the Union address.

Obama Adds New Words to SOTU Lexicon

January 23, 2015January 28, 2015 Buck Banks

Ben Smith of Northeastern University analyzed the language of President Obama’s State of the Union speech Tuesday night against every SOTU since 1790 and found Obama introduced a number of words never before used in the address. The list includes:

[…]

The GOP Translation of Obama’s State of the Union Speech

January 22, 2015 Buck Banks

You won nothing in November. The 2014 election had no consequences for my Administration whatsoever. You may have beaten my party and members of my team in the mid-term elections, but you’ve never beaten me. And, now you never will. All this talk about compromise and working together means you do what I want, because I’m not meeting you halfway on anything. My veto pen is ready and inked up. I will fight you and your agenda til the movers come on January 20th, 2017. I am still the President.

-25%

President Trump’s State of the Union address drew a considerably smaller audience on the broadcast networks — down about 25% from the comparable figure last year, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

31

The Washington Post flags 31 false or misleading statements in President Trump’s State of the Union address. “Many of these claims have been fact-checked repeatedly, yet the president persists in using them.”

“He shredded the truth so I shredded his speech.”

— Speaker Nancy Pelosi, quoted by The Hill, in a meeting with House Democrats.

“This was the lamest, sappiest, most intentionally tear-jerking SOTU ever. Please fire your speechwriter.”

— Ann Coulter, who was once President Trump’s biggest cheerleader among conservative pundits, tore into his State of the Union address after the president tried unconvincingly to act like a unifying president.

“This was probably the worst delivered speech I’ve heard Donald Trump give. He ran over his lines, he mixed up, he didn’t deliver his punch lines, he would deliver a line and go to the next issue, and I don’t think he even realized he was moving on to the next issue.”

— Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA), discussing President Trump’s State of the Union address on CNN.

This is the president’s night, and so I sit there and try to make no news. Although, inside, I’ve got a lotta things rollin’ through my mind.

— Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), quoted by the AP, on what he’s thinking about during the State of the Union address.

— GOP pollster Neil Newhouse translates President Obama’s State of the Union address.

Poetic Justice

Verbatim

— Rick Wilson

“The worst thing you can do is raise false expectations and then watch them get dashed – then, they begin to lose confidence in their leadership. So we should just tell the truth as best we know it, as best the scientists know it. We should let them speak.”

— Joe Biden, in an interview with NBC News.

“Breaking news: Congressman Massie has tested positive for being an asshole. He must be quarantined to prevent the spread of his massive stupidity.”

— Former Secretary of State John Kerry, on Twitter, in response to Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) stalling House approval of the $2.2 trillion economic relief package.

— David Corn

“I just think these numbers right now are not relevant. Whether they’re bigger or smaller in the short term… the good thing about this bill is, the president is protecting these people.”

— Asked on CNBC about the record joblessness report, which totaled nearly 3.3 million people, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin downplayed the report.

Numerati

32%

Economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis project total employment reductions of 47 million, which would translate to a 32.1% unemployment rate, CNBC reports.

100%

Many states have requested ventilators, face masks and other essential equipment from the federal emergency stockpile as their hospitals ramp up for the coronavirus pandemic, but only Florida has gotten 100 percent of what it asked for, the Washington Post reports.

71%

24% to 53%

53% to 34%