Newly re-ordained as Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), penned a cordial missive to President Donald Trump, inviting the popular man to deliver a State of the Union speech on January 29 in House Chambers.
The Democrats tremble at the thought of a national televised rallying cry.
And then the political posturing games began in earnest, with Pelosi and Democrats scrambling for ways to silence the president – amidst a healthy economy and historic low unemployment – with an ill-conceived and obvious attempt to circumvent a patriotic call for enhanced border security.
The Democrats tremble at the thought of a national televised rallying cry.
Umm, It’s Not Safe
Wild-eyed and ready for a scuffle, Pelosi pulled the pin on the first of many grenades. In a letter to the president, she attempted to articulate a public safety concern, coyly alluding to the ongoing government shutdown:
“Both the U.S. Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security have not been funded for 26 days now — with critical departments hamstrung by furloughs.”
Members of the Secret Service took offense, as they should. They’re exempted from government scale backs, and quickly reminded Americans that a missing paycheck would not stop them from doing their sworn duty – even protecting these gathering yahoos. Wrong group to mess with, Nancy.
Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Kirstjen Nielsen, also offered her commitment to a safe event:
“The Department of Homeland Security and the US Secret Service are fully prepared to support and secure the State of the Union. We thank the Service for their mission focus and dedication and for all they do each day to secure our homeland.”
Then Pelosi offered two solutions to keep everyone happy: “Just send the address to Congress in writing,” followed by an additionally ridiculous statement: “He can make it from the Oval Office if he wants.” No one wants a repeat of the Oval Office address. Pelosi, undeterred and seemingly impressed with her ill-fated argument, continued with her easy-to-remember mantra: “The point is security.”
Reality: one, Pelosi: zero.
Okay, He’s Uninvited
Perhaps it was too much gavel-banging that produced the next addled idea that had far-left media types bursting with pride: Pelosi had rescinded the invitation. There was mayhem in the media. And we can thank House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) for leaking that tidbit to CNN:
“The speaker is the one who invites the president to speak at the joint session … The State of the Union is off.”
Vanity Fair ran the headline – in dramatic all capital letters – “NANCY PELOSI PULLS RANK, SUSPENDS TRUMP’S STATE OF THE UNION,” proceeding with a vomit-worthy gushing of pro-far left platitudes.
But whether it was a flat-out fib or just an epic “mischaracterization,” this was not the best tactic to use, and within hours Pelosi and Hoyer were walking back comments in typical cover-your-caboose mode. And in that enviable and eloquent Pelosi style, when asked directly if she did in fact uninvite, she chanted, “no, no, no.”
These two brainiacs will be fun to follow in the months ahead.
Another of Pelosi’s Unintended Gifts
Whether or not Pelosi will kick the president of the United States out of the lower chambers remains to be seen. But perhaps this strategy will backfire supremely in Trump’s favor – more so than it already has.
Nancy Pelosi
Trump can easily find another venue to hold the State of the Union speech – one that offers a larger seating capacity than the House of Representatives. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) said, “We'll find a place for him to speak. I think it's important that the country hear what he has to say.”
What a grand idea. No one would be subjected to the boos, the lack of decorum, the outright rudeness of Democrats as was the outcome of the disappointing event last year.
Mr. President, you are not the run-of-the-mill leader, and now would be an opportune time to skip chambers, fill a stadium in the heartland or on the southern border, and open the flood gates of support. Deliver the State of the Union, invite Members of Congress (if they pay their own way), rally the Americans who have your back, and watch the heads of Democrats explode as the applause meter shatters under the weight of approval. You can snail mail Congress a copy the next day.
