The media and people who are interested in such things have had plenty of time by now to analyze President Trump’s State of the Union speech, and it turns out it was like a lot of other State of the Union speeches by other presidents. It was characterized by the three Bs — braggadocio, bravado and the bully pulpit.
Trump surprised nobody. He didn’t try to assuage his critics feelings, he didn’t say he was wrong and he didn’t appear to have changed his mind about any of his key points.
But he was interesting in that he could say he had kept a lot of his campaign promises, and that he intended to stay the course.
His opponents are flabbergasted, because he continues to prove that his points are well taken by enough of the American public to make those opponents very nervous about their own futures.
For example, just before the State of the Union, Trump submitted himself to a complete physical and mental examination. His opponents thought he would be found unsound of mind and body. But that was wrong. The doctor found Trump to be very sound of mind and very healthy for a man of his age.
Remember, he doesn’t drink or smoke. He lives a healthy life — quite unlike some of his critics, who are lushes.
The people who thought the president might be crazy apparently don’t know what that means.
Anyone who gets into presidential politics has to have a big ego — just as Obama, Bush, and Clinton did. And they all achieved two terms in office, and they all gave State of the Union messages.
Now, here’s a test: Can you remember any of those messages?
They all have been known for their appeals to patriotism, not a bad thing in itself. They all have been known for bragging, if there was something to brag about. They all have been known for promises, if those promises were likely to be easy to keep.
One thing they all have been known for, however is that the members of the opposing parties didn’t applaud much, if any.
And they weren’t expected to applaud. In fact, if they had done, they would have been suspected of being a little crazy themselves.