Unity in shreds as triumphant Trump makes case for re-election

WASHINGTON, United States — President Donald Trump's State of the Union address became a shocking display of US divisions Tuesday with Democrats protesting the Republican's boasts before their leader, Nancy Pelosi, ripped up her copy of the speech on live television.

The House speaker's gesture at the very end encapsulated the seething atmosphere in the Capitol as Trump made a one hour and 18 minutes pitch for a second term in office.

Instead of what traditionally has been an annual moment for political truce, this State of the Union mirrored the political war raging through the country ahead of November elections.

Trump was still on the podium, having just completed the soaring finale to his speech when Pelosi, standing just behind him, raised the papers and demonstratively tore them to pieces.

"It was the courteous thing to do, considering the alternatives," she told a reporter afterwards.


The speech began with as much rancor as it ended, when Trump ignored past custom and declined to shake hands with Pelosi, who as speaker of the House of Representatives had overseen the push to impeach Trump for abuse of office.

She put out a hand and Trump turned away, leaving her arm in thin air.

Democrats responded to Trump's speech, where he proclaimed a "great American comeback" and touted his achievements, by refusing to follow Republicans in repeated standing ovations. There was booing and several Democrats walked out.

"The president has no class," House Democrat Jim McGovern told reporters afterwards. "I mean, he should have, out of respect, taken the speaker's hand."

"But after delivering what essentially was a campaign rally speech that was terribly dark and divisive, I think the speaker did the right thing ripping it up."

Underlying all the tension was the fact that after months of impeachment investigations in the Democratic-led House, the Republican majority Senate is now almost certain to acquit Trump on Wednesday.

But Trump's speech did not once mention the word "impeachment."

Right-wing hero 

Much of the address was taken up with proclaiming his successful economic policies and the "America first" outlook.

"We have shattered the mentality of American decline and we have rejected the downsizing of America's destiny," he said.

The Republican said his policies of deregulation and tax cuts—criticized by opponents as damaging the environment and favoring the wealthy over the poor—were responsible for "unparalleled" economic success.

He listed the North American USMCA trade pact, a trade deal with China, massive military spending, "unprecedented" measures to stop illegal immigration, and his bid to "end America's wars in the Middle East" as examples of fulfilling his commitments to voters.

He threw his conservative base strings of red meat—tough talk on abortion, prayer in schools and the right to bear arms.

But flourishes that could have come right out of Trump's days as a reality TV show entertainer grabbed the real attention.

At one moment he paused his speech to praise Rush Limbaugh, one of the fathers of America's hugely influential conservative radio landscape, who disclosed this week that he has advanced lung cancer.

To the surprise of the packed audience, Trump announced that his wife Melania, who was alongside Limbaugh, was going to present the ideological star with the coveted Medal of Freedom—the highest possible civilian award.

Later, Trump outdid even this stroke of theatrics by singling out a woman in the audience whose army husband had been away for months on foreign deployments, then telling her he had "a very special surprise."

It was her husband, in full uniform, coming down the stairs for a tearful, surprise reunion—in front of a primetime national television audience.

No impeachment mention 

This could have been the darkest week of Trump's administration, with only the third presidential impeachment trial in US history poised to culminate Wednesday in the Senate.

But since being reassured that his party will come through with full acquittal, Trump has shown growing signs of confidence that he can march forward with a bid for re-election.

A combative Trump had already spent the earlier part of Tuesday mocking the Democrats' shambolic kick-off to their primary season, saying that delays in the vote count in Iowa proved their incompetence.

Trump got yet more good news on Tuesday with a Gallup poll showing his approval rating at its highest ever: 49%.

At the State of the Union, his guests reflected the political themes he hopes will maintain his ferociously loyal base, including a senior border patrol officer, a woman whose brother was murdered by an illegal immigrant in 2018.

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, recognized as the country's interim president by the United States, was also a guest in a public show of support for his efforts to dislodge President Nicolas Maduro.

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, tepid no more on Trump impeachment

WASHINGTON — Nancy Pelosi, already the most powerful woman in US political history, has just launched an extraordinary and turbulent process which — if it fulfills its goal — would oust a sitting American president.

After resisting fellow Democrats' calls to impeach Donald Trump from the moment she became speaker of the US House of Representatives in early January, the tough-as-nails lawmaker changed course Tuesday, announcing an "official impeachment inquiry" by the House into her political nemesis.

Should it succeed, Pelosi's reputation as a master political tactician will be sealed.

If it fails — and the likelihood that Trump is not ousted is high, given that his Republicans control the Senate — her politically perilous gambit has the potential to antagonize voters ahead of the 2020 presidential election.

Twelve years ago, Pelosi made history as the first woman elected House speaker. Once again wielding the gavel, her political comeback is complete.

The 79-year-old has spent the year seeking to keep Trump in check, challenging him on immigration policy, the budget, gun violence and more.

But she has also tamped down the impeachment groundswell, saying such a procedure should be launched only if the American people support it, and arguing that the best way to remove the Republican commander-in-chief was at the ballot box.

"I've tried to avoid the situation that we're in now, because it was very divisive for the country," Pelosi told a forum Tuesday just before her bombshell announcement.

Her calculus changed. Most House Democrats back impeachment, and the number has only grown following revelations of a whistleblower's complaint that is believed to center around actions by Trump, including his call to the president of Ukraine.

"The president must be held accountable," she said in announcing the inquiry. "No one is above the law."

Pelosi is the nation's third most senior official, a great survivor in American politics.

To reclaim the speaker's gavel she lost nine years ago, the California power broker diligently plotted a remarkable comeback that has impressed allies and opponents alike.

"She's a worthy adversary," conservative congressman Mark Meadows told AFP in January.

In her opening speech to a new Congress, she said she was "particularly proud" to take the gavel with a record number of women lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

That she is the new speaker in the #MeToo era — and the opponent-in-chief to a brash president accused by multiple women of abuse or harassment over the years — reflects the increasing influence of women on the nation's political process.

'Totally on board'

Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro was born in March 1940 in Baltimore to a political family with Italian roots. Both her father and brother were mayors of the East Coast port city.

After studying political science in Washington, she moved with her husband to San Francisco, where they raised five children.

First elected to the House in 1987, Pelosi represents California's 12th congressional district including San Francisco — a stronghold of left-wing politics.

She rose through the ranks to first become minority leader for the Democrats in 2003.

Pelosi assumed the speakership for the first time in 2007, during the presidency of George W Bush. She was a strong opposing force to the Republican leader, and her role as a check on Trump has been similar.

But at times she has struggled to tightly corral her own caucus, notably a group of first-term progressives who have clashed bitterly with Trump, and occasionally squabbled with Pelosi herself.

A quartet of ethnic-minority congresswomen known as "The Squad" — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib — were early proponents of impeachment.

Occasionally they leaned on leadership to move more quickly against Trump, but Pelosi's methodical approach won out.

Omar sounded grateful for Pelosi's step forward Tuesday.

"She wants to make sure that we are moving on impeachment and moving swiftly," Omar said. "And I am totally on board for that."

Earlier this year, Pelosi threaded a political needle, standing up to Trump when needed but also showing that her party is capable of working with the president to pass legislation.

But that cooperation frayed. Pelosi and the Democratic leadership have hamstrung large parts of Trump's agenda, ranging from proposed new tax cuts to building a wall on the US-Mexico border.

Certainly with the impeachment inquiry, any good will between Pelosi and Trump has evaporated.

Pelosi is unquestionably among the savviest political leaders of her generation. She shepherded then-president Barack Obama's signature health care law through the House to its contentious, historic passage in 2010.

Perhaps for that reason she is vilified by Republicans.

Conservatives depict Pelosi, the wife of an investment millionaire, as the embodiment of leftist elitism.

She is accused of everything from wanting to raise taxes for middle-class families to supporting illegal immigration.

source: philstar.com

US govt lurches to shutdown as Trump, Democrats spar over wall

WASHINGTON, United States — Donald Trump and congressional Democrats stood at stark odds Thursday as the president balked at a spending stopgap that contains no border wall funding, leaving the US government on the verge of a Christmastime shutdown.

The unpredictable leader's rejection of a measure that unanimously passed the Senate and was under consideration in the House plunged Washington into political chaos barely 24 hours before a midnight Friday deadline for funding to expire for key agencies.

Trump appeared to harden his demand for $5 billion in funding for the wall on the US-Mexico border, something he has fought for since he began campaigning for president in 2015.


Republican leaders had planned to pass a so-called continuing resolution (CR) that would fully fund the government until February 8 to allow time for debate about issues including border security.

But with ultra-conservative lawmakers and media personalities effectively demanding that the president stick to his campaign promises, Trump doubled down.

"I've made my position very clear. Any measure that funds the government has to include border security," he said at a White House event.

"Walls work, whether we like it or not," he added. "They work better than anything."

Democrats have refused to budge, saying they will not support a spending measure that funds Trump's wall.

"That's a non-starter," said top House Democrat Nancy Pelosi. "I think they know that."

Republicans nevertheless soldiered on, crafting a new measure that would appease the president's demands. It includes $5.7 billion in border wall funding, and $7.8 billion in disaster relief.

The bill passed the House, but with no Democratic support.

"Thank you to our GREAT Republican Members of Congress for your VOTE to fund Border Security and the Wall," Trump tweeted Thursday night.

"The final numbers were 217-185 and many have said that the enthusiasm was greater than they have ever seen before. So proud of you all. Now on to the Senate!"

But the bill will be dead on arrival in the 100-member Senate, where bills need 60 votes to advance and Republicans control 51 seats.

Trump also taunted Pelosi over comments she made last week that Republicans would not have the necessary votes in the House of Representatives.

"Nancy does not have to apologize," he said. "All I want is GREAT BORDER SECURITY!"

Senate Democrats were united in opposition as the likely Friday showdown in that chamber loomed. Many senators from both parties have already left Washington for the holidays.

"President Trump is plunging the country into chaos," warned Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, citing shutdown fears, fresh economic woes, and the shock revelation that Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, a stabilizing force in Trump's administration, was stepping down.

"The bottom line is simple," he added. "The Trump temper tantrum may produce a government shutdown. It will not get him his wall."

- 'Meltdown' -

Fears of a shutdown -- which could send thousands of federal employees home without pay just before Christmas -- helped send US stocks tumbling, with the Dow closing down 2.0 percent.

Trump had backed off his shutdown threat earlier this week, but it roared back to life as he accused Democrats of "putting politics over country" by not supporting a wall, which he insists will curb illegal immigration.

His move may have been influenced by members of the House Freedom caucus, some of whom have publicly called on the Republican president to stick to his guns on wall funding.

"Mr. President, we'll back you up," caucus chairman Mark Meadows said on the House floor late Wednesday. "If you veto this bill (with no wall funding), we'll be there."

With conditions fluid on Capitol Hill, it appeared that a retreat by Trump was the only path to averting a shutdown.

However, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders suggested that was unlikely.

"We urgently need funding for border security and that includes a wall," she said.

Pelosi, the likely new speaker of the House when Democrats reclaim the majority on January 3, accused Republicans of having a "meltdown" over whether to pass the stopgap measure or force a shutdown.

The news of Trump's rejection caught many Republican lawmakers flat-footed.

Senator Roy Blunt said worry is likely to set in on Friday.

"It's hard to come up with politics that are worse than shutdown politics," he told Politico. "Unless it's shutdown at Christmas politics."

The US government endured two brief shutdowns in early 2018. A far more crippling shutdown in 2013 lasted 16 days, with about 800,000 federal workers furloughed amid a fight over funding Barack Obama's healthcare reforms.

source: philstar.com