THAT VOTE SCHEDULED TOMORROW AT 
4:00 P.M.
IT LOOKS ALL BUT CERTAIN THAT 
HE'S GOING TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY 
ACQUITTED WITH THE REPUBLICANS 
TO A PERSON VOTING TO ACQUIT 
THERE.
THERE MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT OF 
MYSTERY.
PROBABLY NOT.
SO HE'S GOT A STORY TO TELL.
IS HE GOING TO TELL IT 
ANTAGONISTICALLY?
IS HE GOING TO DANCE ON THE 
DEMOCRATS, OR IS HE GOING TO 
LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT BIG 
CHAPTER, THE 2020 ELECTION?
PRESIDENTS USUALLY USE THIS 
NATIONAL STAGE TO SET THE TERMS 
OF THEIR RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN IN
RE-ELECTION YEARS.
JOHN KARL COVERING THE WHITE 
HOUSE FOR US.
JOHN, WHAT ARE WE EXPECTING?
I KNOW YOU HAVE HEARD A LOT FROM
THE WHITE HOUSE ABOUT WHAT THE 
PRESIDENT WANTS TO ACCOMPLISH 
TONIGHT.
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
>> WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS SAY HE 
DOES NOT INTEND TO SPEAK ABOUT 
IMPEACHMENT.
FRANKLY, TERRY, I FIND THAT TO 
BE A LITTLE SURPRISING AND I 
WOULDN'T BE SURPRISING IF IT WAS
A LITTLE BIT OF AD LIBBING.
BUT OVERALL, OFFICIALS SAY HE 
WILL STRIKE A TONE OF, AND I'M 
GOING TO READ THIS VERBATIM, HE 
WILL LAY OUT A VISION OF 
RELENTLESS OPTIMISM.
DONALD TRUMP, THAT'S WHAT 
OFFICIALS AT THE WHITE HOUSE SAY
HE WILL DO.
THEY'RE SAYING THIS WILL BE AN 
ADDRESS THAT BASICALLY SETS THE 
TONE FOR HIS RE-ELECTION 
CAMPAIGN AND TALKS ABOUT THE 
ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT HAVE 
HAPPENED UNDER HIS WATCH, 
INCLUDING OBVIOUSLY THE ECONOMY.
THEY WILL TALK ABOUT THE TRADE 
AGREEMENT WITH MEXICO AND CANADA
THAT WAS SIGNED LAST MONTH.
AND OFFICIALS INSIST HE WILL BE 
OPTIMISTIC. 
>> AND THAT IS VERY TELLING.
HE HAS A GOOD STORY TO TELL.
BUT HIS MEDIA AUDIENCE IN THAT 
CHAMBER, THEY SAY THAT DEMOCRATS
WILL TRY TO KICK HIM OUT OF 
OFFICE, THE MOST DRASTIC 
RECOMMENDLY THE CONSTITUTION 
HAVE AND THE REPUBLICANS WHO 
HAVE PROTECTED HIM FROM THAT.
SO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO SEE FROM
THE AUDIENCE?
ARE WE GOING TO SEE EVERYBODY?
IS EVERYBODY GOING TO SHOW UP 
THERE?
>> LOOK, IT IS NOT CLEAR IF THE 
PRESIDENT WILL ADDRESS THE 
ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.
THE PRESIDENT WILL BE STANDING 
THERE SPEAKING TO DEMOCRATS WHO 
NOW HAVE IMPEACHED HIM AND THE 
SENATORS WHO IN LESS THAN 24 
HOURS WILL FACE THAT DECISION OF
WHETHER OR NOT TO REMOVE THE 
PRESIDENT FROM OFFICE.
THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME THAT 
ARE NOT SHOWING UP IN PROTEST.
ABOUT A DOZEN DEMOCRATS HAVE 
SAID THEY DON'T PLAN ONCOMING 
BECAUSE, IN THEIR WORDS, THEY 
DON'T WANT TO DIGNIFY THE 
PRESIDENT'S BEHAVIOR OR CONDONE 
IT BY SHOWING UP.
SAYING SHE DOESN'T WANT TO 
NORMALIZE THE PRESIDENT'S 
LAWLESS CONDUCT.
ALSO, SOME CHAIRS THAT WILL BE 
EMPTY ARE THOSE WHO ARE TRYING 
TO REPLACE THE PRESIDENT OUT ON 
THE CAMPAIGN TRIAL.
SENATORS ELIZABETH WARREN, 
BERNIE SANDERS, AMY KLOBUCHAR 
ARE ATTENDING TO OTHER BREAKING 
NEWS OVER THE LAST 24 HOURS.
THEY ARE OUT IN NEW HAMPSHIRE 
WORKING THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.
IT IS NOT THAT IT WILL BE 
AWKWARD BETWEEN REPUBLICANS AND 
DEMOCRATS, BUT THERE ARE A 
GROWING NUMBER OF REPUBLICANS 
THAT THE PRESIDENT WILL BE 
FACING WHO DON'T THINK IT WAS 
RIGHT AND APPROPRIATE EITHER. 
>> KEEP IN MIND, HE'S GOING TO 
BE OVER HIS SHOULDER HE WILL 
HAVE NANCY PELOSI.
SPEAKER PELOSI AND PRESIDENT 
TRUMP HAVE NOT SPOKEN TO EACH 
OTHER SINCE THE MIDDLE OF 
OCTOBER.
THAT DIDN'T EXACTLY GO WERE VEL.
>> NO, NO. 
>> THAT WAS THE MEETING AT THE 
WHITE HOUSE WHERE NANCY PELOSI 
STOOD OUT AND WALKED OUT ON THE 
PRESIDENT.
THEY HAVE NOT SPOKEN, NOT IN 
PERSON, NOT OVER THE PHONE SINCE
THE MIDDLE OF OCTOBER. 
>> AND IT WAS A YEAR AGO AT THAT
LAST STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS 
WHERE NANCY PELOSI WEARING WHITE
WITH THAT KIND OF SMIRKING 
CLAPPING MOTION THAT SHE HAD 
THAT WAS CAUGHT ON CAMERA.
THIS YEAR, JOHN, IT DOES LOOK 
LIKE THE PRESIDENT HAS GOT THE 
WHIP HAND HERE.
HE'S IN CHARGE.
>> WELL, TERRY, YOU CAN LOOK AT 
THIS PAST MONTHS.
MUCH OF IT WAS CONSUMED WITH AN 
IMPEACHMENT TRIAL DEALING WITH 
HIS FATE.
YET, MANY WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS 
LOOK AT THE MONTH OF JANUARY AND
SAY IT WAS THE BEST OF THE TRUMP
PRESIDENCY.
HE MENTIONED THE TRADE DEAL THAT
WAS SIGNED, THE ECONOMY DOING 
WELL, TAKING OUT SULEMANI, THE 
IRANIAN LEADER.
THEY BELIEVE THEY HAVE HAD A 
GREAT MONTH.
DEMOCRATS MAKING THE CASE THAT 
HE NEEDS TO BE REMOVED FROM 
OFFICE BECAUSE HE IS A THREAT TO
THE NATION.
BUT HE FEELS THAT HE'S COMING 
INTO THIS FEELING QUITE GOOD. 
>> ALL RIGHT, JOHN KARL AND MARY
BRUCE, YOU WILL BE UP THERE FOR 
THE BIG SPEECH.
IT IS A LONG ONE.
BUCKLE IN.
THANKS VERY MUCH. 
>> ALL RIGHT. 
>> HERE IN NEW YORK I'M JOINED 
BY NIGHT LINE CO-ANCHOR AND 
VETERAN REPORTER BYRON FITZ.
SO WE'RE HEARING FROM JOHN AND 
MARY, HE'S GOT A GOOD STORY TO 
TELL. 
>> TRUE. 
>> AND A VERY, VERY DRAMATIC AND
STRANGE TIME.
HE'S BEING IMPEACHED AND HE WILL
CLAIM VICTORY. 
>> YOU AND I BOTH HAVE COVERED A
NUMBER OF THESE SPEECHES FROM A 
NUMBER OF PRESIDENTS.
I WAS THINKING, I CAN'T THINK OF
A TIME WHERE THERE HAS BEEN MORE
DRAMA ON THE EVENING.
SO MANY DIFFERENT STORY LINES 
GOING ON, ALL THE ONES YOU SO 
ELOQUENTLY SAW LAID OUT.
YOU WONDER WHICH ONE OF THOSE 
THEY WILL TOUCH UPON.
THINK OF ALL THE MAJOR SPEECHES 
THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS GIVEN.
I CAN'T THINK OF ONE WHERE HE 
DIDN'T TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO 
POKE AT HIS ADVERSARIES.
AND GOING IN TONIGHT, HE HAS 
GOOD AMMUNITION.
I THINK BY MOST ACCOUNTS WHAT 
HAPPENED IN IOWA LAST NIGHT WAS 
A DISASTER FOR THE DEMOCRATS, 
RIGHT?
>> HE WON'T BE ABLE TO RESIST 
DUNKING ON THAT. 
>> EXACTLY.
I MEAN, LATE NIGHT COMICS.
THEY HAD ONE JOB, RIGHT?
ONE JOB.
THEY HAD FOUR YEARS TO DO IT AND
DIDN'T GET IT RIGHT.
YOU WOULD THINK HE'S GOING TO 
LEAD IN THERE.
AS YOU LAID OUT, WE KNOW THE 
OUTCOME OF THE VOTE TOMORROW.
IT'S HARD TO SEE THIS PRESIDENT 
MISSING THE OPPORTUNITY TO POKE 
FUN AT THAT.
AGAIN, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WHO 
CAME AFTER HIM, MANY OF THEM 
WILL BE IN THE ROOM LOOKING HIM 
IN THE EYE AND THEY WILL KNOW 
THAT IN THE END THEY DIDN'T GET 
WHERE THEY WANTED TO GET AND HE 
SURVIVED.
AS YOU MENTIONED, OVER HIS 
SHOULDER IS SOMEONE WHO IS 
CLEARLY -- NOT JUST ON DIFFERENT
SIDES OF THE AISLE, BUT JUST 
PHILOSOPHICALLY, EMOTIONALLY 
OPPOSED.
LIKE I THINK MOST PEOPLE 
PROBABLY DON'T LIKE EACH OTHER 
AND THEY WILL BE IN PROXIMITY.
I MEAN, CERTAINLY HOW -- HOW 
MEANINGFUL IT MIGHT BE WITH ALL 
THE ISSUES GOING ON IN THE 
WORLD, WITH THE CORONAVIRUS, 
DIFFERENT CHALLENGES, ISSUES 
GOING ON IN WALL STREET, BUT 
THIS PRESIDENT DOES HAVE GOOD 
THINGS HE CAN STICK WITH.
AND HOW WONDERFUL IT MIGHT BE IN
THIS -- GIVING THE STATE OF OUR 
UNION THAT HE COULD GIVE THIS 
UNIFYING SPEECH THAT, YES, THERE
ARE THESE CHANNELS AROUND THE 
WORLD, BUT LOOK AT ALL THE GOOD 
THINGS THAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED
AS A NATION.
BUT THAT'S NOT HIS STYLE. 
>> IT'S NOT HIS STYLE.
BUT YOU ARE RIGHT, IF HE'S EVER 
GOING TO DO IT, IT IS THIS 
MOMENT.
DEMOCRATS CAN'T LET HIM BECAUSE 
HE'S SAILING TOWARDS A 
RE-ELECTION HE THINKS GIVEN WHAT
THE ECONOMY IS PREVIOUS 
PRESIDENTS WITH A GOOD ECONOMY 
HAVE DONE PRETTY WELL.
BUT I THINK THIS WOULD BE THE 
HINT FOR HIM TO TURN THAT 
CORNER.
NOT LIKELY. 
>> RIGHT?
YOU AND I, BECAUSE WE TALKED 
ABOUT SUCH THINGS, AND YOU 
ALWAYS -- OFTENTIMES THERE ARE 
MOMENTS WHERE THE LEADER OF THE 
FREE WORLD, THE PRESIDENT RISES 
TO THE OCCASION AND DOES 
SOMETHING THAT FRIENDS AND FOE 
GO, HUH.
THAT'S NOT BEEN HIS STYLE.
I WAS THINKING ABOUT LOOKING AT 
WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY.
NOT JUST THAT THERE WERE 
MISTAKES MADE IN GLITCHES BUT 
THAT FOR FOUR YEARS WE HAVE BEEN
HEARING THAT THE DEMOCRATS ARE 
ENERGIZED TO TAKE ON THIS 
PRESIDENT, ENERGIZED, 
DISCIPLINED, READY TO GO.
IN IOWA WE DIDN'T SEE A RECORD 
TURN-OUT.
RIGHT?
THERE WERE THESE TECHNICAL 
PROBLEMS THAT YOU DON'T SEE.
IF YOU ARE REALLY READY FOR 
PRIME TIME, YOU WILL GET THIS 
RIGHT.
AND, SO, DOES HE USE THAT TO 
SAY, SEE, I TOLD YOU THESE 
PEOPLE AREN'T WORTHY OF ME, OR 
DOES HE SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT?
LET'S ALL MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER.
I'VE HAD THESE SUCCESSES.
THEY HAVE HAD SOME GLITCHES.
THIS IS A REMINDER THAT PERHAPS 
THIS IS MY TIME.
WE'RE GOING IN THE RIGHT 
DIRECTION.
TO YOU ALL WHO ARE STRUGGLING, 
HE CAN USE IT TO HIS DEFENSE.
YOU HAVE HAD A BAD 24 HOURS.
COME WITH ME. 
>> ACROSS THE POLITICAL AISLE.
I DON'T KNOW.
BUT YOU NEVER KNOW BECAUSE LET'S
TALK ABOUT THE SCENE THERE.
THAT CHAMBER, THAT GRAND CHAMBER
WE'RE LOOKING AT, BUT THE GRAND 
CHAMBER OF THE HOUSE OF 
REPRESENTATIVES WHERE THE SENATE
COMES TO JOIN, THE CABINET IS 
THERE, THE PRESIDENT AND THE 
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE AND THE 
VICE PRESIDENT IS UP THERE.
ALSO MEMBERS OF THE SUPREME 
COURT.
LET'S GO TO DEVIN WHO TRACKS THE
SUPREME COURT.
I KNOW BECAUSE I RELY AND WORK 
WITH HIM ON THAT SUBJECT FROM 
TIME TO TIME.
WHICH JUSTICES ARE GOING TO SHOW
UP?
AND INCREASINGLY FEWER AND FEWER
DO BECAUSE IT DOES FEEL LIKE A 
POLITICAL EVENT THEY DON'T WANT 
TO BE PART OF.
BUT WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT 
THE JUSTICES WHO ARE GOING TO BE
THERE?
>> YEAH, IT SURE DOES, TERRY.
THIS IS ONE OF THE MORE 
UNCOMFORTABLE EVENTS THAT THE 
SUPREME COURT JUSTICES 
PARTICIPATE IN EVERY YEAR.
YOU AND I HAVE BOTH HEARD IT 
FROM MEMBERS OF THE SUPREME 
COURT.
THIS YEAR WE'RE TOLD THE CHIEF 
JUSTICE WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE 
ALONG WITH ELENA KEGAN, NEIL KOR
SICK AND BRETT KAVANAUGH WILL BE
THERE.
NOW, THESE JUSTICES HAVE SUCH 
MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT BEING 
THERE.
THIS GOES BACK TO ANTONIN SKA.
HE SAID IT IS LIKE HAVING TO SIT
LIKE A POTTED PLANT WITHOUT 
GIVING ANY EXPRESSION.
HE STRUGGLED WITH THAT FROM TIME
TO TIME RESPONDING TO SOME OF 
PRESIDENT OBAMA'S SPEECHSPEECHE.
BUT I WILL BE WATCHING CHIEF 
JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS TONIGHT 
BECAUSE HE'S STILL TECHNICALLY 
PREVIED ING
PRESIDING OVER THE TRIAL OF 
PRESIDENT TRUMP SO HE'S ACTUALLY
STILL LEADING THAT EFFORT.
AND HE'S GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, 
CONVENING THE COURT LATER NEXT 
MONTH TO DECIDE ON WHETHER 
SUBPOENAS IN THREE SEPARATE 
CASES FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP'S 
FINANCIAL RECORDS SHOULD BE 
UPHELD AND WHETHER THE PRESIDENT
HIMSELF, THE MAN WHO WILL BE 
STARING HIM IN THE EYE TONIGHT 
WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE TO TURN 
OVER THOSE TAX RETURNS.
IT IS ALWAYS A DIFFERENT 
POSITION FOR THOSE TO BE IN.
IT IS GREAT BODY LANGUAGE 
WATCHING TONIGHT AMONG ALL THE 
OTHER THINGS WE WILL BE LOOKING 
AT AS THE SPEECH GOES ON. 
>> THERE WAS A FAMOUS INCIDENT 
WHERE PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA 
CASTIGATED THE SUPREME COURT ON 
CITIZENS UNITED SAYING IT WAS A 
WRONGLY DECIDED AND THE JUSTICE 
SHOOK HIS HEAD AND SAID, NO, NO,
THAT'S WRONG AND GOT IN TROUBLE 
FOR IT.
HE'S NOT SHOWING UP TONIGHT. 
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
HE HAS SAID THAT WAS A MOMENT 
THAT BURNED HIM.
HE WANTED TO STAY OUT OF THE 
SPOTLIGHT.
BUT I HEARD FROM JUSTICE 
CAVANAUGH WHO SAID THIS WAS THE 
SUPER BOWL OF POLITICS FROM THE 
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT.
HE FEELS A RESPONSIBILITY TO 
REPRESENT THE JUDICIARY IN THAT 
CHAMBER.
HE LIKES BEING THERE, HE HAS 
SAID, IN SPEECHES.
HE'S ONE OF THE MORE SMILEY 
MEMBERS OF THAT COURT, AT LEAST 
FOR THE OPENING CEREMONIES.
BUT THE PRESIDENT, YOU CAN 
EXPECT, WILL REFERENCE THE COURT
TONIGHT.
HE HAS TALKED A LOT IN HIS 
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN AND HIS 
RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN ABOUT THOSE
TWO APPOINTMENTS TO THE COURT.
AND AS YOU KNOW, APPOINTING MORE
FEDERAL JUDGES TO THE BENCH THAN
ANY OTHER PRESIDENT AT THIS 
POINT IN HIS TERM.
A LOT MORE TO TALK ABOUT. 
>> A LOT OF HELP FROM MITCH 
McCONNELL THERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
>>> LET'S GO TO ONE OF THE 
MEMBERS WHO WILL BE LISTENING TO
THE PRESIDENT TONIGHT.
REPRESENTING TEXAS, HIS 20th 
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, THAT'S 
SAN ANTONIO.
IF HE LOOKS FAMILIAR, HIS TWIN 
BROTHER WAS RUNNING FOR 
PRESIDENT AS WELL. 
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME. 
>> THANK YOU.
SO THIS IS A PRESIDENT, DO YOU 
AGREE OR DISAGREE, COMING TO THE
CONGRESS SORT OF ON THE CREST OF
A WAY.
IT LOOKS LIKE IMPEACHMENT IS NOT
GOING TO WORK FOR THEM.
HE WILL NOT BE REMOVED FROM 
OFFICE.
HE'S GOT A PRETTY GOOD ECONOMY.
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM THE 
PRESIDENT?
HOW DO YOU JUDGE HOW HE ENTERS 
THE CHAMBER THERE, HIS STATUS 
BEFORE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE?
>> WELL, THAT'S CERTAINLY ONE 
WAY TO PUT IT.
I WOULD PUT IT A LITTLE BIT OF A
DIFFERENT WAY, WHICH IS THIS IS 
A PRESIDENT WHO IS AMONG A FEW 
PRESIDENTS IN AMERICAN HISTORY 
TO BE IMPEACHED.
SO HE COMES INTO THIS CHAMBER 
TONIGHT UNDER A CLOUD BECAUSE OF
THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, USUALLY IN THESE 
SPEECHES PRESIDENTS WILL TAKE 
CREDIT FOR HOW WELL THE ECONOMY 
IS DOING, FOR INTERNATIONAL 
AFFAIRS, BUT THIS IS A PRESIDENT
WHO COMES IN WITH MANY 
CHALLENGES THERE ALSO.
INCOME INEQUALITY HAS GROWN.
HE SHEPPARDED A TAX BILL THAT 
HELPED ONLY THE WEALTHIEST 
AMERICANS.
AND, SO, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE GOT 
A CONGRESS, I THINK, THAT IS 
VERY SUSPECT.
MANY OF THE PRESIDENTS 
PRIORITIES AND HIS POLICIES. 
>> CAN I ASK YOU ABOUT MORAL IN 
THE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS GIVEN WHAT
PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL SAY IS HIS,
YOU KNOW, HIS DEFEAT OF AN 
UNWARRANTED IMPEACHMENT, HIS 
GOOD ECONOMY AND THEN THE IOWA 
CAUCUS MESS LAST NIGHT.
HOW IS MORAL AMONG THE 
DEMOCRATS, YOUR COLLEAGUES?
>> IT'S FINE.
LOOK, THE YEARS UNDER THIS 
ADMINISTRATION HAVE BEEN INTENSE
FOR MANY REASONS.
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS BEEN ONE OF 
THE MOST DIVISIVE PRESIDENTS IN 
AMERICAN HISTORY, AND THAT HAS 
WEIGHED, I THINK, PRETTY HEAVILY
AMONG MANY MEMBERS OF THE 
CONGRESS.
IN THAT SENSE, IT HAS BEEN QUITE
INTENSE.
BUT IN TERMS OF OUR OUTLOOK AND 
WHAT'S ON THE HORIZON, I THINK 
WE HAVE BEEN VERY POSITIVE AND I
THINK VERY BULLISH ABOUT THE 
COMING MONTHS.
I WANT TO ASK YOU ONE MORE 
QUESTION.
WE WATCHED THE STATE OF THE 
UNION ADDRESSES.
ONE SIDE RISES NORTH KOREAN 
STYLE APPLAUSE 25, 30 TIMES.
THE OTHER SIDE SITS ON THEIR 
HANDS MOST OF THE TIME.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE BY AND LARGE
POLLS SHOW WOULD LIKE MORE 
BIPARTISANSHIP IN CONGRESS.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR 
FELLOW REPUBLICANS IN THAT 
HOUSE?
I KNOW WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE.
BUT DO YOU FEEL LIKE HE CAN DO 
ANY BUSINESS ACROSS THAT 
PARTISAN DIVIDE?
>> YEAH.
YOU KNOW, THE ISSUES THAT GET 
THE MOST COVERAGE ARE THE ISSUES
WHERE CONGRESS IS VERY DIVIDED 
AMONG PARTY LINES, BUT THERE ARE
THINGS THAT HAPPEN HERE EVERY 
WEEK WHERE THEY CAN WORK 
TOGETHER.
HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE A CHANCE 
TO DO THAT IN 2020. 
>> WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE 
LAST THING YOU WORKED ON THAT 
YOU FELT GOOD ABOUT WORKING WITH
REPUBLICANS?
>> I'M WORKING ON BILLS ALL THE 
TIME THAT ARE BIPARTISAN BILLS.
I'M ON THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
COMMITTEE AND HAVE A FEW BILLS 
THAT HAVE CON SPORES THAT ARE 
REPUBLICANS.
I HAVE DONE WORK WITH MARK 
MEADOWS ON VOTING AROUND THE 
WORLD.
HE WAS HEAD OF THE TEA PARTY.
THERE IS A LOT OF STUFF THAT 
GOES ON AROUND HERE THAT'S NOT 
COVERED IN THE SAME WAY THAT 
MANY OF THE BIG ISSUES ARE. 
>> THAT'S ON US.
A LITTLE GOOD NEWS TONIGHT.
THANKS VERY MUCH. 
>> THANK YOU. 
>>> SO LET'S GO BACK OUT.
LET'S GO OUT TO THE CAMPAIGN 
TRIAL.
AFTER THAT MESS IN IOWA, THE 
IOWA CAUCUS JUST MELTED DOWN 
COMPLETELY, NO RESULTS WERE 
REPORTED AT ALL FOR CLOSE TO 24 
HOURS AND STILL NOT EVEN 
TWO-THIRDS HAVE BEEN REPORTED.
WHIT JOHNSON IS WITH BERNIE 
SANDERS UP IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
THEY HAVE GONE FROM IOWA TO NEW 
HAMPSHIRE.
BERNIE SANDERS HAS A RIGHT TO BE
IN THE SENATE CHAMBER, BUT HE'S 
UP THERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
WITH THE FALL-OUT FROM IOWA AND 
THE PRESIDENT SEIZING THE 
SPOTLIGHT TONIGHT, WHAT IS 
BERNIE SANDERS DOING?
>> WELL, TERRY, HE ACTUALLY JUST
WRAPPED UP A HUGE RALLY RIGHT 
HERE.
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE EXCITED TO 
SEE HIM.
DESPITE THE FRUSTRATION, DESPITE
THE MESS OUT OF IOWA, THEY'RE 
ENERGIZED AND MOTIVATED AND 
EXCITED ABOUT THE PRELIMINARY 
RESULTS COMING THROUGH.
BERNIE SANDERS HIMSELF CAME UP 
ON THE STAGE AND SAID HE GOT 
MORE VOTES IN THE FIRST AND 
SECOND ROUND IN IOWA THAN ANY 
OTHER CANDIDATE.
AS WE KNOW IT IS NECK AND NECK 
WITH PETE BUTTIGIEG WHO IS ALSO 
CLAIMING A WIN OUT OF IOWA.
THERE IS CERTAINLY THAT LEVEL OF
UNCERTAINTY.
AND BERNIE SANDERS UNABLE TO 
CLAIM THAT VICTORY THEY REALLY 
WANTED COMING HERE TO NEW 
HAMPSHIRE.
THAT SAID LOOKING FORWARD, OF 
COURSE THE STATE OF THE UNION IS
TONIGHT WHICH YOU HAVE BEEN 
TALKING ABOUT AND BERNIE SANDERS
IS SKIPPING THAT.
HE HAS HIS OWN RESPONSE THAT 
HE'LL BE PUTTING OUT LATER 
TONIGHT AFTER THE PRESIDENT 
SPEAKS.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT 
HE'S DONE IT, BUT IT IS THE 
FIRST TIME THAT HE'S DOING IT 
WHILE HE IS RUNNING FOR 
PRESIDENT.
WE DO EXPECT TO HEAR SOME OF THE
THINGS HE SAID ON HIS SPEECH 
EARLIER TONIGHT, THINGS LIKE 
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS NOT ABOVE THE
LAW, AND HE WILL REFERENCE THAT 
IMPEACHMENT VOTE BECAUSE AFTER 
ALL THIS WRAPS UP TONIGHT, 
TOMORROW BERNIE SANDERS HAS TO 
HEAD BACK TO WASHINGTON TO BE 
THERE TO VOTE ON IMPEACHMENT 
AGAINST PRESIDENT TRUMP.
TERRY?
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
THERE WILL BE AN EXODUS OF 
SENATORS FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE AS 
THE FOUR WHO ARE RUNNING END UP 
BACK IN WASHINGTON TO CAST THAT 
VOTE.
THANKS VERY MUCH.
>>> LET'S GO TO MARTHA, MY 
COLLEAGUE AND MY HOST FOR THE 
SUPER BOWL PARTY AS WELL.
MARTHA -- 
>> YOU CAN TALK ABOUT FOOTBALL 
THOUGH, TERRY, NOT ME. 
>> WELL, IT WAS GREAT.
IT WAS A GREAT PARTY.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT.
THE PRESIDENT HAS A STATE OF 
UNION.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH WILL BE 
DEDICATED TO FOREIGN POLICY.
BUT WHAT KIND OF A STORY DO YOU 
THINK HE HAS TO TELL ON THAT?
>> ONE THING IS CLEAR, THERE 
WON'T BE A LOT ABOUT FOREIGN 
POLICY.
THERE WASN'T A LOT ABOUT FOREIGN
POLICY LAST YEAR, BUT THE STORY 
YOU CAN TELL IS GOING AFTER 
PEOPLE WHO, AS HE SAID, 
SHOULDN'T BE ALIVE TODAY.
BAGHDADHI, THAT WAS CERTAINLY A 
SIGNIFICANT MOVE ON THE PART OF 
PRESIDENT TRUMP AND THOSE WHO 
TRACKED HIM DOWN OVER ALL THESE 
YEARS, THE HEAD OF ISIS.
BUT WE HAVE TODAY A REPORT 
COMING OUT OF THE PENTAGON THAT 
SO FAR IT HASN'T MADE MUCH 
DIFFERENCE OPERATIONALLY OR IN 
COMMAND AND CONTROL.
AND AS JOHN KARL MENTIONS, HE'LL
CERTAINLY TALK ABOUT SULEMANI IN
IRAN AS WELL.
ALTHOUGH, NOT MUCH OF A 
DIFFERENCE HAS BEEN SEEN THERE 
IN TERMS OF WHAT IRAN HAS BEEN 
DOING THROUGH PROXIES.
WE HAD SOME ROCKETS AND MORTARS 
HITTING IN THE GREEN ZONE VERY 
RECENTLY.
I THINK WHAT EVERYBODY WILL HAVE
AN EYE ON IS WHAT COMES NEXT IN 
THOSE COUNTRIES AND WHAT THE 
PRESIDENT SAYS ABOUT THAT.
LAST YEAR, HE TALKED ABOUT NORTH
KOREA AND THE GOOD RELATIONSHIP 
HE HAD AND THAT THERE HAD BEEN 
NO MISSILE LAUNCHES IN 15 
MONTHS.
WELL, IN THE PAST YEAR IN 2019, 
THERE WERE ABOUT 15 OR 19, 15 TO
20 SHORT-RANGE MISSILE LAUNCHES 
COMING OUT OF NORTH KOREA.
AND YOU HAD A PRESIDENT LAST 
YEAR, TERRY, WHO SAID THEY 
WANTED TO END THE ENDLESS WARS, 
THAT GREAT NATIONS DO NOT STAY 
IN ENDLESS WARS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS 
AROUND SOME OF THE PLACES WHERE 
THEY ARE, THEY HAVE BEEN REDUCED
SOMEWHAT IN AFGHANISTAN, 
SOMEWHAT IN IRAQ AT ONE POINT 
AND NOW THEY HAVE SENT IN MORE 
TROOPS THERE. 
>> SO WE HEAR THE PRESIDENT IS 
ABOUT TO LEAVE THE WHITE HOUSE 
ON HIS WAY TO THE CAPITAL.
BUT LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT THE 
CHAMBER, AND THERE HE IS.
WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT THE 
PICTURE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE
WHITE HOUSE.
THAT IS THE SOUTH DOOR.
SECURITY IS COMING OUT THERE AND
AIDS.
SO HE'LL BE OUT WITH THE FIRST 
LADY SHORTLY.
THERE IS THE BEAST AS THEY CALL 
IT.
THAT'S THE CADILLAC.
YOU HAVE RIDDEN IN THAT, HAVEN'T
YOU?
>> I HAVE NOT RIDDEN IN THAT, 
TERRY.
BUT I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF THOSE 
MOTORCADES GO BY RIGHT DOWN THE 
STREET BECAUSE, AS YOU KNOW, 
WE'RE A VERY SHORT WALK TO THE 
WHITE HOUSE HERE AT ABC.
BUT IT IS QUITE A RIDE.
THOSE WHO PROTECT HIM ON THIS 
HISTORIC NIGHT.
WHATEVER YOU ARE WAITING TO SEE,
IT IS AN INCREDIBLE EVENING TO 
SEE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED 
STATES SPEAK IN FRONT OF 
CONGRESS, SPEAK IN FRONT OF THE 
NATION.
OF COURSE I THINK TONIGHT WILL 
BE A LITTLE MORE OF A CAMPAIGN 
SPEECH.
I ALSO LOVE, TERRY, ONE OF MY 
FAVORITE THINGS TO WATCH IS THE 
JOINT CHIEFS, THE CHAIRMAN AND 
ALL THE HEADS OF THE BRANCHES OF
THE MILITARY AND WHEN THEY WALK 
IN, I CAN TELL YOU FROM PEOPLE 
WHO HAVE DONE IT IN THE PAST, 
THAT IT IS NOT A REAL 
COMFORTABLE SITUATION FOR ANY OF
THEM.
THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE I LIKE TO 
WATCH CLAP BECAUSE THEY ARE ONLY
ALLOWED TO CLAP WHEN IT HAS 
SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE TROOPS.
THEY HAVE TO STAY AWAY, 
ESPECIALLY IN THAT CHAMBER, AWAY
FROM ANYTHING POLITICAL.
I KNOW OFTENTIMES THEY LOOK LIKE
A BUNCH OF GRUMPY OLD MEN AND 
INDEED THEY ARE MEN STILL, ALL 
OF THE JOINT CHIEFS.
THAT COULD CHANGE SOME DAY AS 
WOMEN WORK THEIR WAY UP THROUGH 
THE RANKS, BUT THAT IS AN 
INTERESTING GROUP TO WATCH.
WE KNOW, OF COURSE, THAT 
PRESIDENT TRUMP LOVES TO TALK 
ABOUT THE MILITARY AND SOME OF 
HIS GUESTS TONIGHT ARE VETERANS 
AND MILITARY FAMILIES.
BUT THAT IS SOMETHING HE WILL 
HIGHLIGHT AS WELL.
I'M QUITE CERTAIN HE WILL 
HIGHLIGHT HOW MUCH MONEY HAS 
BEEN SPENT ON THE MILITARY, HOW 
MUCH HE LIKES THE MILITARY.
WE ALSO HAVE THIS YEAR THE SPACE
FORCE.
THAT'S SOMETHING NEW HE CAN TALK
ABOUT AS WELL. 
>> MARTHA, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR 
THAT.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WATCH 
THIS HERE WHEN THE PRESIDENT 
COMES OUT.
THE WHITE HOUSE ALWAYS RELEASES 
A FEW EXCERPTS OF THE QUOTES AND
THE APPLAUSE LINES THAT HE 
EXPECTS.
THE PRESIDENT TONIGHT WILL SAY 
HE'S LEADING, QUOTE, THE GREAT 
AMERICAN COMEBACK AS HE PUTS IT.
HIS MAIN GOAL WAS TO REVIVE THE 
U.S. ECONOMY.
HE'LL ALSO THROW SOME RED MEAT, 
SOME LINES THAT HIS BASE WILL NO
DOUBT LIKE.
YOU WILL SEE STANDING OVATIONS 
FROM THE REPUBLICAN SIDE.
HE SAID, WE WILL NEVER LET 
SOCIALISM DESTROY AMERICAN 
HEALTH CARE.
A BIG AT BERNIE SANDERS AND THE 
DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN GENERAL.
HE SAYS THE UNITED STATES SHOULD
BE A SANCTUARY FOR LAW-ABIDING 
CITIZENS, NOT ALIENS.
PHILLIPS HAS JUST COME BACK WITH
A TRIP WITH MIKE POMPEO WHERE 
SHE HAD A GREAT INTERVIEW WITH 
HIM.
SHE JOINS US ON THE PHONE.
THAT WAS WELL-TIMED INTERVIEW.
MIKE POMPEO WAS THRUST RIGHT IN 
THE MIDDLE OF THE IMPEACHMENT AS
IT EMERGED THAT HE WAS, 
ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, VERY 
MUCH INVOLVED IN THE PRESIDENT'S
PUSH FOR POLITICAL 
INVESTIGATIONS IN UKRAINE.
YOU TALKED TO HIM ABOUT THAT.
WHAT DID HE SAY?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
TERRY, THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO 
GO.
THIS IS WHY I WANTED TO HAVE AN 
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH HIM 
BECAUSE HE WAS THE FIRST SENIOR 
U.S. OFFICIAL TO GO TO UKRAINE 
SINCE THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL 
BEGAN.
I WANTED TO BE THERE WITH HIM 
AND SEE WHAT HE HAD TO SEE AND 
SEE HOW HE INTERACTED WITH 
PRESIDENT ZELENSKY OF UKRAINE.
IT WAS QUITE THE TRIP.
I HADN'T TALKED ABOUT THE STANDS
SINCE GOING BACK TO THE IRAQ 
WAR.
SO I HAD TO REFRESH MY HISTORY 
LESSONS AND FOREIGN POLICY AND 
WHAT WAS BEHIND THIS TRIP, YOU 
KNOW, POLICY-WISE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, TERRY, AS 
YOU WELL KNOW, YOU KNOW, IT WAS 
WHAT'S BEEN AT THE HEART OF THIS
IMPEACHMENT TRIAL IS THE 
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN AMERICAN 
SECURITY ASSISTANCE SENT TO 
UKRAINE.
AND IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL OF 
THIS, I MEAN, TALKING ABOUT THE 
TRIP, GETTING READY FOR THE 
TRIP, THIS MANUSCRIPT GETS OUT, 
THIS BOOK THAT JOHN BOLTON, 
FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER
HAS WRITTEN.
AND I WANTED TO TALK, NOT ONLY 
ABOUT MIKE POMPEO'S TRIP BUT 
ALSO WHAT HAS HAD COME OUT, WHAT
HAD LEAKED WITH REGARD TO THIS 
MANUSCRIPT.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, I 
WANTED TO SEE IF JOURNALISTS IN 
THESE COUNTRIES, SPECIFICALLY IN
UKRAINE, WERE TALKING ABOUT IT 
AS WELL.
AND I WAS QUITE SURPRISED, 
TERRY, TO SEE THEY HAD A LOT OF 
QUESTIONS FOR US.
THEY HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS FOR 
SECRETARY OF STATE MIKE POMPEO, 
AND THAT WAS VERY INTERESTING TO
ME BECAUSE WHILE PRESIDENT TRUMP
HAS TRIED TO PLAY THIS DOWN, AS 
WELL AS MIKE POMPEO AT MANY -- 
AT MANY MOMENTS WITHIN THIS TRIP
AND THE INTERVIEW, IT WAS QUITE 
REVEALING TO SEE HOW MUCH 
INTEREST THERE WAS IN THE 
IMPEACHMENT TRIAL AND WITH 
REGARD TO SECRETARY MIKE POMPEO 
AND WHAT HE WAS GOING TO SAY AS 
HE MADE THIS TRIP. 
>> WELL, YOU ASKED HIM POINT 
BLANK ABOUT THE EVIDENCE THAT 
HAS COME IN AND JOHN BOLTON'S 
UNPUBLISHED MANUSCRIPT THAT MIKE
POMPEO WAS VERY MUCH INVOLVED.
I WAS STRUCK WHEN, HAVE YOU EVER
KNOWN JOHN BOLTON TO BE A LIAR?
HE HAD SOME INTERESTING THINGS 
TO SAY. 
>> HE WRITES ABOUT THAT YOU AND 
HE AND ESPER WENT TO THE OPAL, 
THAT HE TOLD THE PRESIDENT, THIS
IS IN AMERICA'S INTEREST TO NOT 
WITHHOLD AID.
HE SAID THAT ESPER SAID THIS 
DEFENSE RELATIONSHIP, WE HAVE 
GOTTEN SOME REALLY GOOD BENEFITS
FROM IT, NOTABLY MILITARY 
EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURED IN THE 
U.S.
TRUMP REPLIED, UKRAINE IS A 
CORRUPT COUNTRY.
WE'RE PISSING AWAY OUR MONEY.
IS THAT HOW YOU REMEMBER THAT 
MEETING?
>> THERE WERE MANY MEETINGS.
I WAS AN ADVOCATE FOR CONTINUING
TO SUPPORT WHAT I WAS DOING 
RIGHT HERE IN UKRAINE TODAY.
I CONTINUE TO THINK THERE IS 
GOOD VALUE FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING 
HERE. 
>> YOU WANT THE AID TO GET HERE.
>> ABSOLUTELY. 
>> WHY?
WHY WAS IT SO IMPORTANT?
WHY DID YOU FIGHT FOR THAT AND 
GO TO THE PRESIDENT AND SAY, 
WE'VE GOT TO GET THAT AID TO 
UKRAINE?
>> THIS IS IMPORTANT TO THE 
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
WE HAVE CHALLENGES HERE TO 
FREEDOM.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE DEMOCRACY 
FLOURISHES HERE.
IT IS ON THE EDGE OF THE 
EUROPEAN OPPORTUNITY.
AND NOW THIS COUNTRY IS FIRMLY 
ANCHORED IN THE WEST.
IF WE GET IT RIGHT, IT WILL BE 
SO FOR DECADES AND GENERATIONS. 
>> THAT WAS SECRETARY OF STATE 
MIKE POMPEO.
AS I SAID, HE PUSHED AWAY YOUR 
QUESTION THERE ON WHAT ACTUALLY 
HAPPENED, AND HE ALSO BASICALLY 
CALLED JOHN BOLTON A LIAR. 
>> HE DID.
HE DID.
HE DID NOT DENY, AND I ASKED HIM
POINT BLANK, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU 
CALLING HIM A LIAR?
HAVE YOU EVER KNOWN HIM NOT TO 
BE TRUTHFUL?
AND HE DID NOT COME FORWARD AND 
SAY DIRECTLY THAT -- THAT THEY 
WERE ALWAYS ON THE SAME PAGE.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE I FOUND 
INTERESTING IS THAT WE HAD A 
CHANCE TO TALK ALSO OUTSIDE OF 
THAT INTERVIEW, TERRY.
AND I THINK THAT SECRETARY MIKE 
POMPEO IS GOING TO HAVE A LOT TO
SAY AS TIME GOES ON.
I WILL NOT BE SURPRISED IF WE 
WILL LEARN A LOT MORE AS TIME 
GOES ON, BUT HE IS, AT THIS 
POINT, DEDICATED TO WORKING WITH
THE PRESIDENT ON -- ON SPECIFIC 
ISSUES TO IMPROVE RELATIONS TO 
NOT ONLY HELP GET PAST WHAT THEY
HAVE BEEN DOWN PLAYING AS A HOAX
AND A TRIAL THAT IS NOT 
CREDIBLE, BUT I JUST -- I HAVE A
DEEP SEEDED FEELING THAT WE ARE 
GOING TO LEARN A LOT MORE AS 
TIME MOVES ON. 
>> ALL RIGHT.
AND HE'S CERTAINLY A SURVIVOR IN
AN ADMINISTRATION FULL OF 
TURMOIL AND STAFF TURNOVER.
MIKE POMPEO HAS BEEN THERE FROM 
JUST ABOUT THE BEGINNING AS 
DIRECTOR OF CIA AND THEN 
SECRETARY OF STATE.
THANKS VERY MUCH.
WE WILL GO TO BREAK FOR A 
MOMENT.
WHEN WE COME BACK, MORE FROM OUR
LOOK AHEAD.
THERE IS THE BEAST WAITING FOR 
THE PRESIDENT TO TAKE PRESIDENT 
TRUMP TO HIS THIRD STATE OF THE 
UNION ADDRESS.
STAY WITH US.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
>>> ALL RIGHT.
THERE IS THE PRESIDENT'S 
VEHICLE, THE PRESIDENT'S 
LIMOUSINE THERE WAITING FOR HIM 
OUTSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE.
IT IS JUST ABOUT A HALF AN HOUR 
OR SO, ACTUALLY 27 MINUTES AND 
45 SECONDS OR SO UNTIL THE 
PRESIDENT WILL ARRIVE AT THE 
CAPITAL FOR HIS STATE OF THE 
UNION ADDRESS, SO HE WILL BE 
LEAVING FAIRLY SHORTLY.
WE WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT 
ABOUT POLITICS RIGHT NOW WITH 
BYRON PITS.
THIS IOWA CAUCUS FIASCO.
THE REAL WINNER OF THE IOWA 
CAUCUS WAS DONALD TRUMP. 
>> WITHOUT QUESTION.
WITHOUT QUESTION.
HE COULDN'T HAVE SCRIPTED IT 
BETTER.
I KNOW LAST NIGHT WE WERE ALL 
WORKING PREPARING FOR THE SHOW.
IN OUR BUSINESS YOU ALWAYS LAY 
OUT SEVERAL POSSIBLE SCENARIOS 
AND WHICH DIRECTION THE STORY 
MIGHT GO.
TRUST ME, THERE WAS NOT A 
SCENARIO FOR, THERE WILL BE NO 
NUMBERS PROVIDED AT ALL.
I MEAN, IT WAS STUNNING.
I MEAN, IT'S -- CERTAINLY WE'RE 
ALL MINDFUL IN ANY INDUSTRY 
THERE ARE MISTAKES.
THERE ARE THINGS.
BUT TO COMPLETELY MISS THE MARK.
AND THE IMPACT IT HAS ON THE 
CAMPAIGN.
WE HAVE TALKED IN THE PAST ABOUT
THE MOMENTUM THAT CANDIDATES 
NEED COMING OUT OF IOWA AND THAT
THEY WORK HARD TO EARN. 
>> WELL, THAT WAS DENIED.
YOU THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MAYOR
PETE AND WHAT IF IN FACT HE WON 
THE NIGHT, WHAT IT WOULD HAVE 
MEANT FOR HIM AS THIS OUTSIDER 
TWO YEARS AGO TO HAVE COME THIS 
FAR.
AND NOW THAT MOMENT HAS BEEN 
MISSED.
CERTAINLY I WOULD THINK IF -- IF
PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS THE BIGGEST 
WINNER OF LAST NIGHT, THEN YOU 
HAVE TO THINK FORMER VICE 
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN IS A CLOSE 
SECOND, RIGHT?
BECAUSE WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT 
HOW -- LOOK AT THAT. 
>> THOSE AT THOSE NUMBERS.
62% OF THE VOTE IN.
THIS IS A PARTIAL VOTE.
LOOK WHERE BIDEN IS.
>> AND FOR SO LONG, EVERYONE HAS
SAID HE'S THE FAVORITE.
HE'S THE FRONT RUNNER.
BUT WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT 
FOOTBALL AT THE BREAK.
IT'S LIKE WHEN THE POLLS COME 
OUT AT THE BEGINNING OF FOOTBALL
SEASON AND THEY CLEMSON IS 
NUMBER ONE, ALABAMA IS NUMBER 
ONE.
BUT IF YOU GO 0-4, OKAY, YOU MAY
BE GREAT ON PAPER, BUT AT SOME 
POINT LIKE HE HAS TO START 
WINNING SOMEPLACE. 
>> RIGHT.
I'M A CHICAGO BEARS FAN.
THERE WERE PEOPLE PICKING US FOR
THE SUPER BOWL AT THE BEGINNING 
OF THE YEAR.
LET'S GO TO IOWA.
ONE OF THE CHIEF ANCHORS HERE AT
OUR STREAMING CHANNEL IS OUT 
THERE.
TOM, YOU WERE OUT THERE.
THEY'RE DIGGING OUT FROM THE 
RUBBLE TODAY.
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?
>> WELL, IT IS STILL THE BIGGEST
MYSTERY IN POLITICS, TERRY, AND 
IT IS NOW 24 HOURS SINCE THE 
VOTING GOT UNDERWAY HERE IN IOWA
YESTERDAY AND WE STILL HAVE NO 
WINNER.
62% AS YOU MENTIONED, HAS BEEN 
REPORTED, BUT THIS IS A DEBACLE.
TOM PEREZ, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE 
DNC JUST ISSUED A STATEMENT.
AND HE SAYS, THIS IS NEVER GOING
TO HAPPEN AGAIN.
HE SAYS, THIS IS COMPLETELY 
UNACCEPTABLE.
HE ALSO SAYS THEY'RE NEVER GOING
TO USE THE APP THEY USED HERE IN
IOWA.
THERE WERE TWO PROBLEMS.
THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE APP
AND THEN THE BACKUP SYSTEM, 
THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A FIRE 
WALL THEY COULD PHONE IN SOME OF
THE RESULTS, BUT IT TURNS OUT SO
MANY PEOPLE WERE PHONING IN 
YESTERDAY, MORE THAN 1,600 
PRESENTS ALL ACROSS THE HAWK EYE
STATE THAT THE PHONES GOT JAMMED
UP.
THEY JUST HUNG UP.
AND THE DES MOINES REGISTER HAD 
AN INTERESTING STORY.
THE PARTY DECIDES -- 
>> TOM, THE PRESIDENT AND FIRST 
LADY ENTERING THE LIMOUSINE 
THERE WHICH IS TAKING THEM AS 
THEY GET INTO THE LIMOUSINE AND 
ON ROUTE TO THE CAPITAL.
OFF THEY GO.
IT IS A SHORT DRIVE DOWN TO THE 
OTHER END OF PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE
WHERE THE PRESIDENT WILL GIVE 
HIS STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS.
TOM, I'M SORRY I INTERRUPTED. 
>> NO, THAT'S OKAY.
YOU REMINDED ME, HE WON HIS 
CAUCUS.
HE WAS DECLARED THE WINNER EARLY
IN THE NIGHT OF THE REPUBLICAN 
CAUCUSES.
BACK TO THE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUSES,
THE DES MOINES REGISTER HAD AN 
INTERESTING STORY WHERE THEY 
SPOKE TO SOME PRECINCT CAPTAINS.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE SMARTPHONES.
FROM THE GET-GO THEY WERE GOING 
TO PHONE IN.
YET, THEY WERE USING THIS 
TECHNOLOGY THROUGHOUT THIS 
STATE.
THE SHARE OF THE PARTY HERE SAID
IT WAS UNACCEPTABLE.
HE APOLOGIZED.
BUT WE'RE NOW MORE THAN 24 HOURS
LATER AND WE STILL DON'T HAVE 
RESULTS.
THEY CAME OUT HERE ALMOST FOUR 
HOURS AGO WITH THE 62% REPORTED 
IN.
WHERE ARE THE REST OF THE 
NUMBERS?
WHAT'S HAPPENED?
YOU WERE SPEAKING WITH BYRON.
OBVIOUSLY THE REPUBLICANS AND 
THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN WILL SEIZE ON
THIS.
THEY WILL SAY THE SYSTEM IS 
RIGGED.
BUT IT ALL PLAYS INTO THE 
REPUBLICAN HANDS.
AS YOU MENTIONED, IT PLAYS INTO 
JOE BIDEN'S HANDS AND IT IS 
DISAPPOINTING TO ALL THE PEOPLE 
IN IOWA, THE VOTERS THAT GO TO 
ALL THESE EVENTS.
THEY SEE THE CANDIDATES, GO TO 
THEIR CHURCHES, WATCH THESE 
CANDIDATES, LISTEN TO THEM SPEAK
AND PICK SOMEONE.
ALL OF THE VOLUNTEERS AND 
STAFFERS THAT WORKED FOR MORE 
THAN A YEAR.
YOU KNOW THERE IS THE GROUND 
GAME HERE.
IT IS SO IMPORTANT.
YOU GOT TO HAVE A GROUND GAME 
HERE.
NOW YOU HAVE A HEADLINE THAT'S 
UNCLEAR.
IS IT SANDERS?
IS IT MAYOR PETE?
HE SHOULD BE RIDING THAT INTO 
NEW HAMPSHIRE.
HE GOT EMOTIONAL WHEN HE 
REALIZED HE IS SOMEWHAT 
VICTORIOUS HERE IN NEW 
HAMPSHIRE.
NOW YOU HAVE JOE BIDEN AND HIS 
WHOLE CAMPAIGN IS BASED ON THE 
FACT OR AT LEAST THE THEORY 
BECAUSE IT IS NOT A FACT THAT 
HE'S GOING TO BE ELECTABLE.
BUT GUESS WHAT?
YOU HAVE TO BE ELECTED.
SO FAR THAT'S NOT THE CASE WITH 
JOE BIDEN. 
>> WE'RE LOOKING AT THE SENATORS
COMING IN.
BOB MENDEZ OF NEW JERSEY.
TOM RAISED A GREAT POINT ABOUT 
THE CONFIDENCE THAT PEOPLE NEED 
TO HAVE IN THE COUNT AND IN THIS
ERA OF HACKING AND -- AND DOUBT 
IN INSTITUTIONS IN GENERAL, DO 
YOU THINK THIS HAS AN IMPACT ON 
THE TRUST OF THE VOTE ITSELF?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
FOR ANY PERSON, ANYTHING, THERE 
IS ALWAYS A NARRATIVE, RIGHT?
ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS TO 
REINFORCE THE NARRATIVE.
SO THERE ARE CONCERNS IN OUR 
COUNTRY ABOUT OUR ELECTION 
PROCESS, WHO GETS TO VOTE, WHAT 
VOTES ARE COUNTED.
THAT'S INTO OUR DNA NOW AS A 
NATION WE HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT.
WHAT HAPPENED IN IOWA, ONLY 
REINFORCES THAT.
IF THE DEMOCRATS CAN'T GET IT 
RIGHT FOR A FEW HUNDRED THOUSAND
PEOPLE IN ONE STATE, WHY SHOULD 
WE BELIEVE IT'S -- WHAT IS THE 
SAYING?
FOOL ME ONCE, SHAME ON YOU.
FOOL ME TWICE.
SO, YEAH, I WOULD THINK IT'S -- 
BECAUSE SO MUCH OF OUR NATION, 
RIGHT, THEY GET ENGAGED AS THEY 
NEED TO.
AND AS THE PASSING WAS THEY GOT 
IT WRONG IN IOWA.
THERE WAS A PROBLEM A COUPLE 
YEARS AGO.
WHY SHOULD I TRUST THE PROCESS?
WHY SHOULD I PARTICIPATE IN THE 
PROCESS?
>> THAT IS THE EVIL GENIUS OF 
WHAT THE KREMLIN DID TO THE 
UNITED STATES IN 2016.
LET'S GO TO SIMPSON, A 
PROGRESSIVE GROUP.
THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.
I WANTED TO ASK YOU BOTH ABOUT 
THE STATE OF THE UNION.
BUT FIRST THE SUBJECT WE'RE 
TALKING ABOUT, THE DEBACLE IN 
IOWA, HOW DO YOU READ THE IMPACT
GOING FORWARD?
BIG?
SMALL?
WHAT DIFFERENCE WILL IT MAKE 
THAT THIS THING HAPPENED?
>> I THINK THE PARTY IS GOING TO
HAVE A LONG OVERDUE CONVERSATION
ABOUT IOWA AND WHETHER IT SHOULD
BE THE FIRST STATE, ABOUT 
CAUCUSES IN GENERAL AND WHETHER 
THEY ARE THE BEST WAY TO MAKE 
SURE EVERYBODY IS REPRESENTED.
THERE IS A LOT OF FOLKS WHO WERE
NOT ABLE TO ENGAGE IN THE CAUCUS
PROCESS.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE.
VOTER INTEGRITY, MAKING SURE 
THAT WE HAVE PAPER, THAT WE HAVE
BACK-UPS, THAT WE DON'T USE NEW 
SYSTEMS WITHOUT TESTING THEM.
SO THAT IS KIND OF THE 
CONVERSATION WE'RE GOING TO 
HAVE, PARTICULARLY WITH NEVADA 
RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER AND THEY
ALSO HAVE A CAUCUS FORMAT AS 
WELL. 
>> THEY GOT TO GET THAT RIGHT.
THEY HAVE ALREADY SAID THEY'RE 
NOT GOING TO USE THAT APP. 
>> YEAH.
THEY BETTER NOT.
BUT I DO WANT TO SAY, TERRY, 
THERE WAS SOME GOOD NEWS COMING 
OUT OF IOWA, RIGHT?
WE HAD THE LARGEST GROUP OF 
FIRST-TIME CAUCUS GOERS, 35% 
FIRST-TIME CAUCUS GOERS.
THE NUMBER OF YOUNG PEOPLE 
TRIPLED OVER 2016 WHO ENGAGED IN
THE CAUCUS PROCESSES, SO WE'RE 
ENGAGING YOUNGER VOTERS, WHICH 
WE NEED TO.
THAT MILLENNIAL PARTY IS LARGE.
THERE WAS SOME GOOD NEWS COMING 
OUT.
BUT I DO THINK THE IOWA 
DEMOCRATIC PARTY, THE DNC NEEDS 
TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT 
MAKING SURE WE HAVE DIVERSITY IN
THOSE EARLY CONTESTS AND MAKING 
SURE WE LOOK AT THIS FORMAT AND 
FIND OUT WHETHER IT IS 
EQUITABLE, DEMOCRATIC OR WHETHER
WE NEED TO GO TO THE PRIMARY 
FORMAT UP UNTIL THE CONVENTION. 
>> TAKING A LOOK AT PRESIDENT 
TRUMP, HOW STRONG DO YOU THINK 
HE IS COMING TO THE COUNTRY 
RIGHT NOW WITH THE STORY HE 
WANTS TO TELL?
>> IF YOU ARE DONALD TRUMP, YOU 
NEVER HAVE A BAD DAY.
YOU HAVE A PERFECT CALL, 
EVERYTHING IS GREAT, EVERYTHING 
IS WONDERFUL.
WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT THIS 
PRESIDENT IS THE KING OF SPIN, 
RIGHT?
HE'S TOLD ALMOST 17,000 LIES IN 
THE LAST THREE YEARS HE'S BEEN 
PRESIDENT.
17,000 FALSE OR MISLEADING 
CLAIMS.
HE SAYS EVERYTHING IS GREAT, AND
WE KNOW IT'S NOT, RIGHT?
HE TRIES TO SPIN HIS WORK ON THE
ECONOMY.
WE KNOW HIS TRADE WAR IS 
IMPACTING AGRICULTURE, NOW 
MANUFACTURING.
WE KNOW THE ULTRA RICH ARE 
GETTING WAY RICHER AND THE REST 
OF US ARE SUFFERING.
WE EXPECT TO HEAR A LOT OF SPIN,
A LOT OF MISREPRESENTATION.
HE'S TALKING TO HIS BASE AND 
CERTAINLY A LOT OF RACEST 
RHETORIC.
LET'S NOT FORGET THERE IS STILL 
CHILDREN CAGED AT THE BORDER, 
THAT THE MUSLIM BAN WAS EXPANDED
TO SIX MORE COUNTRIES.
I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR THE 
RESPONSE FROM THE GOVERNOR AND 
OF COURSE VERONICA ESCOBAR WHO 
IS RIGHT AT THE BORDER WHO WILL 
DO IT IN SPANISH BECAUSE THAT'S 
WHERE THE TRUTH IS GOING TO COME
IN, IS WITH THAT RESPONSE.
WE EXPECT A LOT OF SPIN, A LOT 
OF MISREPRESENTATION AND 
EVERYTHING TO BE PERFECT AND 
GREAT. 
>> YES.
THAT IS DONALD TRUMP.
AND YOU'RE ALSO RIGHT, THE LINE 
THAT HE WILL BE SAYING, WE ARE 
TOLD, IS THE UNITED STATES OF 
AMERICA SHOULD BE A SANCTUARY 
FOR LAW-ABIDING AMERICANS, NOT 
CRIMINAL ALIENS.
WHATEVER YOU THINK OF THE POLICY
IMPLICATIONS OF THAT, SINCE HE 
STEPPED ON THE NATIONAL SCENE 
TALKING ABOUT HOW MEXICO SENDS 
RAPISTS TO THE UNITED STATES HE 
HAS DRAWN THAT ISSUE IN THE 
STARKEST AND, AS MANY BELIEVE, 
THE MOST RACIST TERMS.
HE WOULD DENY THAT.
BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR 
THAT.
SO WE SHOULD SAY, ONE OF THE 
PIECES OF THEATER THAT 
PRESIDENTS GET TO HAVE IN THE 
STATE OF THE UNION IS FILLING 
THE FIRST LADY'S BOX WITH GUESTS
THAT THEY MIGHT REFERENCE IN 
THEIR SPEECH, AND ONE OF THEM IN
THE FIRST LADY'S BOX ABOVE THE 
SENATE CHAMBER RUSH LIMBAUGH AND
HIS WIFE WILL BE UP THERE.
RUSH LIMBAUGH, ONE OF THE MOST 
INFLUENTIAL POLITICAL VOICES OF 
THE PAST GENERATION WILL 
ANNOUNCE TODAY HE HAS ADVANCED 
LUNG CANCER.
THE PRESIDENT WANTS TO HONOR 
HIM.
VERY DIVISIVE, BUT HE CHANGED 
AMERICAN POLITICAL DISCOURSE. 
>> WITHOUT QUESTION, A FORCE.
AND I THINK IT WAS, YOU KNOW, AS
WE SAW, A DIFFERENT 
CIRCUMSTANCE.
BUT AS WE SAW LAST WEEK WITH 
KOBE BRYANT, THAT IT IS HUMBLING
WHEN -- WHEN THE REALITY THAT 
FACES US ALL IMPACTS THE LIVES 
OF PEOPLE OF NOTE.
RUSH LIMBAUGH, A FORCE, A LION 
FOR CONSERVATIVE POSITIONS.
AND HE'S A FORCE IN RAISING 
MONEY FOR DRIVING THE AGENDA OF 
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
AND YESTERDAY AND THE OTHER DAY 
JUST IN HEARING HIS WORDS AND 
THE HAUNTING NATURE OF HIS VOICE
NOW, IT DOES REMIND YOU FOR, AS 
DIVIDED AS THE NATION CAN BE AT 
TIMES, AS DIFFICULT AS OUR 
POLITICS ARE, THAT PEOPLE HAVE 
THE INDIVIDUAL LIVES.
I SAW WHEN HE SPOKE THE OTHER 
DAY ABOUT HIS FAMILY AND THAT 
REGARDLESS OF HOW WE FEEL ABOUT 
EACH OTHER'S POLITICS, YOU 
ALWAYS WISH WELL FOR AN 
INDIVIDUAL.
AND THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 
THIS NIGHT AND YOU AND I BOTH 
HAVE BEEN AROUND THE WORLD AND 
MARTHA TOUCHED UPON THIS, THAT 
WE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF PLACES IN 
THE WORLD THAT WITH THESE KINDS 
OF GATHERINGS OF POWERFUL PEOPLE
THAT ONLY OCCUR WHEN SOMEONE HAS
TO DIE TO HAVE THAT HAPPEN.
BUT IN OUR NATION, AS DIVIDED AS
WE MAY BE, THAT POLITICIANS FROM
BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE ARE 
BEING POLITE AND CIVIL, THAT'S 
ONE OF THE MANY THINGS THAT 
MAKES AMERICA SUCH A MAGICAL 
PLACE.
THAT FOR ALL THAT DIVIDES US, WE
ARE STILL THE UNITED STATES 
STATES OF AMERICA. 
>> AND THIS EVENT, THE STATE OF 
THE UNION ADDRESS, AS YOU SEE 
SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN FILING 
IN THERE IS SOMETHING IS IN THE 
CONSTITUTION.
ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF BEING
A PRESIDENT.
AND THERE ACTUALLY AREN'T MANY.
IT IS A VAGUE, MAJESTIC 
GENERALLY AS THEY SAY, BUT THEY 
SAY THE PRESIDENT SHALL GIVE AN 
ADDRESS ON THE STATE OF THE 
UNION, SHALL REPORT ON THE STATE
OF THE UNION.
DIDN'T HAVE TO BE A SPEECH 
WRITTEN DOWN.
HERE IS NANCY PELOSI TRYING TO 
GET A LITTLE ORDER HERE. 
>> WE WILL COME TO ORDER.
THE CHAIR-APPOINTED MEMBERS OF 
THE COMMITTEE ON THE PART OF THE
HOUSE TO ESCORT THE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES INTO THE 
CHAMBER.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM MARYLAND, MR.
HOYER, THE GENTLEMAN FROM SOUTH 
CAROLINA, THE GENTLEMAN FROM NEW
MEXICO, THE GENTLEMAN FROM 
NEWARK -- 
>> WHAT SHE'S DOING IS 
ANNOUNCING THE ESCORT.
IT IS AN HONOR FOR PEOPLE TO 
ESCORT THE PRESIDENT.
THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WILL 
ESCORT THE PRESIDENT INTO THE 
CHAMBER.
LET'S GO TO TOM WHO COVERS 
JUSTICE ISSUES AND OTHER THINGS 
AS WELL.
AND I WANT TO PICK UP WITHIN ONE
THING WE HAVE BEEN EXPLORING, 
AND THAT IS THE SECURITY OF THE 
VOTE IN OUR ELECTION.
I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE DONE A LOT 
OF WORK ON THAT.
WHAT IMPACT DO YOU SEE THE 
DEBACLE IN IOWA HAVING, AND WHAT
ARE THE MAIN CONCERNS THAT LAW 
ENFORCEMENT HAS GOING FORWARD IN
THIS ELECTION ABOUT THE SECURITY
OF THE VOTE?
>> WELL, TERRY, EVEN THOUGH THE 
ELECTION COMING UP IN 2020 WILL 
BE HANDLED BY THE INDIVIDUAL 
STATES, CLEARLY WHAT HAPPENED IN
IOWA YESTERDAY IN TERMS OF HOW 
THE DEMOCRATS HANDLED IT DOES 
NOT INSPIRE CONFIDENCE.
AND TO SAY THE LEAST.
AND LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTINUES TO
BE CONCERNED ABOUT PROTECTING 
THE ELECTION, THE BALLOT BOX, IF
YOU WILL.
JUST YESTERDAY, THE DEPARTMENT 
OF HOMELAND SECURITY PUT OUT A 
NOTICE TO THE STATES TALKING 
ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE RUSSIANS
WILL CONTINUE TO LIKELY TRY TO 
ATTACK THE ELECTION.
THEY TALKED ABOUT HOW IN 2016 
THE RUSSIANS ACTUALLY WERE ABLE 
TO GET INSIDE THE VOTER DATABASE
OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS AND 
THAT THEY COULD HAVE ALTERED OR 
CHANGED SOME OF THE VOTER DATA.
THEY ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE FACT 
THAT THE RUSSIANS SET UP A FAKE 
WEBSITE TO PUT OUT FAKE STORIES 
POSING AS LEGITIMATE JOURNALISM.
SO THAT IS VERY MUCH ON THE 
MINDS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.
IN FACT, WHEN I SPOKE WITH THE 
FBI DIRECTOR IN DECEMBER, HE 
SAID THAT RUSSIA WAS AT IT IN 
THE PAST AND THEY WILL BE AT IT 
AGAIN. 
>> AS WE WERE TALKING, THE MERE 
VULNERABILITY OF THE COUNT TO 
HACKING IS ENOUGH TO ERODE 
TRUST.
AND I WANT TO ASK YOU.
I HAVE LIVED IN ENGLAND FOR FIVE
YEARS AND COVERED A FEW 
ELECTIONS THERE.
THEY COUNT 30, 35, 40 MILLION 
BALLOTS, PAPER BALLOTS BY HAND.
IT TAKES A WHILE.
IT IS PROBABLY NOT AS ACCURATE 
AS A PERFECT AND RELIABLE 
SOFTWARE COUNT WOULD BE, BUT 
THAT'S WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
HOW MUCH -- HOW MUCH STEAM IS 
THERE BEHIND THE MOVEMENT FOR 
THE UNITED STATES TO GO BACK TO 
PAPER BALLOTS? 
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SAY 
THAT THERE IS A LOT.
THERE IS A LOT OF CONVERSATION 
ABOUT SOMETHING BACK-UPS TO SOME
OF THESE COMPUTER SYSTEMS.
THERE IS SOME LEGISLATION THAT'S
BEEN PENDING IN THE CONGRESS 
THAT DEMOCRATS WANT THE 
SENATOR -- THE SENATOR MAJORITY 
LEADER TO ACT ON THAT HE IS NOT,
LEADING SOME TO CALL HIM MOSCOW 
MITCH, WHICH HE DOESN'T LIKE 
VERY MUCH.
STILL EVEN THAT, TERRY, IN OUR 
COUNTRY IS AN AREA OF DIVIDE 
EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW WHAT 
HAPPENED IN 2016.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WELL, WE'LL LOOK AT HOW THAT 
DEVELOPS.
THANKS VERY MUCH.
LET'S STEP BACK FOR A MOMENT AND
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS MOMENT.
THIS MOMENT FOR DONALD TRUMP AND
FOR THE COUNTRY AND LET'S GET 
THE TAKE OF SOMEONE WHO SAT 
THROUGH SOME OF THOSE SPEECHES, 
SOME OF THE STATE OF THE UNION 
SPEECHES.
BARBARA IS A FORMER MEMBER OF 
CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF 
VIRGINIA.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS MOMENT
FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP?
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?
>> WELL, I THINK YOU ALWAYS SEE 
THE STATE OF THE UNION, THE 
PRESIDENT GETS THE UNDIVIDED 
ATTENTION AND IS ABLE TO SET OUT
HIS AGENDA AND REALLY HIGHLIGHT 
HIS SUCCESSES.
I THINK YOU ARE GOING TO -- 
>> OH, YEAH.
SO THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
PLEASE GO ON. 
>> WELL, AND HE ALWAYS REALLY 
HAS STUCK TO A SCRIPT ON THE 
STATE OF THE UNION, AS MOST 
PRESIDENTS DO BECAUSE YOU WANT 
TO INCLUDE ALL THE SUCCESSES.
HE HAS THE ECONOMY THAT HE 
CAN -- HAS A LOT OF BRAGGING 
RIGHTS ON.
63% APPROVAL ON THAT ECONOMY.
THE USMCA, A LOT OF OPOID 
LEGISLATION WHERE PEOPLE HAVE 
WORKED TOGETHER ON THIS.
AND HE HAS THINGS LIKE CRIMINAL 
JUSTICE REFORM.
AND I THINK YOU ARE GOING TO SEE
A LOT OF THE SPECIAL GUESTS THAT
HE HAS THERE TODAY ARE GOING 
TONIGHT ARE GOING TO BE 
ADDRESSING SOME OF THESE 
BIPARTISAN ISSUES HE HAS WORKED 
ON.
THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE TALKED ABOUT
THE WHITE HOUSE TALKING ABOUT IT
BEING LOW KEY, BUT IT WILL BE AN
ATTEMPT TO RESET THE NARRATIVE 
AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHAT IS 
NOT ONLY A LOT OF GOOD NEWS FOR 
THE PRESIDENT BUT A LOT OF BAD 
NEWS FOR THE DEMOCRATS GIVEN THE
DEBACLE IN IOWA WHICH OBVIOUSLY 
GOES TO THE PRESIDENT'S 
ADVANTAGE.
AND THEN ALSO TOMORROW WILL BE 
THE END OF IMPEACHMENT, WHICH, 
LIKE BILL CLINTON, IMPEACHMENT 
HAS MADE HIM STRONGER AND GIVEN 
HIM HIS HIGHEST APPROVAL RATINGS
NOW. 
>> WE'RE LOOKING AT THE CHAMBER 
RIGHT NOW.
WE SEE NANCY PELOSI WEARING 
WHITE AS ARE MANY OF THE 
DEMOCRATIC WOMEN MEMBERS OF 
CONGRESS.
TAKE US IN THAT ROOM, THE WHITE 
IS IN HONOR OF THE SUFFRAGIST 
MOVEMENTS AND PERHAPS THE ERA AS
WELL.
TAKE US INTO THE ROOM A LITTLE 
BIT.
WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE IN THAT 
ROOM?
IT IS ACTUALLY SMALLER THAN IT 
LOOKS ON TELEVISION, ISN'T IT?
>> IT IS AN EVENING WHERE IT IS 
VERY PACKED.
EVERYONE IS IN THERE, AND, SO, A
LOT OF TIMES YOU HAVE DEMOCRATS 
AND REPUBLICANS SITTING NEXT TO 
EACH OTHER.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE ON, YOU 
KNOW, YOUR OWN SIDE.
SO YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE 
FRIENDS WHO WILL COME TOGETHER.
AND THEN THERE IS ALWAYS WHO IS 
GOING TO STAND UP, YOU KNOW, AND
CLAP AT CERTAIN POINTS.
THAT'S WHY I THINK THE PRESIDENT
WILL GEAR A SPEECH TO REALLY 
FORCING BOTH SIDES TO STAND UP 
AND CLAP.
IF YOU TALK ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF
THE ECONOMY, IF YOU TALK ABOUT 
THE WORK THEY HAVE DONE TOGETHER
FOR OUR VETERANS OR TO BATTLE 
OPIOIDS, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE 
TO HAVE THE WHOLE AUDIENCE RISE.
I WAS THERE DURING THE OBAMA 
ADMINISTRATION AS WELL AS THE 
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, AND I KNOW
THAT IS SORT OF THE SCRIPT THAT 
A GOOD SPEECH WRITER WILL SET 
OUT SO THAT YOU FIND THE WAYS TO
BRING EVERYONE TOGETHER AND YOU 
USUALLY WILL SEE PEOPLE DO THAT.
THOSE THAT DON'T WILL LOOK LIKE 
SORE SPORTS. 
>> RIGHT.
BRINGING TOGETHER IS ONE OF THE 
THINGS PRESIDENTS CAN DO.
BUT WE ALSO KNOW FROM THE 
EXCERPTS THAT THE WHITE HOUSE 
HAS RELEASED THAT HE'S GOT SOME 
LINES DESIGNED TO DIVIDE.
THIS ONE WHERE HE SAYS THE 
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA SHOULD 
BE A SANCTUARY FOR LAW-ABIDING 
AMERICANS, NOT CRIMINAL ALIENS, 
AND HE HAS EVERYTHING 
CAPITALIZED. 
>> AND THE SOCIALISM LINE, 
CERTAINLY THAT'S GOING TO BE 
SOMETHING FOR THE AMERICAN 
PUBLIC AT HOME IS GOING TO BE 
WELL RECEIVED.
YOU MAY HAVE PEOPLE ON THE 
DEMOCRAT SIDE NOT WANT TO STAND 
UP TO IT BUT ACTUALLY SOME OF 
THOSE MORE SOCIALIST LEADING 
MEMBERS AREN'T EVEN ATTENDING 
TONIGHT IN PROTEST. 
>> EXACTLY.
THEY HAVE STAYED BACK.
THANKS VERY MUCH.
I WANT TO PICK UP ON THE 
IMMIGRATION ISSUE AND GO TO 
DEVIN.
YOU WERE JUST OUT IN IOWA 
TALKING TO PEOPLE UP IN 
NORTHEASTERN IOWA, I BELIEVE, 
ABOUT THE ISSUE.
DONALD TRUMP HAS CHANGED THE WAY
PEOPLE TALK ABOUT IT, AND YOU 
HEARD THAT.
>> YEAH.
I SURE DID, TERRY.
THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT DOESN'T 
ALWAYS DIVIDE EVENLY ALONG PARTY
LINES AS WELL.
NORTHEAST IOWA RELIES ON 
IMMIGRANTS FOR THEIR ECONOMY 
LIKE SO MANY OTHER PARTS OF THIS
COUNTRY.
BACK IN 2016, THEY WERE VERY 
CONCERNED ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S 
LANGUAGE.
THEY WANT THE LAWS ENFORCED, BUT
THEY WANT LEGAL IMMIGRANTS, TOO.
IT WAS AN INDICATOR OF WHERE THE
CONVERSATION IS AT ON THIS 
ISSUE.
SO MANY PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES ARE
FRUSTRATED.
THEY WANT SOME COMMON SENSE AS 
WE SEE THE SUPREME COURT 
JUSTICES COMING INTO THE CHAMBER
RIGHT NOW. 
>> RIGHT. 
>> SO I THINK YOU WILL SEE THE 
PRESIDENT USE THIS MOMENT 
TONIGHT TO PIVOT, TO PIVOT AWAY 
FROM IMMIGRATION AS BARBARA WAS 
MENTIONING.
YOU WILL SEE DEMOCRATS TRY TO DO
THE SAME THING.
THIS IS A BIG AUDIENCE FOR BOTH 
PARTIES.
$47 MILLION TUNING IN TONIGHT, 
TERRY.
WE WILL HEAR A LOT ABOUT HEALTH 
CARE AND IMMIGRATION, TWO ISSUES
YOU WILL HEAR A LOT ABOUT HEADED
INTO THIS CAMPAIGN THIS FALL. 
>> I WANT TO GO FOR BYRON FOR 
FINAL THOUGHTS HERE ON THE 
PERSON OF DONALD TRUMP, THE 
PERSONALITY.
POLITICIANS TEND TO BE.
BUT DONALD TRUMP CAME TO OFFICE 
WITH THE DELIBERATELY DIVISIVE 
LANGUAGE. 
>> I EXPECT MORE OF THE SAME.
THERE ARE THINGS HE CAN TALK 
ABOUT THAT HE'S DONE WELL WITH 
THAT WOULD GROW THE TENT LARGER.
YOU KNOW, HIS WORK WITH CRIMINAL
JUSTICE REFORM. 
>> AND THE SUPER BOWL STARTED 
HIS RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN. 
>> JUST TODAY I INTERVIEWED 50 
CENT FOR A STORY I'M WORKING ON,
AND HE TALKED ABOUT CRIMINAL 
JUSTICE REFORM AND GAVE A NOD TO
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED 
STATES.
AND SO YOU WOULD THINK THERE 
IS -- THERE WOULD BE A WAY FOR 
HIM TO LEAN INTO THAT TO ENLARGE
THE TENT.
AS I SAID, THAT'S NOT HIS STYLE.
>> DO YOU THINK HE'S DOING THAT,
THAT CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM AND
THAT AD WHERE THE BLACK WOMAN 
THAT GOT OUT OF PRISON, IS HE 
LOOKING TO TAKE BLACK VOTERS 
AWAY FROM THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY 
OR IS HE SENDING A MESSAGE TO 
OTHER VOTERS, TO WHITE VOTERS?
>> I WOULD TEND TO BELIEVE THAT 
IT IS THE SECOND, RIGHT?
THAT IT IS AN EFFORT TO SHOW 
THAT, SEE, DESPITE WHAT PEOPLE 
SAY ABOUT ME, LOOK AT WHAT I 
HAVE DONE.
BUT I THINK -- AND CERTAINLY 
MANY MINORITY COMMUNITIES ON A 
HOST OF ISSUES, THIS PRESIDENT 
IS NOT SEEN AS SOMEONE WHO 
WELCOMES THEM INTO THE TENT. 
>> NOT SO FAR ANYWAY.
WELL, WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A 
BREAK.
WHEN WE COME BACK, YOU WILL BE 
ON THE NETWORK WITH GEORGE 
STEPHANOPOULOS TO SEE THE 
PRESIDENT'S STATE OF THE UNION 
ADDRESS, THE CONGRESS, THE 
DIPLOMATIC COURT, THE SUPREME 
COURT ALL ASSEMBLED.
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED 
STATES WILL ENTER THAT CHAMBER 
SHORTLY AND PROBABLY TAKE A BIT 
OF A VICTORY LAP ON THE ECONOMY.
WE'LL BE BACK.
>>> LIVE FROM ABC NEWS, THE 
STATE OF THE UNION AND THE 
DEMOCRATIC RESPONSE.
NOW REPORTING, GEORGE 
STEPHANOPOULOS.
>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO 
OUR SPECIAL COVERAGE OF THE 
STATE OF THE UNION.
THESE ANNUAL SPEECHES ALWAYS A 
MOMENT OF HIGH POLITICAL 
THEATER.
THIS YEAR TAKES IT TO A BRAND 
NEW LEVEL.
THE PRESIDENT ABOUT TO ENTER A 
HOUSE CHAMBER WHERE JUST SEVEN 
WEEKS AGO, HE WAS IMPEACHED.
THAT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE, BILL 
CLINTON IN 1999.
BUT TRUMP IS THE FIRST PRESIDENT
IN MODERN HISTORY TO FACE 
RE-ELECTION AFTER IMPEACHMENT.
HE ENTERS THE CHAMBER ONE DAY 
BEFORE SENATORS WILL DELIVER THE
VERDICT IN HIS IMPEACHMENT 
TRIAL.
ACQUITTAL IS CERTAIN.
AND ONE DAY AFTER THE CHAOS AND 
CONFUSION OF IOWA'S DEMOCRATIC 
CAUCUS.
AS WE COME ON THE AIR TONIGHT, 
STILL NO OFFICIAL WINNER.
BUT THE RESULTS WE HAVE SHOW 
PETE BUTTIGIEG, BERNIE SANDERS 
AND ELIZABETH WARREN ALL AHEAD 
OF JOE BIDEN, WHO FOR MUCH OF 
THE LAST YEAR HAD BEEN POLLING 
BEST AGAINST PRESIDENT TRUMP.
AND TONIGHT, THE PRESIDENT'S 
AUDIENCE IN THE CHAMBER, EVEN 
MORE SPLIT THAN WE'VE COME TO 
EXPECT.
DEMOCRATS, LIKE NANCY PELOSI, 
YOU SEE HER RIGHT THERE, 
CONVINCED TRUMP IS A LAWLESS 
PRESIDENT WHO BETRAYED HIS OATH 
BY INVITING FOREIGN INTERFERENCE
IN OUR ELECTIONS.
CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS UNITED
BEHIND HIM, AT LEAST PUBLICLY, 
MANY ECHOING THE PRESIDENT'S 
CLAIM HE DID NOTHING WRONG IN 
HIS DEALINGS WITH UKRAINE.
ALL THIS AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF
AN ECONOMY GROWING FOR ITS 11th 
STRAIGHT YEAR, THE LONGEST 
EXPANSION IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
THAT, PLUS OVERWHELMING SUPPORT 
OF HIS GOP BASE HAS RISEN HIS 
POPULARITY TO HIS HIGHEST YET.
DAVID MUIR IS IN WASHINGTON, 
D.C.
PRESIDENT TRUMP CLEARLY BELIEVES
HE'S IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT.
>> AWARE OF THE POLL NUMBERS FOR
THIS PRESIDENT.
WE KNOW THE NUMBERS DRIVE THIS 
PRESIDENT, AWARE AT ALL TIMES 
WHERE THE POLLS ARE.
AWARE OF THE STRONG ECONOMY.
HE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT QUITE A 
BIT TONIGHT.
THE DOW HITTING 29,000 FOR THE 
FIRST TIME IN RECENT WEEKS.
AS YOU POINTED OUT, GEORGE, IT'S
NOT THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM, 
EVERYONE IN WASHINGTON AWARE 
THAT THE PRESIDENT IS ON THE EVE
OF ACQUITTAL IN THE SENATE 
IMPEACHMENT TRIAL.
HE HAS SURVIVED THE IMPEACHMENT 
HEARINGS AND THE TRIAL.
ALL EYES ON THE PRESIDENT, BUT 
ALSO ALL EYES TONIGHT ON HOW 
SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI, AND I HAVE
TO TELL YOU, GEORGE, AFTER WE 
MET WITH THE PRESIDENT, WHICH IS
A TRADITION TO MEET WITH THE 
PRESIDENT ON THE DAYS OF THESE 
ADDRESSES, BUT WE ALSO MET WITH 
HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI, WHO 
CONFIRMED THIS AFTERNOON THAT 
SHE HAS NOT SPOKEN WITH 
PRESIDENT TRUMP SINCE OCTOBER 
16th.
IT'S BEEN MONTHS SINCE THOSE TWO
HAVE HAD A PRIVATE CONVERSATION.
>> AND HERE COMES THE 
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS, PAUL IRVING, 
TO ANNOUNCE THE PRESIDENT.
>> MA DAM SPEAKER, THE PRESIDEN 
OF THE UNITED STATES.
>> PRESIDENT WORKING HIS WAY UP 
THE AISLE THERE.
MARY BRUCE, OUR SENIOR 
CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT, IF 
THE PRESIDENT IS BUOYANT, 
DEMOCRATS DEFIANT?
>> GEORGE, WE ARE NOW SEEING THE
PRESIDENT COMING FACE-TO-FACE 
FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH HIS 
ACCUSERS IN THIS IMPEACHMENT 
PROCESS.
THE BODY LANGUAGE ALONE HERE 
TONIGHT IS GOING TO BE 
FASCINATING.
THERE IS A LOT OF TENSION IN 
THAT ROOM.
WHILE IT IS NOT LIKELY THE 
PRESIDENT IS GOING TO BRING UP 
IMPEACHMENT, IT IS CLEAR THIS IS
GOING TO BE A VERY AWKWARD 
MOMENT FOR MANY INSIDE THAT 
CHAMBER.
YOU MENTIONED HOUSE SPEAKER 
NANCY PELOSI.
SHE'LL BE OVER HIS SHOULDER 
THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE SPEECH, 
HAVING LED HER PARTY IN 
IMPEACHING THE PRESIDENT.
SHE NOW IS EFFECTIVELY HAVING TO
WELCOME HIM INTO HER HOUSE.
AND THE PRESIDENT, WE KNOW, 
DIRECTLY IN HIS EYESIGHT TONIGHT
WILL BE THOSE HOUSE MANAGERS WHO
HAVE BEEN LEADING THE CASE 
AGAINST THE PRESIDENT IN THE 
SENATE.
NOW, REPUBLICANS THAT I HAVE 
TALKED TO HERE HAVE URGED THE 
PRESIDENT TO STEER CLEAR OF THE 
SUBJECT OF IMPEACHMENT ENTIRELY,
WHILE DEMOCRATS ARE BRACING FOR 
THE PRESIDENT TO TAKE SOMETHING 
OF A VICTORY LAP AND, IN FACT, 
GEORGE, ROUGHLY A DOZEN 
DEMOCRATS ARE SIMPLY SITTING IT 
OUT, SAYING THEY DON'T WANT TO 
DIGNIFY THE PRESIDENT'S ACTIONS 
WITH THEIR PRESENCE HERE 
TONIGHT.
>> SHAKING THE HAND THERE OF 
CHIEF JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS, WHO 
HAS BEEN PRESIDING OVER THE 
SENATE TRIAL.
JON KARL IS IN THE CHAMBER, AS 
WELL.
AND JON, IN PART BECAUSE OF 
IMPEACHMENT, THIS STATE OF THE 
UNION, A LITTLE LATER THAN MOST 
YEARS, IT CAME RIGHT AFTER THAT 
IOWA CAUCUS YESTERDAY.
THE PRESIDENT REVELING IN THAT 
CONFUSION.
>> HE CALLED IT, GEORGE, AN 
UNMITIGATED DISASTER THIS 
MORNING, BUT HE IS POSITIVELY 
GIDDY ABOUT THE CHAOS AND THE 
UNCERTAINTY AMONG THE DEMOCRATS,
WHILE HE HAS STRENGTHENED HIS 
GRIP ON THE REPUBLICAN PARTY 
GOING INTO THE CAMPAIGN.
AND MAKE NO MISTAKE, THIS, ABOVE
ALL, WILL BE A CAMPAIGN SPEECH 
TONIGHT.
>> PRESIDENT WALKING UP TO THE 
PODIUM.
LET'S SEE THE ENCOUNTER WITH THE
HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI.
HE WILL HAND BOTH THE SPEAKER 
AND THE VICE PRESIDENT A COPY OF
HIS SPEECH.
AN EXTENDED HAND FROM THE 
SPEAKER.
NOT SURE IF THE PRESIDENT SAW IT
OR NOT, BUT REGARDLESS, THEY 
DIDN'T SHAKE HANDS.
PRESIDENT WILL TAKE THIS IN FOR 
A FEW MINUTES, YOU SEE THE FIRST
LADY RIGHT THERE.
SHE'S JOINED IN HER BOX TONIGHT 
BY RUSH LIMBAUGH, TALK RADIO 
HOST, YOU SEE HIM RIGHT THERE.
HE, OF COURSE, ANNOUNCED 
YESTERDAY THAT HE'S FIGHTING 
LUNG CANCER.
>> MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, THE 
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
>> THERE YOU SEE THE WHOLE 
CHAMBER.
EXPECT MANY TIMES TONIGHT FOR 
ONE SIDE TO BE CHEERING, THE 
OTHER TO BE SITTING.
AND NOTICE ALL OF THAT WHITE IN 
THE ROOM.
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WEARING 
WHITE IN HONOR OF THE -- IF YOU 
NEED ANYMORE PROOF IT'S A 
POLITICAL SPEECH, THE CHANTS OF 
"FOUR MORE YEARS" FROM HOUSE AND
SENATE REPUBLICANS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MADAM SPEAKER, MR. VICE 
PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, 
THE FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED 
STATES -- 
[ APPLAUSE ]
AND MY FELLOW CITIZENS, THREE 
YEARS AGO, WE LAUNCHED THE GREAT
AMERICAN COMEBACK.
TONIGHT, I STAND BEFORE YOU TO 
SHARE THE INCREDIBLE RESULTS.
JOBS ARE BOOMING, INCOMES ARE 
SOARING, POVERTY IS PLUMMETING, 
CRIME IS FALLING, CONFIDENCE IS 
SURGING AND OUR COUNTRY IS 
THRIVING AND HIGHLY RESPECTED 
AGAIN.
[ APPLAUSE ]
AMERICA'S ENEMIES ARE ON THE R
N
RUN, AMERICA'S FORTUNES ARE ON 
THE RISE AND AMERICA'S FUTURE IS
BLAZING BRIGHT.
THE YEARS OF ECONOMIC DECAY ARE 
OVER.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THE DAYS OF OUR COUNTRY BEING 
USED, TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF, AND 
EVEN SCORNED BY OTHER NATIONS, 
ARE LONG BEHIND US.
GONE, TOO, ARE THE BROKEN 
PROMISES, JOBLESS RECOVERIES, 
TIRED PLATITUDES AND CONSTANT 
EXCUSES FOR THE DEPLETION OF 
AMERICAN WEALTH, POWER AND 
PRESTIGE.
IN JUST THREE SHORT YEARS, WE 
HAVE SHATTERED THE MENTALITY OF 
AMERICAN DECLINE AND WE HAVE 
REJECTED THE DOWNSIZING OF 
AMERICAN'S DESTINY.
WE HAVE TOTALLY REJECTED THE 
DOWNSIZING.
WE ARE MOVING FORWARD AS A PACE 
THAT WAS UNIMAGINABLE JUST A 
SHORT TIME AGO AND WE ARE NEVER,
EVER GOING BACK.
[ APPLAUSE ]
I AM THRILLED TO REPORT TO YOU 
TONIGHT THAT OUR ECONOMY IS THE 
BEST IT HAS EVER BEEN.
OUR MILITARY IS COMPLETELY 
REBUILT, WITH ITS POWER BEING 
UNMATCHED ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD 
AND IT'S NOT EVEN CLOSE.
OUR BORDERS ARE SECURE.
OUR FAMILIES ARE FLOURISH ING.
OUR VALUES ARE RENEWED.
OUR PRIDE IS RESTORED.
AND FOR ALL OF THESE REASONS, I 
SAY TO THE PEOPLE OF OUR GREAT 
COUNTRY AND TO THE MEMBERS OF 
CONGRESS, THE STATE OF OUR UNION
IS STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THE VISION I WILL LAY OUT THIS 
EVENING DEMONSTRATES HOW WE ARE 
BUILDING THE WORLD'S MOST 
PROSPEROUS AND INCLUSIVE 
SOCIETY, ONE WHERE EVERY CITIZEN
CAN JOIN IN AMERICA'S 
UNPARALLELED SUCCESS AND WHERE 
EVERY COMMUNITY CAN TAKE PART IN
AMERICA'S EXTRAORDINARY RISE.
FROM THE INSTANT I TOOK OFFICE, 
I MOVED RAPIDLY TO REVIVE THE 
U.S. ECONOMY, SLASHING A RECORD 
NUMBER OF JOB-KILLING 
REGULATIONS, ENACTING HISTORIC 
AND RECORD-SETTING TAX CUTS AND 
FIGHTING FOR FAIR AND RECIPROCAL
TRADE AGREEMENTS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
OUR AGENDA IS RELENTLESSLY PRO 
WORKER, PRO FAMILY, PRO GROWTH 
AND, MOST OF ALL, PRO AMERICAN.
[ APPLAUSE ]
[ APPLAUSE ]
THANK YOU.
WE ARE ADVANCING WITH UNBRIDLED 
OPTIMISM AND LIFTING OUR 
CITIZENS OF EVERY RACE, COLOR, 
RELIGION AND CREED VERY, VERY 
HIGH.
SINCE MY ELECTION, WE HAVE 
CREATED 7 MILLION NEW JOBS, 5 
MILLION MORE THAN GOVERNMENT 
EXPERTS PROJECTED DURING THE 
PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS THE 
LOWEST IN OVER HALF A CENTURY.
AND VERY INCREDIBLY, THE AVERAGE
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE UNDER MY 
ADMINISTRATION IS LOWER THAN ANY
ADMINISTRATION IN THE HISTORY OF
OUR COUNTRY.
[ APPLAUSE ]
IF WE HADN'T REVERSED THE FAILED
ECONOMIC POLICIES OF THE 
PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, THE 
WORLD WOULD NOT NOW BE 
WITNESSING THIS GREAT ECONOMIC 
SUCCESS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR 
AFRICAN-AMERICANS, 
HISPANIC-AMERICANS AND 
ASIAN-AMERICANS HAS REACHED THE 
LOWEST LEVELS IN HISTORY.
AFRICAN-AMERICAN YOUTH 
UNEMPLOYMENT HAS REACHED AN 
ALL-TIME LOW.
AFRICAN-AMERICAN POVERTY HAS 
DECLINED TO THE LOWEST RATE EVER
RECORDED.
THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR WOMEN 
REACHED THE LOWEST LEVEL IN 
ALMOST 70 YEARS, AND LAST YEAR, 
WOMEN FILLED 72% OF ALL NEW JOBS
ADDED.
THE VETERANS UNEMPLOYMENT RATE 
DROPPED TO A RECORD LOW.
THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR 
DISABLED AMERICANS HAS REACHED 
AN ALL-TIME LOW.
WORKERS WITHOUT A HIGH SCHOOL 
DIPLOMA HAVE ACHIEVED THE LOWEST
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE RECORDED IN 
U.S. HISTORY.
A RECORD NUMBER OF YOUNG 
AMERICANS ARE NOW EMPLOYED.
UNDER THE LAST ADMINISTRATION, 
MORE THAN 10 MILLION PEOPLE WERE
ADDED TO THE FOOD STAMP ROLLS.
UNDER MY ADMINISTRATION, 7 
MILLION AMERICANS HAVE COME OFF 
FOOD STAMPS AND 10 MILLION 
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LIFTED OFF OF 
WELFARE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
IN EIGHT YEARS UNDER THE LAST 
ADMINISTRATION, OVER 300,000 
WORKING-AGE PEOPLE DROPPED OUT 
OF THE WORK FORCE.
IN JUST THREE YEARS OF MY 
ADMINISTRATION, 3.5 MILLION 
PEOPLE, WORKING-AGE PEOPLE, HAVE
JOINED THE WORK FORCE.
SINCE MY ELECTION, THE NET WORTH
OF THE BOTTOM HALF OF WAGE 
EARNERS HAS INCREASED BY 47%, 
THREE TIMES FASTER THAN THE 
INCREASE FOR THE TOP 1%.
AFTER DECADES OF FLAT AND 
FALLING INCOMES, WAGES ARE 
RISING FAST AND WONDERFULLY, 
THEY ARE RISING FASTEST FOR LOW 
INCOME WORKERS WHO HAVE SEEN A 
16% PAY INCREASE SINCE MY 
ELECTION.
THIS IS A BLUE COLLAR BOOM.
[ APPLAUSE ]
REAL MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS 
NOW AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL EVER 
RECORDED.
SINCE MY ELECTION, U.S. STOCK 
MARKETS HAVE SOARED, 70% ADDING 
MORE THAN $12 TRILLION TO OUR 
NATION'S WEALTH, TRANSCENDING 
ANYTHING ANYONE BELIEVED WAS 
POSSIBLE.
THIS IS A RECORD.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT EVERY 
COUNTRY IN THE WORLD IS LOOKING 
UP TO, THEY ADMIRE.
CONSUMER CONFIDENCE HAS JUST 
REACHED AMAZING NEW HIGHS.
ALL OF THOSE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE 
WITH 401(k)s AND PENSIONS ARE 
DOING FAR BETTER THAN THEY HAVE 
EVER DONE BEFORE WITH INCREASES 
OF 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 100% AND 
EVEN MORE.
JOBS ARE POURING INTO 
NEIGHBORHOODS THANKS TO 
OPPORTUNITY ZONES, A PLAN 
SPEARHEADED BY SENATOR TIM SCOTT
AS PART OF OUR GREAT REPUBLICAN 
TAX CUTS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
IN OTHER WORDS, WEALTHY PEOPLE 
AND COMPANIES ARE POURING MONEY 
INTO POOR NEIGHBORHOODS OR AREAS
THAT HAVEN'T SEEN INVESTMENT IN 
MANY DECADES, CREATING JOBS, 
ENERGY AND EXCITEMENT.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT 
THESE DESERVING COMMUNITIES HAVE
SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS.
IT'S ALL WORKING.
OPPORTUNITY ZONES ARE HELPING 
AMERICANS LIKE ARMY VETERAN TONY
RANKINS FROM CINCINNATI, OHIO.
AFTER STRUGGLING WITH DRUG 
ADDICTION, TONY LOST HIS JOB, 
HIS HOUSE AND HIS FAMILY.
HE WAS HOMELESS.
BUT THEN, TONY FOUND A 
CONSTRUCTION COMPANY THAT 
INVESTS IN OPPORTUNITY ZONES.
HE IS NOW A TOP TRADESMAN, DRUG 
FREE, REUNITED WITH HIS FAMILY 
AND HE IS HERE TONIGHT.
TONY, KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK.
TONY.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THANK YOU, TONY.
OUR ROARING ECONOMY HAS, FOR THE
FIRST TIME EVER, GIVEN MANY 
FORMER PRISONERS THE ABILITY TO 
GET A GREAT JOB AND A FRESH 
START.
THE SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE IS 
MADE POSSIBLE BECAUSE WE PASSED 
LANDMARK CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM
INTO LAW.
EVERYBODY SAID THAT CRIMINAL 
JUSTICE REFORM COULDN'T BE DONE,
BUT I GOT IT DONE AND THE PEOPLE
IN THIS ROOM GOT IT DONE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THANKS TO OUR BOLD, REGULATORY 
REDUCTION CAMPAIGN, THE UNITED 
STATES HAS BECOME THE NUMBER ONE
PRODUCER OF OIL AND NATURAL GAS 
ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, BY FAR.
WITH THE TREMENDOUS PROGRESS WE 
HAVE MADE OVER THE PAST THREE 
YEARS, AMERICA IS NOW ENERGY 
INDEPENDENT AND ENERGY JOBS, 
LIKE SO MANY OTHER ELEMENTS OF 
OUR COUNTRY, ARE AT A RECORD 
HIGH.
WE ARE DOING NUMBERS THAT NO ONE
WOULD HAVE THOUGHT POSSIBLE JUST
THREE YEARS AGO.
L
LIKEWISE, WE ARE STORING OUR 
NATION'S MANUFACTURING MIGHT, 
EVEN THOUGH PREDICTIONS WERE, AS
YOU ALL KNOW, THAT THIS COULD 
NEVER, EVER BE DONE.
AFTER LOSING 60,000 FACTORIES 
UNDER THE PREVIOUS TWO 
ADMINISTRATIONS, AMERICA HAS NOW
GAINED 12,000 NEW FACTORIES 
UNDER MY ADMINISTRATION, WITH 
THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF 
PLANTS AND FACTORIES BEING 
PLANNED OR BEING BUILT.
COMPANIES ARE NOT LEAVING, THEY 
ARE COMING BACK TO THE USA.
THE FACT IS THAT EVERYBODY WANTS
TO BE WHERE THE ACTION IS, AND 
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS,
INDEED, THE PLACE WHERE THE 
ACTION IS.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROMISES I 
MADE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WAS 
TO REPLACE THE DISASTROUS NAFTA 
TRADE DEAL.
IN FACT, UNFAIR TRADE IS PERHAPS
THE SINGLE BIGGEST REASON THAT I
DECIDED TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT.
FOLLOWING NAFTA'S ADOPTION, OUR 
NATION LOST 1 IN 4 MANUFACTURING
JOBS.
MANY POLITICIANS CAME AND WENT, 
PLEDGING TO CHANGE OR REPLACE 
NAFTA, ONLY TO DO SO AND THEN 
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HAPPENED.
BUT UNLIKE SO MANY WHO CAME 
BEFORE ME, I KEEP MY PROMISES.
WE DID OUR JOB.
SIX DAYS AGO, I REPLACED NAFTA 
AND SIGNED THE BRAND NEW 
U.S./MEXICO/CANADA AGREEMENT 
INTO LAW.
THE USMCA WILL CREATE NEARLY 
100,000 NEW HIGH PAYING AMERICAN
AUTO JOBS AND MASSIVELY BOOST 
EXPORTS FOR OUR FARMERS, 
RANCHERS AND FACTORY WORKERS.
IT WILL ALSO BRING TRADE WITH 
MEXICO AND CANADA TO A MUCH 
HIGHER LEVEL, BUT ALSO TO BE A 
MUCH GREATER DEGREE OF FAIRNESS 
AND RECIPROCITY, WE WILL HAVE 
THAT, FAIRNESS AND RECIPROCITY, 
AND I SAID THAT, FINALLY, 
BECAUSE IT'S BEEN MANY, MANY 
YEARS THAT WE WERE TREATED 
FAIRLY ON TRADE.
THIS IS THE FIRST MAJOR TRADE 
DEAL IN MANY YEARS TO EARN THE 
STRONG BACKING OF AMERICA'S 
LABOR UNIONS.
I ALSO PROMISED OUR CITIZENS 
THAT I WOULD IMPOSE TARIFFS TO 
CONFRONT CHINA'S MASSIVE THEFT 
OF AMERICA'S JOBS.
OUR STRATEGY HAS WORKED.
DAYS AGO, WE SIGNED THE 
GROUNDBREAKING NEW AGREEMENT 
WITH CHINA THAT WILL DEFEND OUR 
WORKERS, PROTECT OUR 
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, BRING 
BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS
INTO OUR TREASURY AND OPEN VAST 
NEW MARKETS FOR PRODUCTS MADE 
AND GROWN RIGHT HERE IN THE USA.
[ APPLAUSE ]
FOR DECADES, CHINA HAS TAKEN 
ADVANTAGE OF THE UNITED STATES.
NOW WE HAVE CHANGED THAT, BUT AT
THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE PERHAPS 
THE BEST RELATIONSHIP WE'VE EVER
HAD WITH CHINA, INCLUDING WITH 
PRESIDENT XI.
THEY RESPECT WHAT WE'VE DONE, 
BECAUSE, QUITE FRANKLY, THEY 
COULD NEVER REALLY BELIEVE THAT 
THEY WERE ABLE TO GET AWAY WITH 
WHAT THEY WERE DOING, YEAR AFTER
YEAR, DECADE AFTER DECADE, 
WITHOUT SOMEONE IN OUR COUNTRY 
STEPPING UP AND SAYING, THAT'S 
ENOUGH.
NOW, WE WANT TO REBUILD OUR 
COUNTRY AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT 
WE'RE DOING.
WE ARE REBUILDING OUR COUNTRY.
AS WE RESTORE AMERICAN 
LEADERSHIP THROUGHOUT THE WORLD,
WE ARE ONCE AGAIN STANDING UP 
FOR FREEDOM IN OUR HEMISPHERE.
THAT'S WHY MY ADMINISTRATION 
REVERSED THE FAILING POLICIES OF
THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION ON 
CUBA.
WE ARE SUPPORTING THE HOPES OF 
CUBANS, NICARAGUANS AND 
VENEZUELANS TO RESTORE 
DEMOCRACY.
THE UNITED STATES IS LEADING A 
59-NATION DIPLOMATIC COALITION 
AGAINST THE SOCIALIST DICTATOR 
OF VENEZUELA, NICOLAS MADURO.
MADURO IS AN ILLEGITIMATE RULER,
A TYRANT WHO BRUTALIZES HIS P
K
PEOPLE, BUT HIS GRIP ON TYRANNY 
WILL BE SMASHED AND BROKEN.
HERE THIS EVENING IS A VERY 
BRAVE MAN WHO CARRIES WITH HIM 
THE HOPES, DREAMS AND 
ASPIRATIONS OF ALL VENEZUELANS.
JOINING US IN THE GALLERY IS THE
TRUE AND LEGITIMATE PRESIDENT OF
VENEZUELA, JUAN GUAIDO.
MR. PRESIDENT, PLEASE TAKE THE 
MESSAGE BACK TO YOUR PEOPLE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
GREAT HONOR, THANK YOU VERY 
MUCH.
PLEASE TAKE THIS MESSAGE BACK 
THAT ALL AMERICANS ARE UNITED 
WITH THE VENEZUELAN PEOPLE IN 
THEIR RIGHTEOUS STRUGGLE FOR 
FREEDOM.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. 
PRESIDENT.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SOCIALISM DESTROYS NATIONS, BUT 
ALWAYS REMEMBER, FREEDOM UNIFIES
THE SOUL.
TO SAFEGUARD AMERICAN LIBERTY, 
WE HAVE INVESTED A 
RECORD-BREAKING $2.2 TRILLION IN
THE UNITED STATES MILITARY.
WE HAVE PURCHASED THE FINEST 
PLANES, MISSILES, ROCKETS, SHIPS
AND EVERY OTHER FORM OF MILITARY
EQUIPMENT AND IT'S ALL MADE 
RIGHT HERE IN THE USA.
WE ARE ALSO GETTING OUR ALLIES, 
FINALLY, TO HELP PAY THEIR FAIR 
SHARE.
I HAVE RAISED CONTRIBUTIONS FROM
OTHER NATO MEMBERS BY MORE THAN 
$400 BILLION AND THE NUMBER OF 
ALLIES MEETING THEIR MINIMUM 
OBLIGATION HAS MORE THAN 
DOUBLED.
AND JUST WEEKS AGO, FOR THE 
FIRST TIME SINCE PRESIDENT 
TRUMAN ESTABLISHED THE AIR 
FORCE, MORE THAN 70 YEARS 
EARLIER, WE CREATED A BRAND NEW 
BRANCH OF THE UNITED STATES 
ARMED FORCES, IT'S CALLED THE 
SPACE FORCE.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
[ APPLAUSE ]
IN THE GALLERY TONIGHT, WE HAVE 
A YOUNG GENTLEMAN AND WHAT HE 
WANTS SO BADLY.
13 YEARS OLD, IAN, HE'S AN 
EIGHTH GRADER FROM ARIZONA, 
IAIN, PLEASE STAND UP.
IAIN HAS ALWAYS DREAMED OF GOING
TO SPACE.
HE WAS THE FIRST IN HIS CLASS 
AND AMONG THE YOUNGEST AT AN 
AVIATION ACADEMY.
HE ASPIRES TO GO TO THE AIR 
FORCE ACADEMY AND THEN HE HAS 
HIS EYE ON THE SPACE FORCE.
AS IAIN SAYS, MOST PEOPLE LOOK 
UP AT SPACE, I WANT TO LOOK DOWN
ON THE WORLD.
[ APPLAUSE ]
BUT SITTING BEHIND IAIN TONIGHT 
IS HIS GREATEST HERO OF THEM 
ALL, CHARLES McGEE.
WAS BORN IN CLEVELAND, OHIO, ONE
CENTURY AGO.
CHARLES IS ONE OF THE LAST 
SURVIVING DOES KEY GEE AIRMEN.
THE FIRST BLACK FIGHTER PILOTS.
AND HE ALSO HAPPENS TO BE IAIN'S
GREAT-GRANDFATHER.
[ APPLAUSE ]
MAUSS PLACE
INCREDIBLE STORY.
AFTER MORE THAN 130 COMBAT 
MISSIONS IN WORLD WAR II, HE 
CAME BACK HOME TO A COUNTRY 
STILL STRUGGLING FOR CIVIL 
RIGHTS AND WENT ON TO SERVE 
AMERICA IN KOREA AND VIETNAM.
ON DECEMBER 7th, CHARLES 
CELEBRATED HIS 100th BIRTHDAY.
[ APPLAUSE ]
A FEW WEEKS AGO, I SIGNED A BILL
PROMOTING CHARLES TO BRIGADIER 
GENERAL, AND EARLIER TODAY, I 
PINNED THE STARS ON HIS 
SHOULDERS IN THE OVAL OFFICE.
GENERAL McGEE, OUR NATION 
SALUTES YOU.
THANK YOU, SIR.
[ APPLAUSE ]
FROM THE BILL GRIMPILGRIMS TO T 
FOUNDERS, TO THE SOLDIERSAL 
VALLEY FORGE TO THE MARCHERS AT 
SELMA, AND FROM PRESIDENT 
LINCOLN TO THE REVEREND MARTIN 
LUTHER KING, AMERICANS HAVE 
ALWAYS REJECTED LIMITS ON OUR 
CHILDREN'S FUTURE.
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, WE MUST 
NEVER FORGET THAT THE ONLY 
VICTORIES THAT MATTER IN 
WASHINGTON ARE VICTORIES THAT 
DELIVER FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THE PEOPLE ARE THE HEART OF OUR 
COUNTRY.
THEIR DREAMS ARE THE SOUL OF OUR
COUNTRY AND THEIR LOVE IS WHAT 
POWERS AND SUSTAINS OUR COUNTRY.
WE MUST ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT OUR
JOB IS TO PUT AMERICA FIRST.
THE NEXT STEP FORWARD IN 
BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE SOCIETY IS
MAKING SURE THAT EVERY YOUNG 
AMERICAN GETS A GREAT EDUCATION 
AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE 
THE AMERICAN DREAM.
YET, FOR TOO LONG, COUNTLESS 
AMERICAN CHILDREN HAVE BEEN 
TRAPPED IN FAILING GOVERNMENT 
SCHOOLS.
TO RESCUE THESE STUDENTS, 18 
STATES HAVE CREATED SCHOOL 
CHOICE IN THE FORM OF 
OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIPS.
THE PROGRAMS ARE SO POPULAR THAT
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS 
REMAIN ON A WAITING LIST.
ONE OF THOSE STUDENTS IS JANIYAH
DAVIS, A FOURTH GRADER FROM 
PHILADELPHIA.
JANIYAH.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> JANIYAH'S MOM, STEPHANIE, IS 
A SINGLE PARENT.
SHE WOULD DO ANYTHING TO GIVE 
HER DAUGHTER A BETTER FUTURE, 
BUT LAST YEAR, THAT FUTURE WAS 
PUT FURTHER OUT OF REACH WHEN 
PENNSYLVANIA'S GOVERNOR VETOED 
LEGISLATION TO EXPAND SCHOOL 
CHOICE TO 50,000 CHILDREN.
JA 
JANIYAH AND STEPHANIE ARE IN THE
GALLERY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING 
HERE, STEPHANIE, WITH YOUR 
BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[ APPLAUSE ]
BUT JANIYAH, I HAVE SOME GOOD 
NEWS FOR YOU.
BECAUSE I AM PLEASED TO INFORM 
YOU THAT YOUR LONG WAIT IS OVER.
I CAN PROUDLY ANNOUNCE TONIGHT 
THAT AN OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIP 
HAS BECOME AVAILABLE, IT'S GOING
TO YOU AND YOU WILL SOON BE 
HEADING TO THE SCHOOLLE OF YOUR 
CHOICE.
NOW, I CALL ON CONGRESS TO GIVE 
1 MILLION AMERICAN CHILDREN THE 
SAME OPPORTUNITY JANIYAH HAS 
JUST RECEIVED.
PASS THE EDUCATION FREEDOM 
SCHOLARSHIPS AND OPPORTUNITIES 
ACT, BECAUSE NO PARENT SHOULD BE
FORCED TO SEND THEIR CHILD TO A 
FAILING GOVERNMENT SCHOOL.
[ APPLAUSE ]
EVERY YOUNG PERSON SHOULD HAVE A
SAFE AND SECURE ENVIRONMENT IN 
WHICH TO LEARN AND TO GROW.
FOR THIS REASON, OUR MAGNIFICENT
FIRST LADY HAS LAUNCHED THE BE 
BEST INITIATIVE TO ADVANCE A 
SAFE, HEALTHY, SUPPORTIVE AND 
DRUG-FREE LIFE FOR THE NEXT 
GENERATION.
ONLINE, IN SCHOOL AND IN OUR 
COMMUNITIES.
THANK YOU, MELANIA, FOR YOUR 
EXTRAORDINARY LOVE AND PROFOUND 
CARE FOR AMERICA'S CHILDREN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[ APPLAUSE ]
MY ADMINISTRATION IS DETERMINED 
TO GIVE OUR CITIZENS THE 
OPPORTUNITIES THEY NEED, 
REGARDLESS OF AGE OR BACKGROUND.
THROUGH OUR PLEDGE TO AMERICAN 
WORKERS, OVER 400 COMPANIES WILL
ALSO PROVIDE NEW JOBS AND 
EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES TO 
ALMOST 15 MILLION AMERICANS.
MY BUDGET ALSO CONTAINS AN 
EXCITING VISION FOR OUR NATION'S
HIGH SCHOOLS.
TONIGHT, I ASK CONGRESS TO 
SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AND BACK MY
PLAN TO OFFER VOCATIONAL AND 
TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN EVERY 
SINGLE HIGH SCHOOL IN AMERICA.
[ APPLAUSE ]
TO EXPAND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, I 
AM ALSO PROUD THAT WE ACHIEVED 
RECORD AND PERMANENT FUNDING FOR
OUR NATION'S HISTORICALLY BLACK 
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.
[ APPLAUSE ]
A GOOD LIFE FOR AMERICAN 
FAMILIES ALSO REQUIRED THE MOST 
AFFORDABLE, INNOVATIVE HEALTH 
CARE SYSTEM ON EARTH.
BEFORE I TOOK OFFICE, HEALTH 
INSURANCE PREMIUMS HAD MORE THAN
DOUBLED IN JUST FIVE YEARS.
I MOVED QUICKLY TO PROVIDE 
AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVES, OUR NEW
PLANS ARE UP TO 60% LESS 
EXPENSIVE AND BETTER.
[ APPLAUSE ]
I'VE ALSO MADE AN IRONCLAD 
PREJUDICE 
PLEDGE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, 
WE WILL ALSO PROTECT AMERICANS 
WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS.
AND WE WILL ALWAYS PROTECT YOUR 
MEDICARE AND WE WILL ALWAYS 
PROTECT YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY.
ALWAYS.
THE AMERICAN PATIENT SHOULD 
NEVER BE BLINDSIDED BY MEDICAL 
BILLS.
THAT IS WHY I SIGNED AN 
EXECUTIVE ORDER REQUIRING PRICE 
TRANSPARENCY.
MANY EXPERTS BELIEVE THAT TRANCE
PART SI, WHICH WILL GO INTO 
EFFECT AT THE BEGINNING OF NEXT 
YEAR, WILL BE EVEN BIGGER THAN 
HEALTH CARE REFORM.
IT WILL SAVE FAMILIES MASSIVE 
AMOUNTS OF MONEY FOR 
SUBSTANTIALLY BETTER CARE, BUT 
AS WE WORK TO IMPROVE AMERICAN'S
HEALTH CARE, THERE ARE THOSE WHO
WANT TO TAKE AWAY YOUR HEALTH 
CARE, TAKE AWAY YOUR DOCTOR AND 
ABOLISH PRIVATE INSURANCE 
ENTIRELY.
132 LAWMAKERS IN THIS ROOM HAVE 
ENDORSED LEGISLATION TO IMPOSE A
SOCIALIST TAKEOVER OF OUR HEALTH
CARE SYSTEM, WIPING OUT THE 
PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS 
OF 180 MILLION VERY HAPPY 
AMERICANS.
TO THOSE WATCHING AT HOME 
TONIGHT, I WANT YOU TO KNOW, WE 
WILL NEVER LET SOCIALISM DESTROY
AMERICAN HEALTH CARE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
OVER 130 LEGISLATORS IN THIS 
CHAMBER HAVE ENDORSED 
LEGISLATION THAT WOULD BANKRUPT 
OUR NATION BY PROVIDING FREE 
TAXPAYER-FUNDED HEALTH CARE TO 
MILLIONS OF ILLEGAL ALIENS, 
FORCING TAXPAYERS TO SUBSIDIZE 
FREE CARE TO ANYONE IN THE WORLD
WHO UNLAWFULLY CROSSES OUR 
BORDERS.
THESE PROPOSALS WOULD RAID THE 
MEDICARE BENEFITS OF OUR SENIORS
AND THAT OUR SENIORS DEPEND ON, 
WHILE ACTING AS A POWERFUL LURE 
FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.
THAT IS WHAT IS HAPPENING IN 
CALIFORNIA AND OTHER STATES, 
THEIR SYSTEMS ARE TOTALLY OUT OF
CONTROL, COSTING TAXPAYERS VAST 
AND UNAFFORDABLE AMOUNTS OF 
MONEY.
IF FORCING AMERICAN TAXPAYERS TO
PROVIDE UNLIMITED FREE HEALTH 
CARE TO ILLEGAL ALIENS SOUNDS 
FAIR TO YOU, THEN STAND WITH THE
RADICAL LEFT, BUT IF YOU BELIEVE
THAT WE SHOULD DEFEND AMERICAN 
PATIENTS AND AMERICAN SENIORS, 
THEN STAND WITH ME AND PASS 
LEGISLATION TO PROHIBIT FREE 
GOVERNMENT HEALTH CARE FOR 
ILLEGAL ALIENS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THIS WILL BE A TREMENDOUS BOON 
TO OUR ALREADY VERY 
STRONGLY-GUARDED SOUTHERN 
BORDER, WHERE, AS WE SPEAK, A 
LONG, TALL AND VERY POWERFUL 
WALL IS BEING BUILT.
[ APPLAUSE ]
WE HAVE NOW COMPLETED OVER 100 
MILES AND HAVE OVER 500 MILES 
FULLY COMPLETED IN A VERY SHORT 
PERIOD OF TIME.
EARLY NEXT YEAR, WE WILL HAVE 
SUBSTANTIALLY MORE THAN 500 
MILES COMPLETED.
MY ADMINISTRATION IS ALSO TAKING
ON THE BIG PHARMACEUTICAL 
COMPANIES.
WE HAVE APPROVED A RECORD NUMBER
OF AFFORDABLE GENERIC DRUGS AND 
MEDICINES ARE BEING APPROVED BY 
THE FDA AT A FASTER CLIP THAN 
EVER BEFORE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
AND I WAS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE 
LAST YEAR THAT FOR THE FIRST 
TIME IN 51 YEARS, THE COST OF 
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS ACTUALLY WENT
DOWN.
AND WORKING TOGETHER, CONGRESS 
CAN REDUCE DRUG PRICES 
SUBSTANTIALLY FROM CURRENT 
LEVELS.
I'VE BEEN SPEAKING TO SENATOR 
CHUCK GRASSLEY OF IOWA AND 
OTHERS IN CONGRESS IN ORDER TO 
GET SOMETHING ON DRUG PRICING 
DONE AND DONE QUICKLY AND 
PROPERLY.
I'M CALLING FOR BIPARTISAN 
LEGISLATION THAT ACHIEVES THE 
GOAL OF DRAMATICALLY LOWERING 
PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES.
GET A BILL ON MY DESK AND I WILL
SIGN IT INTO LAW IMMEDIATELY.
WITH UNYIELDING COMMITMENT, WE 
ARE CURBING THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC,
DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS DECLINED 
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NEARLY 30 
YEARS.
AMONG THE STATE'S HARDEST HIT, 
OHIO IS DOWN 22%, PENNSYLVANIA 
IS DOWN 18%, WISCONSIN IS DOWN 
10% AND WE WILL NOT QUIT UNTIL 
WE HAVE BEATEN THE OPIOID 
EPIDEMIC ONCE AND FOR ALL.
PROTECTING AMERICAN'S HEALTH 
ALSO MEANS FIGHTING INFECTIOUS 
DISEASES.
WE ARE COORDINATING WITH THE 
CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND WORKING 
CLOSELY TOGETHER ON THE CRO
CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK IN CHINA.
MY ADMINISTRATION WILL TAKE ALL 
NECESSARY STEPS TO SAFEGUARD OUR
CITIZENS FROM THIS THREAT.
WE HAVE LAUNCHED AMBITIOUS NEW 
INITIATIVES TO SUBSTANTIALLY 
IMPROVE CARE FOR AMERICANS WITH 
KIDNEY DISEASE, ALZHEIMER'S AND 
THOSE STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL 
HEALTH.
AND BECAUSE CONGRESS WAS SO GOOD
AS TO FUND MY REQUEST, NEW CURES
FOR CHILDHOOD CANCER, AND WE 
WILL ERADICATE THE AIDS EPIDEMIC
IN AMERICA BY THE END OF THIS 
DECADE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
ALMOST EVERY AMERICAN FAMILY 
KNOWS THE PAIN WHEN A LOVED ONE 
IS DIAGNOSED WITH A SERIOUS 
ILLNESS.
HERE TONIGHT IS A SPECIAL MAN.
BELOVED BY MILLIONS OF AMERICANS
WHO JUST RECEIVED A STAGE FOUR 
ADVANCED CANCER DIAGNOSIS.
THIS IS NOT GOOD NEWS, BUT WHAT 
IS GOOD NEWS IS THAT HE IS THE 
GREATEST FIGHTER AND WINNER THAT
YOU WILL EVER MEET.
RUSH LIMBAUGH, THANK YOU FOR 
YOUR DECADES OF TIRELESS 
DEVOTION TO OUR COUNTRY.
[ APPLAUSE ]
AND RUSH, IN RECOGNITION OF ALL 
THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR OUR 
NATION, THE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE A
DAY THAT YOU SPEAK TO AND THAT 
YOU INSPIRE AND ALL OF THE 
INCREDIBLE WORK THAT YOU HAVE 
DONE FOR CHARITY, I AM PROUD TO 
ANNOUNCE TONIGHT THAT YOU WILL 
BE RECEIVING OUR COUNTRY'S 
HIGHEST CIVILIAN HONOR, THE 
PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM.
[ APPLAUSE ]
[ APPLAUSE ]
I WILL NOW ASK THE FIRST LADY OF
THE UNITED STATES TO PRESENT YOU
WITH THE HONOR.
PLEASE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
[ APPLAUSE ]
[ APPLAUSE ]
RUSH AND CATHERINE, 
CONGRATULATIONS.
THANK YOU, CATHERINE.
AS WE PRAY FOR ALL WHO ARE SICK,
WE KNOW THAT AMERICA IS 
CONSTANTLY ACHIEVING NEW MEDICAL
BREAKTHROUGHS.
IN 2017, DOCTORS AT ST. LUKE'S 
HOSPITAL IN KANSAS CITY 
DELIVERED ONE OF THE EARLIEST 
PREMATURE BABIES EVER TO 
SURVIVE.
BORN AT JUST 21 WEEKS AND 6 
DAYS, AND WEIGHING LESS THAN A 
POUND, ELLIE SCHNEIDER WAS A 
BORN FIGHTER.
THROUGH THE SKILL OF HER DOCTORS
AND THE PRAYERS OF HER PARENTS, 
LITTLE ELLIE KEPT ON WINNING THE
BATTLE OF LIFE.
TODAY, ELLIE IS A STRONG, 
HEALTHY 2-YEAR-OLD GIRL SITTING 
WITH HER AMAZING MOTHER, ROBIN, 
IN THE GALLERY.
ELLIE AND ROBIN, WE ARE GLAD TO 
HAVE YOU WITH US TONIGHT.
[ APPLAUSE ]
ELLIE REMINDS US THAT EVERY 
CHILD IS A MIRACLE OF LIFE AND 
THANKS TO MODERN MEDICAL 
WONDERS, 50% OF VERY PREMATURE 
BABIES DELIVERED AT THE HOSPITAL
WHERE ELLIE WAS BORN NOW 
SURVIVE.
INCREDIBLE THING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OUR GOAL SHOULD BE TO ENSURE 
THAT EVERY BABY HAS THE BEST 
CHANCE TO THRIVE AND GROW JUST 
LIKE ELLIE.
THAT IS WHY I'M ASKING CONGRESS 
TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL $50 
MILLION TO FUND NEO NATAL 
RESEARCH FOR AMERICA'S YOUNGEST 
PATIENTS.
THAT IS WHY I'M ALSO CALLING 
UPON MEMBERS OF CONGRESS HERE 
TONIGHT TO PASS LEGISLATION 
FINALLY BANNING THE LATE-TERM 
ABORTION OF BABIES.
[ APPLAUSE ]
[ APPLAUSE ]
WHETHER WE ARE REPUBLICAN, 
DEMOCRAT OR INDEPENDENT, SURELY 
WE MUST ALL AGREE THAT EVERY 
HUMAN LIFE IS A SACRED GIFT FROM
GOD, AS WE SUPPORT AMERICA'S 
MOMS AND DADS, I WAS RECENTLY 
PROUD TO SIGN THE LAW PROVIDING 
NEW PARENTS IN THE FEDERAL WORK 
FORCE PAID FAMILY LEAVE, SERVING
AS A MODEL FOR THE REST OF THE 
COUNTRY.
[ APPLAUSE ]
NOW I CALL ON CONGRESS TO PASS 
THE BIPARTISAN ADVANCING SUPPORT
FOR WORKING FAMILIES ACT, 
EXTENDING FAMILY LEAVE TO 
MOTHERS AND FATHERS ALL ACROSS 
OUR NATION.
40 MILLION AMERICAN FAMILIES 
HAVE AN AVERAGE $2,200 EXTRA 
THANKS TO OUR CHILD TAX CREDIT.
I'VE ALWAYS OVERSEEN HISTORIC 
FUNDING INCREASES FOR HIGH 
QUALITY CHILD CARE, ENABLING 17 
STATES TO HELP MORE CHILDREN, 
MANY OF WHICH HAVE REDUCED OR 
ELIM
ELIMINATED THEIR WAIT LISTS 
ALTOGETHER.
AND I SENT CONGRESS A PLAN WITH 
A VISION TO FURTHER EXPAND 
ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY CHILD 
CARE AND URGE YOU TO ACT 
IMMEDIATELY.
TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT, DAYS
AGO, I ANNOUNCED THAT THE UNITED
STATES WILL JOIN THE 1 TRILLION 
TREES INITIATIVE, AN AMBITIOUS 
EFFORT TO BRING TOGETHER 
GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE SECTOR TO
PLANT NEW TREES IN AMERICA AND 
ALL AROUND THE WORLD.
[ APPLAUSE ]
WE MUST ALSO REBUILD AMERICA'S 
IN
INFRASTRUCTURE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
I ASK YOU TO PASS THE HIGHWAY 
BILL TO INVEST IN NEW ROADS, 
BRIDGES AND TUNNELS ALL ACROSS 
OUR LAND.
I'M ALSO COMMITTED TO ENSURING 
THAT EVERY CITIZEN CAN HAVE 
ACCESS TO HIGH SPEED INTERNET, 
INCLUDING AND ESPECIALLY IN 
RURAL AMERICA.
[ APPLAUSE ]
A BETTER TOMORROW FOR ALL 
AMERICANS ALSO REQUIRES US TO 
KEEP AMERICA SAFE.
THAT MEANS SUPPORTING THE MEN 
AND WOMEN OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AT 
EVERY LEVEL, INCLUDING OUR 
NATION'S HEROIC I.C.E. OFFICERS.
LAST YEAR, OUR BRAVE I.C.E. 
OFFICERS ARRESTED MORE THAN 
120,000 CRIMINAL ALIENS CHARGED 
WITH NEARLY 10,000 BURGLARIES, 
5,000 SEXUAL ASSAULTS, 45,000 
VIOLENT ASSAULTS AND 2,000 
MURDERS.
TRAGICALLY, THERE ARE MANY 
CITIES IN AMERICA WHERE RADICAL 
POLITICIANS HAVE CHOSEN TO 
PROVIDE SANCTUARY FOR THESE 
CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS.
IN SANCTUARY CITIES, LOCAL 
OFFICIALS ORDER POLICE TO 
RELEASE DANGEROUS CRIMINAL 
ALIENS TO PREY UPON THE PUBLIC 
INSTEAD OF HANDING THEM OVER TO 
I.C.E. TO BE SAFELY REMOVED.
JUST 29 DAYS AGO, A CRIMINAL 
ALIEN FREED BY THE SANCTUARY 
CITY OF NEW YORK WAS CHARGED 
WITH THE BRUTAL RAPE AND MURDER 
OF A 92-YEAR-OLD WOMAN.
THE KILLER HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY 
ARRESTED FOR ASSAULT, BUT UNDER 
NEW YORK SANCTUARY POLICIES, HE 
WAS SET FREE.
IF THE CITY HAD HONORED I.C.E.'S
DETAINER REQUEST, HIS VICTIM 
WOULD STILL BE ALIVE TODAY.
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA PASSED 
AN OUTRAGEOUS LAW DECLARING 
THEIR WHOLE STATE TO BE A 
SANCTUARY FOR CRIMINAL ILL LEGA 
IMMIGRANTS, WITH CATASTROPHIC 
RESULTS.
HERE IS JUST ONE TRAGIC EXAMPLE.
IN DECEMBER 2018, CALIFORNIA 
POLICE DETAINED AN ILLEGAL ALIEN
WITH FIVE PRIOR ARRESTS, 
INCLUDING CONVICTIONS FOR 
ROBBERY AND ASSAULT.
BUT AS REQUIRED BY CALIFORNIA'S 
SANCTUARY LAW, LOCAL AUTHORITIES
RELEASED HIM.
DAYS LATER, THE CRIMINAL ALIEN 
WENT ON A GRUESOME SPREE OF 
DEADLY VIOLENCE.
HE SHOT ONE MAN GOING ABOUT HIS 
DAILY WORK.
HE APPROACHED A WOMAN SITTING IN
HER CAR AND SHOT HER IN THE ARM 
AND IN THE CHEST.
HE WALKED INTO A CONVENIENCE 
STORE AND WILDLY FIRED HIS 
WEAPON.
HE HIJACKED A TRUCK AND SMASHED 
INTO VEHICLES, CRITICALLY 
INJURING INNOCENT VICTIMS.
ONE OF THE VICTIMS IS A 
TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE SITUATION, 
DIED, 51-YEAR-OLD AMERICAN NAMED
ROCKY JONES.
ROCKY WAS AT A GAS STATION WHEN 
THIS VILE CRIMINAL FIRED EIGHT 
BULLETS AT HIM FROM CLOSE RANGE,
MURDERING HIM IN COLD BLOOD.
ROCKY LEFT BEHIND A DEVOTED 
FAMILY, INCLUDING HIS BROTHERS, 
WHO LOVED HIM MORE THAN ANYTHING
ELSE IN THE WORLD.
ONE OF HIS GRIEVING BROTHERS IS 
HERE WITH US TONIGHT, JODY, 
WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND.
JODY?
THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
JODY, OUR HEARTS WEEP FOR YOUR 
LOSS AND WE WILL NOT REST UNTIL 
YOU HAVE JUSTICE.
SENATOR TOM TILLAS HAS 
INTRODUCED LEGISLATION TO ALLOW 
PEOPLE TO SUE SANCTUARY CITIES 
AND STATES WHEN A LOVED ONE IS 
KILLED AS A RESULT OF THESE 
DEADLY PRACTICES.
I ASK CONGRESS TO PASS THE 
JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS OF SANCTUARY
CITIES ACT IMMEDIATELY.
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
SHOULD BE A SANCTUARY FOR LA
LAW-ABIDING AMERICANS, NOT 
CRIMINAL ALIENS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, I.C.E. 
HAS ARRESTED OVER 5,000 WICKED 
HUMAN TRAFFICKERS AND I HAVE 
SIGNED NINE PIECES OF 
LEGISLATION TO STAMP OUT THE 
MENACE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING, 
DOMESTICALLY AND ALL AROUND THE 
GLOBE.
MY ADMINISTRATION HAS UNDERTAKEN
AN UNPRECEDENTED EFFORT TO 
SECURE THE SOUTHERN BORDER OF 
THE UNITED STATES.
BEFORE I CAME INTO OFFICE, IF 
YOU SHOWED UP ILLEGALLY ON OUR 
SOUTHERN BORDER AND WERE 
ARRESTED, YOU WERE SIMPLY 
RELEASED AND ALLOWED INTO OUR 
COUNTRY, NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN.
MY ADMINISTRATION HAS ENDED 
CATCH AND RELEASE.
IF YOU COME ILLEGALLY, YOU WILL 
NOW BE PROMPTLY REMOVED FROM OUR
COUNTRY.
VERY IMPORTANTLY, WE ENTERED 
INTO HISTORIC COOPERATION 
AGREEMENTS WITH THE GOVERNMENTS 
OF MEXICO, HONDURAS, EL SALVADOR
AND GUATEMALA.
AS A RESULT OF OUR UNPRECEDENTED
EFFORTS, ILLEGAL CROSSINGS ARE 
DOWN 75% SINCE MAY, DROPPING 
EIGHT STRAIGHT MONTHS IN A ROW.
[ APPLAUSE ]
AND AS THE WALL RAPIDLY GOES UP,
DRUG SEIZURES RISE AND THE 
BORDER CROSSINGS ARE GOING DOWN 
AND GOING DOWN VERY RAPIDLY, 
LAST YEAR, I TRAVELED TO THE 
BORDER IN TEXAS AND MET CHIEF 
PATROL AGENT RAUL ORTIZ.
OVER THE LAST 24 MONTHS, AGENT 
ORTIZ AND HIS TEAM HAVE SEIZED 
MORE THAN 200,000 POUNDS OF 
POISONOUS NARCOTICS, ARRESTED 
MORE THAN 3,000 HUMAN SMUGGLERS 
AND RESCUED MORE THAN 2,000 
MIGRANTS.
DAYS AGO, AGENT ORTIZ WAS 
PROMOTED TO DEPUTY CHIEF OF 
BORDER PATROL AND HE JOINS US 
TONIGHT.
CHIEF ORTIZ, PLEASE STAND.
[ APPLAUSE ]
A GRATEFUL NATION THANKS YOU AND
ALL OF THE HEROES OF BORDER 
PATROL AND I.C.E., THANK YOU 
VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU.
TO BUILD ON THESE HISTORIC 
GAINS, WE ARE WORKING ON 
LEGISLATION TO REPLACE OUR 
OUTDATED AND RANDOMIZED 
IMMIGRATION SYSTEM WITH ONE 
BASED ON MERIT, WELCOMING THOSE 
WHO FOLLOW THE RULES, CONTRIBUTE
TO OUR ECONOMY, SUPPORT 
THEMSELVES FINANCIALLY AND 
UPHOLD OUR VALUES.
WITH EVERY ACTION, MY 
ADMINISTRATION IS RESTORING THE 
RULE OF LAW AND REASSERTING THE 
CULTURE OF AMERICAN FREEDOM.
WORKING WITH SENATE MAJORITY 
LEADER MITCH McCONNELL -- THANK 
YOU, MITCH -- 
[ APPLAUSE ]
AND HIS COLLEAGUES IN THE 
SENATE, WE HAVE CONFIRMED A 
RECORD NUMBER OF 187 NEW FEDERAL
JUDGES TO UPHOLD OUR 
CONSTITUTION AS WRITTEN.
THIS INCLUDES TWO BRILLIANT NEW 
SUPREME COURT JUSTICES, NEIL 
GORSUCH AND BRETT KAVANAUGH.
THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
AND WE HAVE MANY IN THE 
PIPELINE.
MY ADMINISTRATION IS ALSO 
DEFENDING RELIGIOUS LIBERTY, AND
THAT INCLUDES THE CONSTITUTIONAL
RIGHT TO PRAY IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
IN AMERICA, WE DON'T PUNISH 
PRAYER.
WE DON'T TEAR DOWN CROSSES.
WE DON'T BAN SYMBOLS OF FAITH.
WE DON'T MUZZLE PREACHERS AND 
PASTORS.
IN AMERICA, WE CELEBRATE FAITH.
WE CHERISH RELIGION.
WE LIFT OUR VOICES IN PRAYER AND
WE RAISE OUR SIGHTS TO THE GLORY
OF GOD.
JUST AS WE BELIEVE IN THE FIRST 
AMENDMENT, WE ALSO BELIEVE IN 
ANOTHER CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT 
THAT IS UNDER SIEGE ALL ACROSS 
OUR COUNTRY.
SO LONG AS I AM PRESIDENT, I 
WILL ALWAYS PROTECT YOUR SECOND 
AMENDMENT RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR
ARMS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
IN REAFFIRMING OUR HERITAGE AS A
FREE NATION, WE MUST REMEMBER 
THAT AMERICA HAS ALWAYS BEEN A 
FRONTIER NATION.
NOW, WE MUST EMBRACE THE NEXT 
FRONTIER.
AMERICA'S MAN ANY FEST DESTINY 
IN THE STARS.
I'M ASKING CONGRESS TO FULLY 
FUND THE PROGRAM TO ENSURE THAT 
THE NEXT MAN AND THE FIRST WOMAN
ON THE MOON WILL BE AMERICAN 
ASTRONAUTS, USING THIS AS A 
LAUNCHING PAD TO ENSURE THAT 
AMERICA IS THE FIRST NATION TO 
PLANT ITS FLAG ON MARS.
MY ADMINISTRATION IS ALSO 
STRONGLY DEPENDING OUR NATIONAL 
SECURITY AND COMBATTING RADICAL 
ISLAMIC TERRORISM.
[ APPLAUSE ]
LAST WEEK, I ANNOUNCED A 
GROUNDBREAKING PLAN FOR PEACE 
BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE 
PALES
PALESTINIANS, RECOGNIZING THAT 
ALL PAST ATTEMPTS HAVE FAILED.
WE MUST BE DETERMINED AND 
CREATIVE IN ORDER TO STABILIZE 
THE REGION AND GIVE MILLIONS OF 
YOUNG PEOPLE THE CHANCE TO 
REALIZE A BETTER FUTURE.
THREE YEARS AGO, THE BARBARIANS 
OF ISIS HELD OVER 20,000 SQUARE 
MILES OF TERRITORY IN IRAQ AND 
SYRIA.
TODAY, THE ISIS TERRITORIAL 
CALIPHATE HAS BEEN 100% 
DESTROYED AND THE FOUNDER AND 
LEADER OF ISIS, THE BLOOD 
THIRSTY KILLER KNOWN AS AL 
BAGHDADI, IS DEAD.
[ APPLAUSE ]
WE ARE JOINED THIS EVENING BY 
CARL AND MARSHA MUELLER.
AFTER GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE, 
THEIR BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER KAYLA 
BECAME A HUMANITARIAN AID 
WORKER.
SHE ONCE WROTE, SOME PEOPLE FIND
GOD IN CHURCH, SOME PEOPLE FIND 
GOD IN NATURE, SOME PEOPLE FIND 
GOD IN LOVE.
I FIND GOD IN SUFFERING.
I'VE KNOWN FOR SOME TIME WHAT MY
LIFE'S WORK IS.
USING MY HANDS AS TOOLS TO 
RELIEVE SUFFERING.
IN 2013, WHILE CARING FOR 
SUFFERING CIVILIANS IN SYRIA, 
KAYLA WAS KIDNAPPED, TORTURED 
AND ENSLAVED BY ISIS AND KEPT AS
A PRISONER OF AL BAGHDADI 
HIMSELF.
AFTER MORE THAN 500 HORRIFYING 
DAYS OF CAPTIVITY, AL BAGHDADI 
MURDERED YOUNG, BEAUTIFUL KAYLA.
SHE WAS JUST 26 YEARS OLD.
ON THE NIGHT THAT U.S. SPECIAL 
FORCES OPERATIONS ENDED AL 
BAGHDADI'S MISERABLE LIFE, THE 
CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF 
STAFF, GENERAL MARK MILLIE, 
RECEIVED A CALL IN THE SITUATION
ROOM.
HE WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAVE 
MEMEN 
OF THE ELITE SPECIAL FORCES TEAM
THAT SO PERFECTLY CARRIED OUT 
THE OPERATION, HAD GIVEN THEIR 
MISSION A NAME -- TASK FORCE 
814.
IT WAS A REFERENCE TO A SPECIAL 
DAY, AUGUST 14th, KAYLA'S 
BIRTHDAY.
CARL AND MARSHA, AMERICA'S 
WARRIORS NEVER FORGOT KAYLA AND 
NEITHER WILL WE.
THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
[ APPLAUSE ]
EVERY DAY, AMERICA'S MEN AND 
WOMEN IN UNIFORM DEMONSTRATE THE
INFINITE DEPTH OF LOVE THAT 
DWELLS IN THE HUMAN HEART.
ONE OF THESE HEROES WAS ARMY 
STAFF SERGEANT CHRISTOPHER HAKE.
ON HIS SECOND DEPLOYMENT TO IRAQ
IN 2008, SERGEANT HAKE WROTE A 
LETTER TO HIS 1-YEAR-OLD SON, 
GAGE.
I WILL BE WITH YOU AGAIN, HE 
WROTE TO GAGE.
I WILL TEACH YOU TO RIDE YOUR 
FIRST BIKE, BUILD YOUR FIRST 
SAND BOX, WATCH YOU PLAY SPORTS 
AND SEE YOU HAVE KIDS ALSO.
I LOVE YOU, SON.
TAKE CARE OF YOUR MOTHER.
I AM ALWAYS WITH YOU.
DADDY.
ON EASTER SUNDAY OF 2008, CHRIS 
WAS OUT ON PATROL IN BAGHDAD 
WHEN HIS VEHICLE WAS HIT BY A 
ROADSIDE BOMB.
THAT NIGHT, HE MADE THE ULTIMATE
SACRIFICE FOR OUR COUNTRY.
SERGEANT HAKE NOW RESTS IN 
ETERNAL GLORY IN ARLINGTON AND 
HIS WIFE, KELLI, IS IN THE 
GALLERY TONIGHT, JOINED BY THEIR
SON, WHO IS NOW A 13-YEAR-OLD 
AND DOING VERY, VERY WELL.
TO KELLI AND GAGE, CHRIS WILL 
LIVE IN OUR HEARTS FOREVER.
HE IS LOOKING DOWN ON YOU NOW.
THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH.
THE TERRORISTS RESPONSIBLE FOR 
KILLING SERGEANT HAKE WAS KASIM 
SOL MANNY, WHO PROVIDED THE 
ROADSIDE BOMB THAT TOOK CHRIS' 
LIFE.
HE WAS THE IRANIAN REGIME'S THE 
MOST RUTHLESS BUTCHER, A MONSTER
THAT WOUNDED HUNDREDS OF U.S. 
SERVICEMEN IN IRAQ.
HE ORCHESTRATED THE DEATHS OF 
COUNTLESS MEN, WOMEN AND 
CHILDREN.
HE DIRECTED THE DECEMBER ASSAULT
AND WENT ON TO ASSAULT U.S. 
FORCES IN IRAQ, WAS ACTIVELY 
PLANNING NEW ATTACKS WHEN WE HIT
HIM VERY HARD.
AND THAT'S WHILE LAST MONTH AT 
MY DIRECTION, THE U.S. MILITARY 
EXECUTED A FLAWLESS PRECISION 
STRIKE THAT KILLED SOLEMANI AND 
ENDED HIS REIGN OF TERROR 
FOREVER.
OUR MESSAGE TO THE TERRORISTS IS
CLEAR.
YOU WILL NEVER ESCAPE AMERICAN 
JUSTICE.
IF YOU ATTACK OUR CITIZENS, YOU 
FORFEIT YOUR LIFE.
IN RECENT MONTHS, WE HAVE SEEN 
PROUD IRANIANS RAISE THEIR 
VOICES AGAINST THEIR OPPRESSIVE 
RULERS.
THE IRANIAN REGIME MUST ABANDON 
ITS PURSUIT OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS, 
STOP SPREADING TERROR, DEATH AND
DESTRUCTION AND START WORKING 
FOR THE GOOD OF ITS OWN PEOPLE.
BECAUSE OF OUR POWERFUL 
SANCTIONS, THE IRANIAN COMPANY 
IS DOING VERY, VERY POORLY.
WE CAN HELP THEM MAKE A VERY 
GOOD AND SHORT TIME RECOVERY.
IT CAN ALL GO VERY QUICKLY, BUT 
PERHAPS THEY ARE TOO PROUD OR 
TOO FOOLISH TO ASK FOR THAT 
HELP.
WE ARE HERE.
LET'S SEE WHICH ROAD THEY 
CHOOSE.
IT IS TOTALLY UP TO THEM.
[ APPLAUSE ]
AS WE DEFEND AMERICAN LIVES, WE 
ARE WORKING TO END AMERICA'S 
WARS IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
IN AFGHANISTAN, THE 
DETERMINATION AND VALOR OF OUR 
WAR FIGHTERS HAS ALLOWED US TO 
MAKE TREMENDOUS PROGRESS AND 
PEACE TALKS ARE NOW UNDER WAY.
I AM NOT LOOKING TO KILL 
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE 
IN AFGHANISTAN.
MANY OF THEM TOTALLY INNOCENT.
IT IS ALSO NOT OUR FUNCTION TO 
SERVE OTHER NATIONS AS LAW 
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
THESE ARE WAR FIGHTERS THAT WE 
HAVE, THE BEST IN THE WORLD, AND
THEY EITHER WANT TO FIGHT TO WIN
OR NOT FIGHT AT ALL.
WE ARE WORKING TO FINALLY END 
AMERICA'S LONGEST WAR AND BRING 
OUR TROOPS BACK HOME.
[ APPLAUSE ]
WAR PLACES A HEAVY BURDEN ON OUR
NATION'S EXTRAORDINARY MILITARY 
FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY SPOUSES 
LIKE AMY WILLIAMS FROM FT. 
BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA, AND HER 
TWO CHILDREN, 6-YEAR-OLD ELIANA 
AND 3-YEAR-OLD ROWAROWAN.
AMY WORKS FULL-TIME, HELPING 
OTHER MILITARY FAMILIES.
FOR THE PAST SEVEN MONTHS, SHE 
HAS DONE IT WHILE HER HUSBAND IS
IN AFGHANISTAN ON HIS FOURTH 
DEPLOYMENT IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
AMY'S KIDS HAVEN'T SEEN THEIR 
FATHER'S FACE IN MANY MONTHS.
AMY, YOUR FAMILY'S SACRIFICE 
MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR ALL OF OUR
FAMILIES TO LIVE IN SAFETY AND 
IN PEACE AND WE WANT TO THANK 
YOU.
THANK YOU, AMY.
[ APPLAUSE ]
BUT AMY, THERE IS ONE MORE TH
G
THING.
TONIGHT, WE HAVE A VERY SPECIAL 
SURPRISE.
I AM THRILLED TO INFORM YOU THAT
YOUR HUSBAND IS BACK FROM 
DEPLOYMENT.
HE IS HERE WITH US TONIGHT AND 
WE COULDN'T KEEP HIM WAITING ANY
LONGER.
[ APPLAUSE ]
[ APPLAUSE ]
[ APPLAUSE ]
WELCOME HOME, SERGEANT WILLIAMS,
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AS THE WORLD BEARS WITNESS 
TONIGHT, AMERICA IS A LAND OF 
HEROES.
THIS IS A PLACE WHERE GREATNESS 
IS BORN, WHERE DESTINIES ARE 
FORGED AND WHERE LEGENDS COME TO
LIFE.
THIS IS THE HOME OF THOMAS 
EDISON AND TEDDY ROOSEVELT, OF 
MANY GREAT GENERALS, INCLUDING 
WASHINGTON, PATTON AND McARTHUR.
THIS IS THE HOME OF ABRAHAM 
LINCOLN, FREDRIK DOUGLAS, THE 
WRIGHT BROTHERS, NEIL ARMSTRONG 
AND SO MANY MORE.
THIS IS THE COUNTRY WHERE 
CHILDREN LEARN NAMES LIKE WYATT 
EARP, DAVY CROCKETT AND ANNIE 
OAKLEY.
THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE THE 
PILGRIMS LANDED AT PLYMOUTH AND 
WHERE TEXAS PATRIOTS MADE THEIR 
LAST STAND AT THE ALAMO.
THE BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL ALAMO.
THE AMERICAN NATION WAS CARVED 
OUT OF THE VAST FRONTIER BY THE 
TOUGHEST, STRONGEST, FIERCEST 
AND MOST DETERMINED MEN AND 
WOMEN EVER TO WALK ON THE FACE 
OF THE EARTH.
OUR ANCESTORS BRAVE THE UNKNOWN,
TAMED THE WILDERNESS, SETTLED 
THE WILD WEST, LIFTED MILLIONS 
FROM POVERTY, DISEASE AND 
HUNGER, VANQUISHED TYRANNY AND 
FASCISM, USHERED THE WORLD TO 
NEW HEIGHTS OF SCIENCE AND 
MEDICINE, LAID DOWN THE 
RAILROADS, DUG OUT THE CANALS, 
RAISED UP THE SKYSCRAPERS AND, 
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, OUR 
ANCESTORS BUILT THE MOST 
EXCEPTIONAL REPUBLIC EVER TO 
EXIST IN ALL OF HUMAN HISTORY 
AND WE ARE MAKING IT GREATER 
THAN EVER BEFORE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THIS IS OUR GLORIOUS AND 
MAGNIFICENT INHERITANCE.
WE HAVE AMERICANS, WE ARE 
PIONEERS, WE ARE THE 
PATHFINDERS.
WE SETTLED THE NEW WORLD.
WE BUILT THE MODERN WORLD.
AND WE CHANGED HISTORY FOREVER 
BY EMBRACING THE ETERNAL TRUTH 
THAT EVERYONE IS MADE EQUAL BY 
THE HAND OF ALMIGHTY GOD.
[ APPLAUSE ]
AMERICA IS THE PLACE WHERE 
ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN.
AMERICA IS THE PLACE WHERE 
ANYONE CAN RISE.
AND HERE, ON THIS LAND, ON THIS 
SOIL, ON THIS CONTINENT, THE 
MOST INCREDIBLE DREAMS COME 
TRUE.
THIS NATION IS OUR CANVAS AND 
THIS COUNTRY IS OUR MASTERPIECE.
WE LOOK AT TOMORROW AND SEE 
UNLIMITED FRONTIERS JUST WAITING
TO BE EXPLORED.
OUR BRIGHTEST DISCOVERIES ARE 
NOT YET KNOWN.
OUR MOST THRILLING STORIES ARE 
NOT YET TOLD.
OUR GRANDEST JOURNEYS ARE NOT 
YET MADE.
THE AMERICAN AGE, THE AMERICAN 
EPIC, THE AMERICAN ADVENTURE HAS
ONLY JUST BEGUN.
OUR SPIRIT IS STILL YOUNG.
THE SUN IS STILL RISING.
GOD'S GRACE IS STILL SHINING.
AND, MY FELLOW AMERICANS, THE 
BEST IS YET TO COME.
THANK YOU, GOD BLESS YOU AND GOD
BLESS AMERICA.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> PRESIDENT TRUMP'S ELECTION 
YEAR STATELE OF THE UNION.
ENDS ON AN OPTIMISTIC NOTE.
ABSORBING THE APPLAUSE RIGHT 
THERE.
HE CAME OUT OF RHEALITY 
TELEVISION AND SHOWED THAT 
TONIGHT.
TOUCHED ON EMOTIONS HIGH AND LOW
OVER 78 MINUTES.
BEGAN WITH A DOUBLE SNUB.
PRESIDENT TRUMP REFUSED THE HAND
OF SPEAKER PELOSI.
SHE REFUSED TO SAY IT WAS HER 
HIGH HONOR AND DISTINCT 
PRIVILEGE TO INTRODUCE THE 
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
THEN THE PRESIDENT WITH A LITANY
OF ECONOMIC GOOD NEWS THAT YOU 
CAN'T DENY A PRESIDENT.
WHO HAS THE GOOD FORTUNE TO BE 
IN CHARGE WHEN THAT ECONOMIC 
GOOD NEWS IS BEING SHARED BY SO 
MANY AMERICANS.
REACHED OUT TO THE 
AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
IN AN EMOTIONAL WAY, WHEN YOU 
HEAR HIM GET THE PRAISE THERE 
FROM REPUBLICAN MEMBERS OF 
CONGRESS.
INTRODUCING ONE OF THE DTUSKEGE 
AIRMEN.
AND THERE WAS GUT PUNCHES TO 
DEMOCRATS ON HEALTH CARE AND 
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.
A CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR 
GIVEN OUT DURING THE STATE OF 
THE UNION TO RUSH LIMBAUGH.
THAT'S CERTAIN TO BE A 
CONTROVERSIAL MOVE.
AND SOMETHING ELSE WE'VE SEEN ON
REALITY TV ON MORNING 
TELEVISION, I KNOW IT WELL, A 
FAMILY REUNION, AN AMERICAN 
SERVICEMAN COMING HOME TO GREET 
HIS FAMILY, AS I SAID, SO MANY 
EMOTIONS TOUCHED.
JON KARL, YOU WERE IN THE 
CHAMBER.
>> GEORGE, THIS IS THE 11th TIME
I'VE BEEN IN THE CHAMBER FOR A 
STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS.
THREE DIFFERENT PRESIDENTS.
I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE 
THIS.
THERE WERE THE HIGH MOMENTS, 
CERTAINLY WITH CHARLES McGEE, 
THE TUSKEGEE AIRMAN THAT UNIFIED
THE CHAMBER, BUT THIS WAS THE 
MOST PARTISAN AND DIVIDED 
CHAMBER I HAVE EVER SEEN FOR A 
STATE OF THE UNION, EVEN 
EXCEEDING TRUMP A YEAR AGO.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU NOTICED 
THIS, BUT JUST AFTER THE 
PRESIDENT FINISHED HIS SPEECH, 
NANCY PELOSI TORE THE SPEECH UP 
BEHIND HIM.
AS HE CAME INTO THIS CHAMBER, 
NONE OF THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE 
APPLAUDED.
THAT'S A STANDARD THING, 
EVERYBODY APPLAUDS WHEN THE 
PRESIDENT COMES IN, THAT DID NOT
HAPPEN HERE.
WHEN THE SPEECH WAS OVER, THE 
DEMOCRATS RAN FOR THE EXITS.
YOU KNOW, USUALLY YOU SEE THE 
PRESIDENT'S THE FIRST TO LEAVE 
THE CHAMBER.
THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE WAS ALMOST 
COMPLETELY EMPTY BY THE TIME HE 
WORKED HIS WAY TO WHERE HE IS 
NOW.
AND GEORGE, ALSO, THE OTHER 
MOMENT, CHANTS OF "FOUR MORE 
YEARS", THE REPUBLICAN SIDE, AS 
THE DEMOCRATS OFTEN BOOED AND 
GROANED DURING THE SPEECH.
WE HAD THAT MOMENT TOWARDS THE 
BEGINNING WHERE THE PRESIDENT 
ACTUALLY WAS GREETED WITH A 
CHANT OF "FOUR MORE YEARS" ON 
THE REPUBLICAN SIDE.
SOMETHING I'VE JUST NEVER SEEN 
IN THE STATE OF THE UNION 
AGGRESS.
>> PRESIDENT HAS LEFT THE 
CHAMBER.
DEMOCRATIC RESPONSE IN JUST A 
COUPLE OF MINUTES.
>>> THE STATE OF THE UNION AND 
THE DEMOCRATIC RESPONSE.
HERE AGAIN, GEORGE 
STEPHANOPOULOS.
>> AND WE ARE BACK, AFTER 
PRESIDENT TRUMP'S 2020 STATE OF 
THE UNION.
78 MINUTES WHERE THE PRESIDENT 
LAID OUT HIS AGENDA FOR 
RE-ELECTION, ALSO HIT SOME 
CHORDS OF EMOTION AND DID 
SOMETHING THAT HAS NEVER BEEN 
DONE BEFORE, GIVING THE 
PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM 
DURING THE STATE OF THE UNION.
CECILIA VEGA, THAT IS GETTING A 
LOT OF ATTENTION.
>> THIS APPEARS THIS WAS 
COMPLETELY AN UNPRECEDENTED 
MOVE, AWARDING THAT MEDAL, NOT 
JUST IN THE CHAMBER, BUT SOMEONE
AS CONTROVERSIAL AS RUSH 
LIMBAUGH WHO PAST COMMENTS ON 
RACE AND WOMEN ARE ALREADY 
MAKING THE ROUNDS ON TWITTER.
PEOPLE ARE, MANY OFFENDED BY 
THIS, BUT YOU HEARD THOSE 
APPLAUSE INSIDE THAT CHAMBER 
THERE, THE REPUBLICANS IN THERE 
SEE RUSH AS A VERY STRONG PERSON
IN THEIR PARTY AND THEY WERE 
HAPPY TO SEE THIS HAPPEN.
>> HE'S BEEN A STRONG SUPPORTER 
OF PRESIDENT TRUMP, AS WELL.
WE'RE WAITING FOR THE DEMOCRATIC
RESPONSE, TO BE GIVEN BY THE 
GOVERNOR OF MICHIGAN, GRETCHEN 
WHITMER.
SHE'S SPEAKING FROM A CAFETERIA 
IN A SCHOOL HER DAUGHTERS 
ATTEND.
>> GOOD EVENING.
I'M HONORED TO BE HERE AND 
GRATEFUL THAT YOU ARE TUNING IN.
I'M GRETCHEN WHITMER, THE 49th 
GOVERNOR OF THE GREAT STATE OF 
MICHIGAN.
TONIGHT, I'M AT MY DAUGHTER'S 
SHERRY AND SIDNEY'S PUBLIC 
SCHOOL, EAST LANSING HIGH 
SCHOOL.
WE'RE HERE TODAY WITH FAMILIES 
AND PARENTS, TEACHERS AND, MOST 
IMPORTANTLY, STUDENTS.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR 
COMING.
BUT TONIGHT, I'M GOING TO TALK 
TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE WATCHING
AT HOME.
I'D NEED A LOT MORE THAN TEN 
MINUTES TO RESPOND TO WHAT THE 
PRESIDENT JUST SAID, SO, INSTEAD
OF TALKING ABOUT WHAT HE IS 
SAYING, I'M GOING TO HIGHLIGHT 
WHAT DEMOCRATS ARE DOING.
AFTER ALL, YOU CAN LISTEN TO 
WHAT SOMEONE SAYS, BUT TO KNOW 
THE TRUTH, WATCH WHAT THEY DO.
MICHIGANDERS ARE NO DIFFERENT 
FROM AMERICANS EVERYWHERE.
THEY LOVE THEIR FAMILIES AND 
WANT A GOOD LIFE TODAY AND A 
BETTER LIFE TOMORROW.
WE WORK HARD AND WE EXPECT OUR 
GOVERNMENT TO WORK HARD FOR US, 
AS WELL.
WE HAVE GRIT AND VALUE LOYALTY.
AND WE STILL ROOT FOR THE 
DETROIT LIONS.
WE AND ALL AMERICANS MIGHT BE 
WEARY OF TODAY'S POLITICS, BUT 
WE MUST STAY ENGAGED.
OUR COUNTRY, OUR DEMOCRACY, OUR 
FUTURE AND IN IT.
WE'RE CAPABLE OF GREAT THINGS 
WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER.
WE CANNOT FORGET THAT DESPITE 
THE DISHONESTY AND DIVISION OF 
THE LAST FEW YEARS AND THAT WE 
HEARD TONIGHT FROM THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES, TOGETHER, 
WE HAVE BOUNDLESS POTENTIAL.
AND YOUNG AMERICANS ARE PROVING 
THAT EVERY DAY.
BY TAKING ACTION.
THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO FOCUS ON 
TONIGHT.
MONAE SCOTT'S STREET WAS COVERED
IN POTHOLES.
THEY WERE ANKLE DEEP.
AND HE GOT TIRED OF WAITING FOR 
THEM TO GET FIXED.
SO, HE GRABBED A SHOVEL AND A 
BUCKET OF DIRT AND FILLED THEM 
IN HIMSELF.
DURING MY CAMPAIGN, PEOPLE TOLD 
ME TO FIX THE DAMN ROADS, 
BECAUSE BLOWN TIRES AND BROKEN 
WINDSHIELDS ARE DOWNRIGHT 
DANGEROUS.
AND CAR REPAIRS TAKE MONEY FROM 
RENT.
CHILD CARE OR GROCERIES.
AND WE, THE DEMOCRATS, ARE DOING
SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
IN ILLINOIS, GOVERNOR J.B. 
PRITZKER PASSED A MULTIBILLION 
DOLLAR PLAN TO REBUILD THEIR 
ROADS AND BRIDGES.
GOVERNOR PHIL MURPHY IS 
REPLACING LEAD PIPES IN NEW 
JERSEY.
ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, 
DEMOCRATIC LEADERS ARE 
REBUILDING BRIDGES, FIXING 
ROADS, EXPANDING BROADBAND AND 
CLEANING UP DRINKING WATER.
EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTRY 
BENEFITS WHEN WE INVEST IN IN
A
INFRASTRUCTURE.
CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS HAVE 
PRESENTED PROPOSALS TO KEEP US 
MOVING FORWARD.
BUT PRESIDENT TRUMP AND THE 
REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE ARE 
BLOCKING THE PATH.
WHEN IT COMES TO INFRASTRUCTURE,
MONAE HAS TRIED TO DO MORE WITH 
A SHOVEL AND A PILE OF DIRT THAN
THE REPUBLICANS IN D.C. HAVE 
DONE WITH THE OVAL OFFICE AND 
THE U.S. SENATE.
BULLYING PEOPLE ON TWITTER 
DOESN'T FIX BRIDGES.
IT BURNS THEM.
OUR ENERGY SHOULD BE USED TO 
SOLVE PROBLEMS.
AND IT'S TRUE FOR HEALTH CARE, 
TOO.
FOR ME, FOR SO MANY AMERICANS, 
HEALTH CARE IS PERSONAL, NOT 
POLITICAL.
WHEN I WAS 30, I BECAME A MEMBER
OF THE SANDWICH GENERATION.
THAT MEANS I WAS SANDWICHED 
BETWEEN TWO GENERATIONS OF MY 
OWN FAMILY FOR WHOM I WAS THE 
PRIMARY CAREGIVER.
I WAS HOLDING DOWN A NEW JOB, 
CARING FOR ANY NEWBORN DAUGHTER 
AS WELL AS MY MOM AT THE END OF 
HER BRAIN CANCER BATTLE.
I WAS UP ALL NIGHT WITH A BABY 
AND DURING THE DAY, I HAD TO 
FIGHT MY MOM'S INSURANCE COMPANY
WHEN THEY WRONGLY DENIED HER 
COVERAGE FOR CHEMOTHERAPY.
IT WAS HARD.
IT EXPOSED THE HARSH REALITIES 
OF OUR WORKPLACES, OUR HEALTH 
CARE SYSTEM AND OUR CHILD CARE 
SYSTEM.
AND IT CHANGED ME.
I LOST PATIENCE FOR PEOPLE WHO 
ARE JUST TALK AND NO ACTION.
SO, AS A STATE SENATOR, I WORKED
WITH A REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR AND 
LEDGE SLAY SURE TO EXPAND HEALTH
CARE COVERAGE TO MORE THAN 
680,000 MICHIGANDERS.
DEMOCRATS FROM MAINE TO MONTANA 
ARE EXPANDING COVERAGE AND 
LOWERING COSTS.
IN KANSAS, GOVERNOR LAURA KELLY 
IS WORKING ACROSS THE AISLE TO 
BRING MEDICAID COVERAGE TO TENS 
OF THOUSANDS.
IN NEW MEXICO, GOVERNOR MICHELLE
LUHAN GRISHAM ENSHRINED ACA 
PROTECTIONS INTO LAW.
EVERY DEMOCRAT RUNNING FOR 
PRESIDENT HAS A PLAN TO EXPAND 
HEALTH CARE FOR ALL AMERICANS.
EVERY ONE OF THEM HAS SUPPORTED 
THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT FOR 
COVERAGE FOR PEOPLE WITH 
PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS.
THEY MAY HAVE DIFFERENT PLANS, 
BUT THE GOAL IS THE SAME.
PRESIDENT TRUMP SADLY HAS A 
DIFFERENT PLAN.
HE'S ASKING TO RIP THE 
LIFE-SAVING PROTECTIONS AWAY.
IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE.
DEMOCRATS ARE TRYING TO MAKE 
YOUR HEALTH CARE BETTER, 
REPUBLICANS IN WASHINGTON ARE 
TRYING TO TAKE IT AWAY.
THINK ABOUT KIDS LIKE 
17-YEAR-OLD BLAKE CARROLL FROM 
IDAHO WHO ORGANIZED A 
FUND-RAISER TO PAY FOR HIS MOM'S
COLON CANCER TREATMENT, OR EBONY
MYERS FROM UTAH WHO SELLS ART TO
HELP PAY FOR HER OWN TREATMENT.
NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO CROWD 
SOURCE THEIR HEALTH CARE.
NOT IN AMERICA.
BUT THE REALITY IS, NOT EVERYONE
IN AMERICA HAS A JOB WITH HEALTH
CARE AND BENEFITS.
IN FACT, MANY HAVE JOBS THAT 
DON'T EVEN PAY ENOUGH TO COVER 
THEIR MONTHLY EXPENSES.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE 
PRESIDENT SAYS ABOUT THE STOCK 
MARKET -- WHAT MATTERS IS THAT 
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE STRUGGLE TO 
GET BY OR DON'T HAVE ENOUGH 
MONEY AT THE END OF THE MONTH 
AFTER PAYING FOR TRANSPORTATION,
STUDENT LOANS OR PRESCRIPTION 
DRUGS.
AMERICAN WORKERS ARE HURTING.
IN MY OWN STATE, OUR NEIGHBORS 
IN WISCONSIN AND OHIO, 
PENNSYLVANIA AND ALL OVER THE 
COUNTRY, WAGES HAVE STAGNATED 
WHILE CEO PAY HAS SKYROCKETED.
SO, WHEN THE PRESIDENT SAYS THE 
ECONOMY IS STRONG, MY QUESTION 
IS, STRONG FOR WHOM?
STRONG FOR THE WEALTHY WHO ARE 
REAPING REWARDS FROM TAX CUTS 
THEY DON'T NEED?
THE AMERICAN ECONOMY NEEDS TO BE
A DIFFERENT KIND OF STRONG.
STRONG FOR THE SCIENCE TEACHER 
SPENDING HER OWN MONEY TO BUY 
SUPPLIES FOR HER CLASSROOM.
STRONG FOR THE SINGLE MOM 
PICKING UP EXTRA HOURS SO SHE 
CAN AFFORD HER DAUGHTER'S SOCCER
CLEATS.
STRONG FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS 
OWNER WHO HAS TO MAKE PAYROLL AT
THE END OF THE MONTH.
MICHIGAN INVENTED THE MIDDLE 
CLASS, SO, WE KNOW, IF THE 
ECONOMY DOESN'T WORK FOR WORKING
PEOPLE, IT JUST DOESN'T WORK.
WHO FIGHTS FOR HARD-WORKING 
AMERICANS?
DEMOCRATS DO.
IN THE U.S. HOUSE, SPEAKER NANCY
PELOSI AND DEMOCRATS PASSED A 
LANDMARK BILL ON EQUAL PAY.
ANOTHER BILL TO GIVE 30 MILLION 
AMERICANS A RAISE BY INCREASING 
THE MINIMUM WAGE AND 
GROUNDBREAKING LEGISLATION TO 
FINALLY GIVE MEDICARE THE POWER 
TO NEGOTIATE LOWER DRUG PRICES 
FOR AMERICA'S SENIORS AND 
FAMILIES.
THOSE THREE BILLS AND MORE THAN 
275 OTHER BIPARTISAN BILLS ARE 
JUST GATHERING DUST ON SENATE 
MAJORITY LEADER MITCH 
McCONNELL'S DESK.
SENATOR McCONNELL, AMERICA NEEDS
YOU TO MOVE THOSE BILLS.
MEANWHILE, DEMOCRATS ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY ARE GETTING THINGS DONE.
PENNSYLVANIA'S GOVERNOR, TOM 
WOLF, IS EXPANDING THE RIGHT TO 
OVERTIME PAY.
MICHIGAN IS, TOO.
BECAUSE IF YOU'RE ON THE CLOCK, 
YOU DESERVE TO GET PAID.
NE
NEVADA'S GOVERNOR IS WORKING TO 
GIVE HARD-WORKING TEACHERS A 
RAISE.
AND SPEAKING OF THE CLASSROOM, 
WISCONSIN'S GOVERNOR 
UNILATERALLY INCREASED SCHOOL 
FUNDING BY $65 MILLION LAST 
YEAR.
IN COLORADO, THEIR GOVERNOR 
ENACTED FREE ALL-DAY 
KINDERGARTEN.
AND IN 29 STATES, WE'VE HELPED 
PASS MINIMUM WAGE HIKES INTO 
LAW, WHICH WILL LIFT PEOPLE OUT 
OF POVERTY AND IMPROVE LIVES FOR
FAMILIES.
THAT'S STRENGTH.
THAT'S ACTION.
DEMOCRACY TAKES ACTION.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M SO INSPIRED 
BY YOUNG PEOPLE.
THEY RESPOND TO MASS SHOOTINGS, 
DEMANDING POLICIES THAT MAKE 
SCHOOLS SAFER.
THEY REACT TO A WORLD THAT'S 
LITERALLY ON FIRE WITH FIRE IN 
THEIR BELLIES.
TO PUSH LEADERS TO FINALLY TAKE 
ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE.
THEY TAKE ON A ROAD FILLED WITH 
POTHOLES WITH A SHOVEL AND SOME 
DIRT.
IT'S WHAT GIVES ME GREAT 
CONFIDENCE IN OUR FUTURE AND 
IT'S WHY SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE
THEY'RE THE ADULTS IN THE ROOM.
BUT IT SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE THAT
WAY.
IT'S NOT THEIR MESS TO CLEAN UP,
IT'S OURS.
THE CHOICES WE MAKE TODAY CREATE
THEIR REALITY TOMORROW.
YOUNG PEOPLE, I'M TALKING TO 
YOU.
AND YOUR PARENTS AND 
GRANDPARENTS.
DEMOCRATS WANT SAFE SCHOOLS.
WE WANT EVERYONE TO HAVE A PATH 
TO A GOOD LIFE, WHETHER IT'S 
THROUGH A UNION APPRENTICESHIP, 
A COMMUNITY COLLEGE, A FOUR-YEAR
UNIVERSITY, WITHOUT DROWNING IN 
DEBT.
WE WANT YOUR WATER TO BE CLEAN.
WE WANT YOU TO LOVE WHO YOU LOVE
AND TO LIVE AUTHENTICALLY AS 
YOUR TRUE SELVES.
AND WE WANT WOMEN TO HAVE 
AUTONOMY OVER OUR BODIES.
WE WANT OUR COUNTRY WELCOMING 
AND EVERYONE'S VOTE COUNTED.
2020 IS A BIG YEAR.
IT'S THE YEAR MY DAUGHTER SHERRY
WILL GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
IT IS ALSO THE YEAR SHE'LL CAST 
HER FIRST BALLOT, ALONG WITH 
MILLIONS OF YOUNG AMERICANS.
THE TWO THINGS ARE CONNECTED.
BECAUSE WALKING ACROSS A GA
GRADUATION STAGE IS AS IMPORTANT
AS WALKING INTO THE VOTING BOOTH
FOR THE FIRST TIME.
HER FUTURE, ALL OUR KIDS' 
FUTURES WILL BE DETERMINED NOT 
JUST BY THEIR DREAMS, BUT BY OUR
ACTIONS.
AS WE WITNESS THE IMPEACHMENT 
PROCESS IN WASHINGTON, THERE ARE
SOME THINGS EACH OF US, NO 
MATTER OUR PARTY, SHOULD DEMAND.
THE TRUTH MATTERS.
FACTS MATTER.
AND NO ONE SHOULD BE ABOVE THE 
LAW.
IT'S NOT WHAT THOSE SENATORS 
SAY, TOMORROW, IT'S ABOUT WHAT 
THEY DO THAT MATTERS.
REMEMBER.
LISTEN TO WHAT PEOPLE SAY, BUT 
WATCH WHAT THEY DO.
IT'S TIME FOR ACTION.
GENERATIONS OF AMERICANS ARE 
COUNTING ON US.
LET'S NOT LET THEM DOWN.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING, GOD 
BLESS AMERICA.
GOOD NIGHT.
>> DEMOCRATIC RESPONSE THERE 
FROM THE GOVERNOR OF MICHIGAN, 
GRETCHEN WHITMER.
TALKING ABOUT WHAT DEMOCRATS ARE
DOING ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
ONE OF BASICALLY TWO DEMOCRATIC 
RESPONSES TONIGHT.
PERHAPS THE FIRST ONE, NANCY 
PELOSI RIPPING UP THE 
PRESIDENT'S SPEECH AT THE END.
AND THEN THIS TEN-MINUTE ADDRESS
FROM GOVERNOR WHITMER RIGHT 
THERE.
MATTHEW DOWD, YOU GREW UP IN 
MICHIGAN.
PRETTY CLEAR FROM HER COMMENTS 
THAT HEALTH CARE IS GOING TO BE 
AT THE HEART OF THIS CAMPAIGN.
>> YEAH, AND WE STILL DO ROOT 
FOR THE LIONS, EVEN THOUGH 
THAT'S LONG-SUFFERING.
THE FASCINATING THING TO ME 
ABOUT BOTH THE SPEECHES, THE 
PRESIDENT'S STATE OF THE UNION 
ADDRESS AND THAT SPEECH, THEY'RE
ADDRESSED ON THE SAME ISSUES, 
THE ECONOMY AND HEALTH CARE, TO 
THE SAME PEOPLE, 10,000, 11,000 
PEOPLE IN MICHIGAN THAT VOTED 
AND CAUSED THE PRESIDENT TO WIN,
ASSOCIATED WITH THE NUMBER THAT 
PEOPLE THAT APPROVE THE 
PRESIDENT ON THE ECONOMY BUT 
DISAPPROVE OF HIM PERSONALLY.
10% OF THE COUNTRY, BOTH SIDES 
ARE GOING FOR, ON THOSE -- 
>> YOU SAW HER GO AFTER THE 
PRESIDENT PERSONALLY THERE AT 
THE END.
>> IN ORDER TO UNDERCUT HIM 
PERSONALLY, BUT NOT LET HIM TAKE
CREDIT FOR THE ECONOMY.
>> LET ME GO BACK TO MARY BRUCE.
A LITTLE MORE FROM SPEAKER 
PELOSI?
>> GEORGE, WE WERE ABLE TO CATCH
UP WITH THE SPEAKER AND SHE WAS 
ASKED WHY SHE RIPPED UP THE 
PRESIDENT'S SPEECH AND SHE SAID,
BECAUSE IT WAS, QUOTE, THE 
COURTEOUS THING TO DO, 
CONSIDERING THE ALTERNATIVE.
SHE SAID IT WAS SUCH A DIRTY 
SPEECH.
THE REACTION FROM DEMOCRATS HERE
LEAVING THE CHAMBER HAS BEEN 
THAT THEY FEEL THAT THEY JUST 
ATTENDED A TRUMP CAMPAIGN RALLY.
ONE TOP DEMOCRAT SAYING HE WAS 
JUST AT A MAG GAA RALLY.
THIS WAS A MUCH MORE POLITICAL 
IN THE TONE AND TENOR THAN YOUR 
USUAL STATE OF THE UNION 
ADDRESS.
THAT WAS CLEAR FROM THE CHANT 
STRAIGHT OFF THE BAT OF "FOUR 
MORE YEARS."
IF THERE WAS ANY DOUBT THIS WAS 
DONALD TRUMP'S REPUBLICAN PARTY,
THAT WAS SOLIDIFIED TONIGHT WHEN
IT BECAME VERY CLEAR THROUGHOUT 
THAT REPUBLICANS ARE COMPLETELY 
BEHIND THIS PRESIDENT, EVEN 
THOUGH, OF COURSE, GEORGE, OVER 
RECENT DAYS, WE HAVE SEEN A FEW 
OF THEM, A GROWING NUMBER, COME 
OUT AND SAY THAT WHILE NOT 
IMPEA
IMPEACHABLE, THEY FEEL THE 
PRESIDENT'S ACTIONS WITH REGARD 
TO UKRAINE, WERE NOT RIGHT AND 
WERE NOT APPROPRIATE, BUT THE 
REACTION FROM DEMOCRATS 
OVERWHELMING IS THEY FEEL THAT 
DONALD TRUMP IS SIMPLY LAUNCHING
INTO HIS FALL CAMPAIGN HERE, 
GEORGE.
>> NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
DAVID MUIR, THE DISDAIN BETWEEN 
DONALD TRUMP AND NANCY PELOSI, 
MUTUAL AND PALPABLE.
>> REALLY STRIKING, THAT MOMENT 
WHEN SHE RIPPED UP THE SCRIPT, 
AS HALF OF THE CHAMBER WAS 
APPLAUDING THE PRESIDENT AFTER 
THE STATE OF THE UNION WAS 
REALLY SOMETHING.
AND THAT'S GOING TO BE CERTAINLY
TALKED ABOUT, DEBATED FOR THE 
HOURS AND DAYS TO COME AFTER 
THIS.
I HAVE TO TELL YOU, NOT ONLY DID
WE MEET WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP 
TODAY FOR THAT OFF THE RECORD 
LUNCH THAT WE TYPICALLY HAVE WE,
YOU KNOW, ADMINISTRATIONS 
DATINGING BACK, SEVERAL OF THEM,
WE ALSO MET WITH HOUSE SPEAKER 
NANCY PELOSI AND I DID ASK HER, 
WOULD SHE BE WILLING, IN THIS 
FINAL YEAR OF THE FIRST TERM, TO
ACTUALLY TALK WITH PRESIDENT 
TRUMP, TO SEEK A COMPROMISE ON 
PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES, SHE'S 
TALKED ABOUT, SENATOR SCHUMER 
TALKED ABOUT.
SHE SAID SHE WOULD BE WILLING TO
TALK WITH HIM AND ACKNOWLEDGE 
THAT SHE HASN'T TALKED WITH HIM 
SINCE OCTOBER 16th.
BUT I HAVE TO SAY, GEORGE, AFTER
WATCHING THAT MOMENT, IT'S HARD 
TO IMAGINE EITHER ONE OF THEM 
BEING WILLING TO TALK TO ONE 
ANOTHER.
>> OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE 
>>> CONGRESSWOMAN VERONICA 
ESCOBAR GIVING THE DEMOCRATIC 
RESPONSE IN SPANISH TONIGHT.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE NIGHT WITH 
OUR POLITICAL PANEL, HERE WITH 
CHRIS CHRISTIE, RAHM EMANUEL.
AND CHRIS, LET ME BEGIN WITH 
YOU.
WHAT IS YOUR IMPRESSION?
>> LISTEN.
THE DEMOCRATS SAW TONIGHT WHAT 
THEY'RE GOING TO BE UP AGAINST 
FOR THE NEXT TEN MONTHS.
THAT'S DONALD TRUMP AT HIS BEST.
HE WAS DISCIPLINED.
AS MANY TIMES AS THEY BOOED AND 
HECKLED, HE DIDN'T RESPOND, 
WHICH WE'VE SEEN HIM DO BEFORE 
ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS.
>> COULDN'T HELP HIMSELF AT THE 
BEGINNING.
>> RIGHT.
BUT HE LOOKED AT THEM, HE 
WATCHED WHAT THEY WERE DOING, HE
STAYED DISCIPLINED, HE STAYED ON
THE SPEECH.
WE WERE FOLLOWING ALONG WITH THE
TEXT, VERY FEW DEVIATIONS FROM 
THE TEXT.
AND HE LAID OUT HIS ARGUMENT AND
LAID IT OUT STRONGLY AND CLEARLY
AND DIRECTLY.
AND THERE WILL BE ALL KINDS OF 
PEOPLE QUIBBLING BACK AND FORTH 
ABOUT THINGS, THAT'S THE NATURE 
OF POLITICS TODAY, BUT THE 
PRESIDENT GETS AN A-PLUS 
TONIGHT, BECAUSE -- I HEARD THIS
THING, IT'S A POLITICAL SPEECH, 
OF COURSE IT IS.
IT'S THE BEGINNING -- 
>> IT'S NOT A CRITICISM.
IT'S AN OBSERVATION.
>> JON, I THINK KARL, IN THE 
BEGINNING WAS BEING A LITTLE 
CRITICAL THAT IT WAS MORE 
POLITICAL THAN HE'S EVER SEEN.
I'VE WATCHED A LOT OF FIRST-TERM
PRESIDENTS GIVE THIS SPEECH AND 
IT'S ALWAYS VERY POLITICAL.
AND THIS WAS POLITICAL TONIGHT, 
BUT I THINK THE PRESIDENT MADE 
HIS CASE AND I THINK DEMOCRATS 
SAW THE KIND OF CAMPAIGNER 
THEY'RE GOING TO RUN AGAINST 
THIS TIME.
>> I THINK JON'S POINT WAS MORE 
ABOUT THE PARTISAN ENVIRONMENT 
IN THE CHAMBER, BUT I TAKE YOUR 
POINT, AS WELL.
YVETTE, IT WAS HARD TO MISTAKE, 
ESPECIALLY IN THE BEGINNING, THE
PRESIDENT'S STRONG OUTREACH 
TOWARDS THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN 
COMMUNITY FOR THE FIRST SECTION 
OF THE SPEECH.
>> YOU KNOW, HE KNOWS HE'S DOING
REALLY POORLY WITH 
AFRICAN-AMERICANS.
HE'S GOING AT IT.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT, THAT RUSH 
LIMBAUGH RECOGNITION, UNDERCUT 
THE THING.
YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT HE'S MEANT 
WITH HIS RACIST RHETORIC.
HE GIVES WITH ONE HAND AND HE 
TAKES WITH ANOTHER.
YOU HONOR THE TUSKEGEE AIRMAN 
AND THEN HONOR RUSH LIMBAUGH.
IT IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND I 
THINK IT WAS RIGHT OF HIM TO 
RECOGNIZE THE HISTORY OF 
AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN THIS 
COUNTRY, BUT WHEN YOU HONOR 
SOMEONE LIKE RUSH LIMBAUGH RIGHT
AFTER HONORING SOMEONE WHO 
RISKED HIS LIFE TO FIGHT FOR 
THIS COUNTRY, I THINK 
AFRICAN-AMERICANS KNOW BETTER.
>> AND RAHM, IT WAS CLEAR THE 
PRESIDENT, WHERE THE PRESIDENT 
THINKS DEMOCRATS VULNERABILITIES
ARE GOING INTO 2020, THE WORD 
SOCIALISM, MEDICARE FOR ALL, 
HEALTH CARE FOR ILLEGAL 
IMMIGRANTS.
>> YES, YES AND YES.
YOU GOT IT.
HERE'S THE THING.
WAS HE GOING TO TURN THE PAGE 
AND LOOK TO THE FUTURE, GIVE 
PEOPLE A SENSE THAT THE COUNTRY 
WAS ON THE MOVE?
AND I'M NOT A SUPPORTER, 
OBVIOUSLY.
IT WAS AN EFFECTIVE SPEECH.
AND OF COURSE IT'S POLITICAL, I 
WORKED ON NINE STATE OF THE 
UNIONS, EVERY ONE OF THEM, 
REGARDLESS WHERE THEY COME IN 
THE PRESIDENCY, ARE POLITICAL 
SPEECHES.
THEY SET OUT THE AGENDA, THEY 
SET OUT YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND
HONOR AMERICA'S SPIRIT IN THIS 
CHARACTER.
HE DID THAT.
NOW, I DO THINK THERE ARE THINGS
HE'S DONE, LIKE RUSH LIMBAUGH, 
THAT WILL WORK AGAINST THAT 
GRAIN.
BUT IN THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN 
YOU LOOK AT THE PEOPLE HE 
HONORED, OUTSIDE OF RUSH 
LIMBAUGH, YOU LOOK AT SOME OF 
THE POLICIES HE TALKED ABOUT 
GOING FORWARD, WHICH WERE MORE 
BIPARTISAN, ON CHILD TAX CREDIT,
IN
INFRASTRUCTURE BILL, YOU GO DOWN
TO PLANTING TREES, DOWN THE 
LIST, IT WAS, LET'S WORK 
TOGETHER AND HE DIDN'T -- I 
THINK CHRIS IS EXACTLY RIGHT, HE
DIDN'T TAKE THE BAIT.
AND HE TALKED ABOUT A COUNTRY ON
THE MOVE.
FOR HIS GOAL, IT'S A B-PLUS, 
A-MINUS.
>> REACHED OUT TO SUBURBAN 
AMERICANS.
>> HE DID.
HE UNDERSTANDS WHERE HIS 
WEAKNESSES ARE IN THE COUNTIES 
IN PENNSYLVANIA, THE SUBURBS IN 
MICHIGAN AND WISCONSIN.
THAT'S WHAT HE NEEDED TO DO 
TONIGHT.
HE DID IT.
THE QUESTION WILL BE GOING 
FORWARD -- 
>> IT'S NOT -- HERE'S WHAT I 
THINK.
EVERYBODY'S THINKS THE APPEAL, 
LET'S SAY, TO AFRICAN-AMERICANS 
OR WOMEN.
IT'S NOT FOR THOSE GROUPS.
IT'S ACTUALLY FOR HIS VOTERS TO 
FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH HOW HE IS 
DOING.
IT'S NOT THAT HE'S GOING TO GO 
FROM 4% OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN 
VOTE TO 8% OR SOMETHING LIKE 
THAT.
>> BECAUSE THEY KNOW BETTER.
>> IT'S TO MAKE OTHER PEOPLE 
MORE COMFORTABLE WITH HIM BY 
SAYING THIS IS A MORE GENEROUS 
PERSON THAN HE HAS BEEN ALL 
YEAR.
>> IT WAS A SPEECH DESIGNED TO 
GET 51% OF THE VOTE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT SPEECH, IT
WAS DESIGNED NOT TO GET 60% OF 
THE VOTE, RALLY THE COUNTRY 
BEHIND HIM, BRING THE COUNTRY 
TOGETHER, IT WAS TO GET 51% OF 
THE VOTE.
AND THE QUESTION THAT CHRIS WAS 
JUST RAISING IS, HE DID IT FOR 
78 MINUTES.
HE DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB FOR 78 
MINUTES.
CAN HE DO IT FOR 78 DAYS, LET 
ALONE TEN MONTHS?
>> HE CAN'T GIVE A 60% SPEECH.
WHEN NANCY PELOSI STANDS THERE 
AND RIPS UP THE SPEECH AND YOU 
HAVE MEMBERS ON THE DEMOCRATIC 
SIDE LOOKING DOWN, PAYING NO 
ATTENTION TO IT -- 
>> WELL, HE CAN GIVE THE SPEECH.
>> IMPOSSIBLE TO DO IT.
YOU CAN'T BRING AMERICA TOGETHER
IN THAT WAY NOW.
>> THE SPEECH THAT YOU CAN GIVE 
TO -- 
>> I DISAGREE WITH THAT.
THERE ARE THINGS HE COULD TALK 
ABOUT THAT WOULD BRING THE 
COUNTRY TOGETHER. 
>> THIS WAS NOT A UNIFYING 
SPEECH.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS WERE 
WATCHING.
>> HE MENTIONED CRIMINAL JUSTICE
REFORM.
PIERRE THOMAS IS HERE.
THAT IS -- IT WAS THE PRESIDENT 
CONSIDERED HIS SIGNATURE 
BIPARTISAN ACCOMPLISHMENT LAST 
YEAR.
>> HE DID INDEED.
AND THAT'S AN AREA WHERE YOU SEE
DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS IN 
STRONG FAVOR OF DOING MORE TO 
MAKE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
MORE FAIR.
BUT GEORGE, I MUST SAY THAT THE 
DIVISIONS HERE WERE STARK.
SEEING THAT AFRICAN-AMERICAN 
GENERAL WHO WAS HONORED BY THE 
PRESIDENT TONIGHT AND THEN 
HAVING RUSH LIMBAUGH HONORED IN 
THE SAME WAY WAS JUST ANOTHER 
REMINDER OF JUST HOWDY SLIDED 
THE COUNTRY TRULY IS.
>> NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
>> WELL, THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN 
BELIEVES FIRMLY THAT THEY CAN 
MAKE SOME INROADS IN THE 
AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN 
THIS UPCOMING ELECTION.
YOU SAW THAT WITH CRIMINAL 
JUSTICE REFORM, WITH SCHOOL 
CHOICE.
BUT TO YVETTE'S POINT, 8 OUT OF 
10 BLACK AMERICANS BELIEVE THAT 
THE PRESIDENT IS RACIST.
9 OUT OF 10 ARE NOT HAPPY WITH 
HIS JOB PERFORMANCE.
THEY HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO ON 
THIS ISSUE.
>> I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE 
FOREIGN POLICY.
MARTHA RADDATZ WITH US.
PRESIDENT PUT THAT TOWARDS THE 
END OF THE SPEECH, TALKING ABOUT
THE SUCCESSES AGAINST ISIS, THE 
KILLINGS OF AL BAGHDADI AND 
GENERAL SOLEIMANI.
AND WHAT SEEMS LIKE COULD BE A 
HALF-HEARTED OUTREACHED HAND TO 
THE IRANIANS.
>> HALF-HEARTED ATTEMPT TO REACH
OUT TO THE IRANIANS, WHICH I 
DOUBT WILL WORK AT ALL, BECAUSE 
THE IRANIANS, INCLUDING THE 
AYATOLLAH HAVE ALREADY SAID THEY
WILL NOT NEGOTIATE WITH DONALD 
TRUMP.
THEIR FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS HE 
DOES NOT TRUST DONALD TRUMP, SO,
THERE WILL BE NO NEGOTIATIONS.
GEORGE, THIS SPEECH WAS REALLY 
LARGER THAN ANYTHING HE SAID 
ABOUT FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES.
NO, HE DIDN'T MENTION NORTH 
KOREA AT ALL AND THAT COULD BE A
REAL PROBLEM FOR HIM IN THE 
COMING YEARS, BUT THIS REALLY 
WAS A GIFT TO REPUBLICANS.
IT WAS DONALD TRUMP MEASURED, 
WEAVING AN INCREDIBLE STORY WITH
A LOT OF HEROES INVOLVED.
>> THAT WAS VERY SKILLFULLY 
DONE, THERE IS NO QUESTION ABOUT
THAT.
MARTHA, THANK YOU.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE
