With many of them clad in black, the Democrats who did show up to President Trump’s first State of the Union address Tuesday night were not happy about it. In fact, they seemed so focused on opposing everything he said they couldn’t even bring themselves to applaud things that are normally considered bipartisan.
They set the tone for their behavior that evening right away, by refusing to stand to greet Trump and many even first lady Melania Trump.
The resistance continued, with most Democrats also refusing to applaud:
- job creation
- higher wages
- lower African American and Hispanic unemployment rates
- bonuses for employees
- securing the border
- fighting the opioid epidemic
- merit-based immigration
- the American flag and the national anthem
- in God we trust
- a path to citizenship
- Recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital
- diminishing the Islamic State
- lower prescription drug costs
- defense and modernizing our nuclear arsenal
Entire row of Democrats refusing to stand for family whose two girls were murdered by MS-13 #SOTU
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) January 31, 2018
Of course, there were exceptions to some of these—like Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) who often stood with Republicans in applauding certain issues. Half of Democrats did recognize the national anthem line, with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi standing, although she looked around at the rest of her seated Democratic colleagues and shrugged. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also applauded the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
It's absolutely hysterical to watch Joe Manchin applaud on Trump's various economy lines & Schumer look down the aisle and shoosh him.
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) January 31, 2018
this has happened twice now
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) slammed his colleagues for their behavior during Tuesday’s speech, telling Fox News’s Sean Hannity that “it was stunning to watch Washington Democrats sit their stone-faced and refuse to applaud more jobs, higher wages, jobs coming back to America, refuse to applaud wins for the working men and women of America.”
Donald Trump Jr. blamed the Democrats’ opposition on “derangement,” telling Hannity you could tell they wanted to stand at times.
"You can see them all almost looking around, like 'We almost have to stand for this,' but the derangement is real. They have to do the opposite," he said. "They have been forced to take the opposite approach of everything that he does, everything that he says. So even things that are common sense solutions for the American people, they have to do the opposite. And you could see it. It was amazing to watch."
The Republican National Committee said the Democrats’ behavior was evidence they’ve gone beyond being the party of “resistance and obstruction.”
“Democrats are no longer just the party of resistance and obstruction, they are now also the party of sitting on their hands,” the RNC said. “No matter the issue, Democrats chose to sit on their hands tonight.”
Update: This video says it all...