2020 State of the Union address to Congress

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Crippled America,
by Donald J. Trump (2015)

Fire and Fury,
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Trump Revealed,
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The Making of Donald Trump,
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Promise Me, Dad ,
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Guide to Political Revolution,
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Where We Go From Here,
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This Fight Is Our Fight,
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United,
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Conscience of a Conservative,
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Two Paths,
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Every Other Monday,
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Courage is Contagious,
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Shortest Way Home,
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Becoming,
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Higher Loyalty,
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The Making of Donald Trump,
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Trump vs. Hillary On The Issues ,
by Jesse Gordon (2016)

Outsider in the White House,
by Bernie Sanders (2015)

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2020 State of the Union address to Congress, plus the Democratic responses, Feb. 4, 2020

(Click for external website)

Donald Trump (22) Republican Presidential incumbent
Gretchen Whitmer (3) Michigan Democratic Governor
Jay Ashcroft (1) Missouri Republican Challenger
Rush Limbaugh (1)
Tim Scott (1) South Carolina Republican presidential challenger; SC Senator
Veronica Escobar (5) Democrat U.S. Rep Texas-16
OR click on an issue category below for a subset.

Pres. Trump's State of the Union address, plus several responses from several Democratic factions.

The image above has "gone viral" from this speech:

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi ripped up her official copy of the speech while the audience was filing out.
A motion to censure Rep. Pelosi for that action was filed in the U.S. House of Representatives (her action is not a crime, but can warrant censuure, if the House so votes).
Many investigators carefully watched footage recorded during the speech, and found her pages "pre-ripped" (i.e. she planned the event for the end of the speech)
When President Trump handed Pelosi the official copy at the beginning of the speech, he snubbed her handshake when she accepted it.

In addition to the "viral image" aspects, there were a series of staged events incorporated into the speech (inviting guests to personify the president's points has long been a staple of SOTU speeches; staging actual events during the speech is new):

Rush Limbaugh received a Presidential Medal of Freedom during the speech.
A member of the military was rejoined with his wife, who did not expect his return that evening.
A young student was granted an Opportunity Scholarship after being denied entrance to a charter school in Pensylvania.
Juan Guaidó, the "shadow president" of Venezuela was introduced to America (Guaidó is recognized as the president by the U.S. but his opponent Nicolás Madurom controls the government).

There were also numerous policy points in the speech, and in the numerous responses, which we excerpt below. But the images and events are what this speech will be remembered for!

-- Jesse Gordon, jesse@OnTheIssues.org, Feb. 5, 2020

Trump White House Archives, "WTAS: Support for President Donald J. Trump's State of the Union Address," February 5, 2020, (Link)

OnTheIssues.org excerpts: (click on issues for details)

Abortion
Donald Trump: Ban the late-term abortion of babies.

Budget & Economy
Gretchen Whitmer: If economy doesn't work for working people, it doesn't work.
Gretchen Whitmer: Kid with a shovel did more for infrastructure than GOP.

Education
Donald Trump: Opportunity Scholarships for 1M trapped in failing schools.
Donald Trump: Constitutional right to pray in public schools.

Energy & Oil
Donald Trump: Fact-Check:US became #1 producer of natural gas in 2009.

Environment
Donald Trump: Join the United Nations' "One Trillion Trees initiative".

Families & Children
Donald Trump: Paid family leave for federal employees.

Foreign Policy
Donald Trump: Restore democracy in Cuba & Venezuela.
Donald Trump: We rebuilt military; America stronger than ever.
Veronica Escobar: Puerto Rico still rebuilding after 2017 Hurricane Maria.

Free Trade
Donald Trump: Fact-Check: Union support for USMCA was mixed.
Donald Trump: Fact-Check:USMCA mostly a cosmetic refreshing of NAFTA.
Donald Trump: We said "that's enough" to China & signed new trade deal.

Gun Control
Veronica Escobar: Hate speech stokes gun violence and mass shootings.

Health Care
Donald Trump: Socialist healthcare would take away from 180M patients.
Donald Trump: Eradicate AIDS epidemic by the end of this decade.
Donald Trump: Executive order requiring healthcare price transparency.
Donald Trump: Fact-Check: 4,311 drugs had price hike; 619 were lowered.
Gretchen Whitmer: Dems plan to expand health care, GOP wants to take it away.

Homeland Security
Donald Trump: $400B more from NATO members for military expenses.

Immigration
Veronica Escobar: In America, diversity makes us stronger.

Jobs
Donald Trump: Unemployment at record low, including women & disabled.
Donald Trump: Fact-Check: Job creation has increased, but at lower rate.
Veronica Escobar: Raise the federal minimum wage.

Principles & Values
Rush Limbaugh: Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom after cancer diagnosis.
Jay Ashcroft: The story of America: family, faith, freedom.

Technology
Donald Trump: New roads, bridges & tunnels, plus high-speed rural internet.

War & Peace
Donald Trump: Fact-Check: Trump has sent more troops to MidEast.

Welfare & Poverty
Donald Trump: 7M people off welfare and food stamps.
Donald Trump: Opportunity Zones in 9,000 neglected neighborhoods.
Tim Scott: Opportunity Zones in 9,000 neglected neighborhoods.

Click for quotations from other sources by:
Donald Trump Republican Presidential incumbent
Gretchen Whitmer Michigan Democratic Governor
Jay Ashcroft Missouri Republican Challenger
Rush Limbaugh
Tim Scott South Carolina Republican presidential challenger; SC Senator
Veronica Escobar Democrat U.S. Rep Texas-16

The above quotations are from 2020 State of the Union address to Congress, plus the Democratic responses, Feb. 4, 2020.

2026 Governors' State of the State speeches
2025 State of the Union speech, plus Democratic response
2025 Governors' State of the State speeches
2024 State of the Union speech, plus GOP responses
2024 Governors' State of the State speeches
2023 State of the Union speech, plus GOP, Working Family, & MAGA responses
2023 Governors' State of the State speeches
2022 State of the Union speech, plus GOP, Libertarian, progressive, & QAnon responses
2022 Governors' State of the State speeches
2021 State of the Union speech, plus responses by the Republican Party
2021 Governors' State of the State speeches
2020 State of the Union speech, plus responses by the Democratic Party
2020 Governors' State of the State speeches
2019 State of the Union speech, plus responses by the Democratic Party
2019 Governors' State of the State speeches
2018 State of the Union speech, plus response by the Democratic Party
2018 Governors' State of the State speeches
2017 State of the Union speech, plus response by the Democratic Party
2017 Governors' State of the State speeches
2016 State of the Union speech
2016 Governors' State of the State speeches
2015 State of the Union speech
2015 Governors' State of the State speeches
2014 State of the Union speech, plus response by Green Party, Republican Party, and Tea Party
2014 Governors' State of the State speeches
2013 State of the Union speech, plus response by GOP and Tea Party
2013 Governors' State of the State speeches
2012 State of the Union speech, plus response by GOP and Tea Party
2012 Governors' State of the State speeches
2011 State of the Union speech, plus response by GOP and Tea Party
2011 Governors' State of the State speeches
2007-2011 Mayors' State of the City speeches
2010 Governors' State of the State speeches
Obama Q+A at GOP House Retreat, Jan. 2010
2010 State of the Union speech, plus response by Gov. Bob McDonnell (R, VA)
2009 Governors' State of the State speeches
2009 Address to Joint Session of Congress, plus response by Gov. Bobby Jindal (R, LA)
2009 Governors' State of the State speeches
2008 State of the Union speech, plus response by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D, KS)
2008 Governors' State of the State speeches
2007 State of the Union speech, plus response by Sen. James Webb (D, VA)
2007 Governors' State of the State speeches
2006 State of the Union speech, plus response by Gov. Tim Kaine (D, VA)
2005 State of the Union speech, plus responses by Sen Harry Reid (D, NV) & Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA)
2004 State of the Union speech, plus responses by Sen Tom Daschle (D, SD) & Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA)
2004 Governors' State of the State speeches
2001 Governors' State of the State speeches
Other early 2000s Governors' State of the State speeches
Other late 1990s Governors' State of the State speeches
Historical State of the Union addresses:
Clinton - Bush - Reagan - Carter - Ford
Nixon - LBJ - JFK - Eisenhower - Truman

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