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© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019.As shutdown lingers, Pelosi pushes Trump to delay State of Union speech
By Susan Cornwell and James Oliphant WASHINGTON©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
93 Comments
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SuperLib
Trump should release the hostages. He is getting blamed by a wide margin and he has no way out. Sign the bills the Democrats have passed and let the workers get paid.
You lost. Time to move on.
ClippetyClop
If someone can Jedi Mind Trick Fox into persuading them that re-opening government is WINNING! then this will automatically be uploaded to Trump during his next TV lesson. His nodding gullibles will then get the update via his next few tweets. Everyone else just needs to keep mum and pretend for a few days.
Laguna
It's for his own good, what with 800,000 workers, including security, furloughed. Trump really should think more of the safety of Americans rather than pursuing a vanity project.
stormcrow
How would Trump begin the State of the Union Address?
My fellow Americans, the State of the Union is in the toilet. Blah, blah, blah, Nancy Pelosi, blah, blah, blah, witch hunt, blah, blah, Woe is me!, blah, blah, a wall, blah, blah, no collusion, blah blah blah.....
Yeah, it's probably for the best that Trump shuts his mouth for a while, but he won't.
FizzBit
Pelousy has no say in the matter. Of course the MSM won’t mention this fact. The “invitation” is just a formality, Trump can call together either chamber or both anytime he wants.
ulysses
Pelosi has every right not to invite Trump for the State of the Union address, and its good she did it.
She has courage , you can't deny that .
David Varnes
Incorrect. To be invited, both chambers of Congress must pass a resolution. Pelosi, like McConnell in the Senate, basically has the power to hold up any resolution she wants.
Trump is head of the Executive Branch... not God Emperor.
plasticmonkey
And members of Congress can refuse to attend. America is not a dictatorship. Yet.
lincolnman
Yes indeed, just like you said before you flip-flopped (the second time), you own this one lock, stock and barrel Donnie.
The increased threat from ISIS entering our air and sea ports, the threat of an aviation accident because air traffic controllers aren't getting paid, the increased threat to our food supply with an unfunded FDA...
You and your "spine" Ingram, Malkin, and Limbaugh are sure making a mess of things...
And as for the State of the Union speech, let him make it - with his unhinged word salad, there's no better proof that he has the "understanding of a fifth or sixth grader...."
rainyday
Oh, snap!
Hitting him where it hurts!
Texas A&M Aggie
Pelosi wrote ... a letter citing security concerns -- article
Perhaps the Senate Homeland Security committee should open an all-inclusive investigation (I.e., review of decades old bank statements, tax filings, etc.) of Pelosi for this statement to see if she is in fact colluding with terrorists (foreign and domestic) by dog whistling that the SOTU is ripe for attack.
Deadforgood
@fizzbit
You are wrong, Pelosi can deny him the invite. He can still do it at home if he wants though. You really should take your time to understand your own government before you start saying things that don't make any sense or sound straight wack.
CrazyJoe
The very postponement of The State of The Union Address would seem to be, in and of itself, an appropriate statement of The State of The Union.
No need for any further statement.
Deadforgood
@Texas A
I'm not sure you understand what you have written yourself, nor what Pelosi has written... Where has she cited the SOTU is "ripe for attack"? I believe what she HAS stated is that given the lack of staff needed in order to securely conduct the sotu address, the address should be rescheduled to a suitable date after the government has re-opened, funding the necessary staff to attend. If anything, their putting Trump's well being first.
SuperLib
Just wait until flights start getting cancelled. I'm guessing the majority who blame Trump aren't going to suddenly switch sides because things got worse.
theeastisred
"My fellow Americans, the state of the union is diabolical, because of me. Therefore I hereby resign."
That's all that's required.
Deadforgood
@Texas A
BTW, just for context, here's the paragraph before her asking to reschedule which also explains the "security concerns". I hope you can understand it, though it might not make any sense to you.
Wolfpack
Keep the government closed until the Dems cave. They are the ones that like big government yet Pelosi can't compromise with the Senate to pass a spending bill. The ball is in Nancy's court. Trump can't make Congress do It's job and appropriate finds. That's Nancy's job - she has to compromise with tjed Senate. If the Dems keep the affected agencies closed longer than 30 days Trump can start the process of laying off deep state bureacrates after another month. Win-win situation for Conservatives.
FizzBit
U.S. Constitution - Article 2 Section 3
Article 2 - The Executive Branch
Section 3 - State of the Union, Convening Congress
He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States.
Texas A&M Aggie
So, Pelosi wants to be assured of a wall of security for herself. Odd, after saying security for Americans is immoral.
Deadforgood
@fizzbit
Why do you bother looking that up, nobody has argued that he must not give the SOTU address at some time.
Joint sessions of congress have to be approved by house and senate majority leaders to happen in chamber though. So like I said, he can do it at home if he wants, or do it at a later time, after he's re-opened government.
It says nowhere that he has the power to walk onto the house floor and give a speech without the invitation.
smithinjapan
Showing the orange face who's really in charge. Well done. He sure is going to cry and rage tweet about this.
wtfjapan
yet Pelosi can't compromise with the Senate to pass a spending bill.
WTF are you taking about, Trump has clearly stated he owns the shutdown and that he wont sign anything that doesnt includes $5.6billion for his wall, nothing less, which part of that is compromise.
Deadforgood
@Texas A
I really don't understand what you mean, completely bizarre statement with no context to the article or posters comments...
Also, can you show me where she said "saying security for Americans is immoral"? I highly doubt that actually happened.
CrazyJoe
Well Donald you’re up against a woman who knows more about legislative government than probably any other person in the United States. Add to that she has a steel back bone. She has a lot of arrows in her quiver and I’m not sure you even know what a quiver is In this context
Deadforgood
@fizzbit
I also forgot to mention, as Pelosi seems to suggest, the president can deliver a SOTU address in writing as well. He just can't deliver it on the house floor without an invitation. So he can do that as well. He should probably spell check it though.
Texas A&M Aggie
Our president should consider giving the SOTU address in AT&T stadium up in Dallas. A POTUS speech given before 125k people would be historic. The next day he could send both houses of the Congress a transcript of what he said the night before.
FizzBit
@deadforgood
So how do you interpret the words “on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them”?
It’s very clear.
Chip Star
This has no basis in reality.
It wouldn't be the SOTU then, it would just be a bunch of ignorant arseholes in a stadium listening to their ignorant arsehole of a leader.
Deadforgood
@fizzbit
You think that this is an "extraordinary Occasion"? No President has ever given the SOTU during a government shutdown. Not so extraordinary, and not happening.
SuperLib
Trump is damaging his 2020 campaign at this point. His supporters have reached some odd euphoria where they believe their minority is a mandate and resisting will eventually pay off.
But it won’t. People will lose their houses as collateral damage, and they will be fed images of Trump fans at one of his rallies cheering.
This is going to be disasterous tor him.
Deadforgood
I imagine it would be a financially idiotic for AT&T to host Trump to give a speech unless McDonald's, Wendy's, and Pizza Hut agree to sponsor it.
Silvafan
LOL! Worst President Ever!
cleo
In 140 characters?
rainyday
This would actually be one of the less weird things he has done as president if he actually did that.
Silvafan
@Texas A&M Aggie
You never answered the question! LOL!
lincolnman
Why not a better fitting venue - a Las Vegas third rate lounge where his ridiculous ranting and raving fit right in...
"Live from the Sands, its the SOU - given by your Apprentice (and soon to be impeached) President Donnie Trump...
With special musical group; "The President's Backbone" starring Laura Ingram, Michelle Malkin, and Rush Limbaugh)"
And playing in the Rumpus Room next door, Stormy Daniels!..."
Vernon Watts
Pelosi is covering for RBG who definitely won't attend which will continue to fuel speculation that she is about to face the ultimate judge...
bones
Imagine trumps actually writing a state of the union letter! lol
Slickdrifter
I never thought I would say this. But I am with crazy joe on his comment. And it was funny and spot on.
A sad state indeed. Sick of it all. I think Pelosi did the right thing if she was concerned a about safety a issue. But she went too far when she did this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPR3BP5bzyY
Pelosi, speaking to reporters, suggested that if Trump would not agree to reschedule the speech until the government reopens, he could deliver it from the Oval Office instead-
The letter was enough.
She did not need to speak to the press on it and go all ostentatious and grandiose. But she always has to be in the spotlight. Come on Dems you have to admit it. She loves the attention. Just look at her. That ever waiving hand. That deamnor. Rubs me the wrong way. If you going to talkl to the press. Stop. Plant two feet. Square up and adress the press the right way. We do not need that snobby walk away tactic.
Good God. Tone it down Pelosi.
Chip Star
Every time a bell rings, a conservative creates a conspiracy theory.
Chip Star
You do realize you could replace each Pelosi with Trump and this would be equally accurate, correct?
Slickdrifter
@Chipstar.
Yep. Not a Trumpster. His behavior with media is as well horid at times.
bass4funk
Pelosi is just the absolute worse that could ever come out of the Washington establishment and they’re already bad as it is, If the roles were reversed and a Republican would saying something outrageously dumb as she did, there would be calls for them to be stripped of their duties.
Chip Star
There already are republicans that say far worse: Trump and Steve King pop to mind.
Serrano
Well of course Nancy "Let's Talk in Private" Pelosi wants Trump to delay his speech - she knows he's going to humiliate her and Chuck and the rest of the Dems.
You know Trump is gonna give the State of the Union if he gotta do it from McDonald's.
Chip Star
What Trump supporters really think if our institutions.
Serrano
What Trump supporters really think if ( of ) our institutions.
Trump supporters hold our institutions in high regard, unlike Pelosi as evidenced here.
u_s__reamer
If Trump doesn't stop the wheels spinning and get the government employees back to work, he might have to write the SOTU himself (LOL), which could be the import of the Speaker's message containing this concealed threat since the cunning Pelosi knows how to pitch a curvedballs. Or maybe this year's SOTU will be a historic first: a boastful barrage of SOTU tweets from the isolated Trump, alone in the deathly quiet of the empty White House.
bass4funk
What about Biden?
Blacklabel
Simple just do the state of the union address at the border. Preferably a place with no wall where illegals can be seen sneaking into the USA as he speaks.
It’s called State of the Union speech. That state is that government isn’t opening until we get border security. What WE want, not what Dems think is good enough.
Blacklabel
Hopefully Chuck and Nancy buy a second podium before they do their videotaped rebuttal that rebuts things Trump didn’t even talk about.
lincolnman
Yea, humiliate them by showing them that "big, beautiful wall" that Mexico paid for. Wait, it's a fence. Wait, it's a barrier. Wait, it's a curb. Wait, it's a line in the sand... Or better, humiliate them by showing how their Campaign Manager actively colluded with Russians....
I agree wholeheartedly - McDonald's is the absolute best place for him to give it - standing right next to his fellow clown Ronald....
Naw, McDonalds is better....
Which is in bad shape, due to the Trump Crime Family - not The Sopranos, The Moronos
Even if our air and sea borders, where most terrorists enter, are much less secure. Makes sense, right?
And security of our country from terrorists, aviation safety, and food security be damned...we don't care about that. We want our symbolic wall (fence, barrier, whatever)...
lincolnman
We spend to much time talking about this year's speech - let's talk about next year's - Jan 2020. I imagine it will go something like this...
"Tonight ladies and gentlemen, from the auditorium of the Federal Penitentiary at Leavenworth, your President, Donald Trump...
My fellow inmates, err.., I mean Americans. It is my pleasure to talk to you tonight on the state of the prison, err... I mean country...
The country is doing great - I mean I was impeached wasn't I? We no longer have a draft-dodging, serial lying, imbecile who cavorts with porn stars and colludes with Russians in office. Wow, such great times...
But I'm doing OK - I have lots of friends here on the inside; Manafort, Gates, Flynn, Cohen - Cohen's my "jailhouse lawyer..." In fact, most of my cabinet is here.
The only thing I miss besides Stormy, err, I mean Melania, is my five Big Macs per day...
Well, so long - I'll be seeing you again in 5-7 years, depending on good behavior"
bass4funk
Once it’s built you can it a lego slab if you choose.
You do know collusion doesn’t necessarily constituents as a crime.
Nancy and Chuck should stand right next to him., he’s funny.
bass4funk
You forgot to add....but since I am the President, I have huge Presidential powers of pardon...now watch me do my magic.
lincolnman
Once its built - you mean "mark my words, mark my words"?
Yep, just impeachable. You do know that conspiracy, obstruction, money laundering, perjury, tax evasion are all crimes?
They can't - Nancy and Chuck aren't members of the Clown Union, just Ronald and Donnie...
Hey Cohen, my pardon magic isn't working...what? It doesn't work on crimes being prosecuted by the NY Attorney General? Uh oh.....
SuperLib
When Trump gets a national platform he can't stop himself from constantly lying. The TV networks should show the speech on tape delay after fact checking it.
bass4funk
Had the Democrats Not withheld money for his wall we wouldn’t be in this position.
Yes.
Yes, you are right, but it doesn’t mean, he would be convicted and even less chance of him being removed.
lincolnman
"I'll own the shutdown, I'll accept the mantle"...
Yep, two years and ain't built yet; "mark my words, mark my words"...
But makes it very likely....
By the way, try #8, care to answer why the Trump sons say they get all their money for the Trump Organization from Russia and Dad says "no Russian investments, no Russian deals"?
SuperLib
We can conclude at this point that Trump and his fans have decided that that never happened.
Blacklabel
So on Jan 3rd, Pelosi invited the President to present the State of the Union address. Wasn’t the government under shutdown then?
Also she claims security reasons yet she never asked Homeland security or the secret service. So it’s all political nonsense.
Strangerland
With this move, she put him in a position where no matter how he deals with it, he looks bad.
Strategically, it was boss.
Strangerland
Legally - who knows. Probably needs a judge to sort it out.
Morally/ethically - it's wrong. As in ethically wrong. Morally wrong.
Blacklabel
Yeah if you ignore that it’s all politics and lies. He is the President, never looks bad because he can speak whenever and wherever he wants. Doesn’t have to do it in front of congress. They will probably do some ridiculous resistance stuff anyway.
would be good to get some proof of life on Ginsburg by making her attend though.
Blacklabel
Trump should give a 1 hour speech from the Oval Office every night until the Dems give him the correct amount of border funding.
Strangerland
I agree!
SuperLib
Trump is playing a losing hand. He should release the hostages.
ulysses
Lol, Trump can barely make a 5 minute speech without repeating himself, will be really funny to see a one hour speech.
David Varnes
I wish he would, because it would take about 3-5 days before every single non-delusional person in America would see that he's a total idiot. It would expose, to the entire world in all it's HD glory, his total lack of intelligence, his total lack of forethought, and his total derangement.
SuperLib
I couldn't handle Trump talking every night on TV. He has that stiff body style and looks weak and confused while struggling to read the teleprompter.
Strangerland
I think if he was to speak from the oval office every night for an hour, we'd be seeing rally-style Trump, not teleprompter Trump.
It would be like the Jerry Springer of the new age.
8T
Pelosi.....Now there is a piece of work. A female Donald Trump.
mukashiyokatta
She's doing him a favor! After all, he would have to admit the Union was in a state of CHAOS, RAPID DECLINE, and DIVISION. "It's a disgrace." Over to you, rapidly dwindling Trump supporters!
Chop Chop
It won't happen like that. It simple, Nancy Pelosi has agreed funding for border wall first and then reopen the Government. The Border Wall is important for America security and the United State needs it. Stop playing politic game, Nancy Pelosi, 800,000 peoples and their families are waiting for their pay check.
SuperLib
Pelosi should agree to fund the wall in public. The Senate can pass the resolution.
When it gets to the House, Pelosi should say that she’s changed her mind and won’t sign unless she gets $10 billion for one of her projects.
Then we can sit back and watch Trump fans tell Trump that he needs to compromise.
Problem solved.
Serrano
Trump should troll her by giving the SOTU speech at the border. But he should make it short and have family members of U.S. citizens killed by illegals take his time at the podium. Parade them up there, one by one, to tell their stories. Shame the Democrats into funding the wall.
Problem solved.
Serrano
Pelosi has the nerve to voice concerns for her safety while she says screw everyone else’s safety by refusing to fund the wall.
“She’ll cut your head off and you won’t know you’re bleeding “
Daughter knows mommy. Pelosi is not to be trusted on anything.
SuperLib
I accept those terms under one condition.
With every mass shooting Trump has to go to the school and give a speech about how we're not going to do anything about guns. Then the families can speak. Parade them up there, one at a time, to tell their stories
Im guessing the school speeches will be quite a bit longer than yours just because of the sheer number of dead kids, but then again the killers aren't Latino so there's no crisis.
Or we can put the emotional nonsense aside and focus on the issue at hand, which is Trump's hostages.
kabukideath
Pelosi is trying to cancel the State of the Union to prevent the world from seeing a vacant chair where Ginsburg is supposed to be.
Chip Star
This is a good read regarding the effects of Trunp's shutdown:
https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/back-pay-no-way-u-163819128.html
It's only a matter of time before conservatibes spin a conspiracy theory.
Chip Star
Do you really need a reminder of the list of our institutions you guys degrade on a daily basis? Your only criteria for deciding which institutions to denegrate is whether they are favorable to Trump.
Chip Star
He gives Mueller enough evidence as it is and you want him to have an hour every night to ramble?!
Imagine the number of times he would contradict himself and the evidence he would give the multiple investigations in the first 7 days alone!
This is the best idea in the history of written ideas!
Chip Star
More of the effects of Trump's shutdown that he's proud of:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-air-traffic-controllers-system-145900603.html
arrestpaul
Pelosi is the swamp that your mother warned you about. This is simply old fashion politics. Elected Democrats will toe the line, or they will be hard pressed for party campaign contributions, and other assistance, in the future. I expect these types of standoffs to last for the next two years.
bass4funk
Well, you are right, but that’s past us now, so the Dems say they’re for border security and with this new caravan forming 2 of them, they now should take the helm and show bipartisan support and fund the wall.
And the Democrats are being schooled as well, their agenda is not getting through and won’t.
No, he’s taking control because unlike Democrats that want to take windy walks and trips, the President is hunkered down in the White House.
8T
Revolution is coming to the U.S.A. and it won’t be pretty.
Bobolicious
Lol.. my goodness. If I walked up to a McDonald's counter and demanded that I get a 20 piece KFC bucket of chicken... am I the jerk or is McD's for saying, "No, go away". And @serrano the daughter was actually saying her mother was a tough cookie and she won't back down from a fight. I hope you didn't just read a headline and jump to conclusion...whoops.
Bobolicious
@bass4funk By hunkered down you mean enjoying watching tv, eating hamberders then going to play golf at his resorts. Hmm... for a guy asking for a lot of money.. he has no problems spending it on security detail for unsecured places such as Mar-a-lago.
starpunk
What the devil is there for this megalomaniac to say? Pity me! Nobody wikes me. I'm a god but nobody wants to hopscotch with me because they won't let me have my way. WAAAAAAH-HAHH!!!
America has been hijacked by this treasonous uncouth bullying nincompoop for too long. Might as well cancel the SOTU speech, it'd be a total sham and ego trip and Trump isn't MAN enough for the job or for the press questions anyway. He needs to go sulk in a corner and shut up!