Trump’s apparent new tone has had quite the effect on the media today. Van Jones and many in “the resistance” seemed to grab onto his joint address to Congress as the moment the president because THE president, earning them the scorn of people who haven’t forgotten the month that preceded his speech. As Seth Meyers puts it, “there are some Muslims and undocumented immigrants that would tell you he became president back in f*cking January.”
And he’s right, what we saw from Trump last night is no different than what we’ve seen since the president made his way down that golden escalator in 2015. He’s shifted tones many times and pundits were quick to say he had suddenly become presidential. That he had changed his ways and wasn’t going to be tweeting at 3 am as president or giving out nicknames to his enemies. Those moments turned out to be false and there isn’t much reason to think the performance on Tuesday night won’t turn out the same. Just look at the alleged “bait and switch” by the administration over immigration.
You could see some in the audience weren’t buying it. Meyers singles out Elena Kagan and her expression, but she was hardly the only one. That’s why the immediate response from the media felt hollow, ignorant of everything that had preceded and still looms on the horizon.
Meyers also didn’t have much kindness for the Democratic response to Trump’s speech, delivered by “the survivors of a zombie apocalypse.” It could’ve been far more energetic, but instead, it was odd and it did not set a good tone for the rest of the year. If Trump looked “good” after his address, everybody else was made to look ineffective.
(Via Late Night)