President Donald Trump’s second State of the Union was met with a decidedly chillier reception than his first, as he addressed a Democrat majority following last fall’s midterm upsets. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi could barely contain her contempt when Trump, of all people, called to “reject the politics of revenge, resistance, and retribution,” and a group of Democratic women sitting together wearing suffrage white likewise looked unimpressed by the president’s speech.
This included rising star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who — sitting front and center, wearing her trademark red lipstick — did little to hide how she felt about Trump’s address.
Ocasio-Cortez’s stony expression caught the attention of Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan, who later tweeted that the New York congresswoman “had a rare bad night, looking not spirited, warm and original as usual but sullen, teenaged and at a loss.”
And good natured with the white jackets, who I see some on twitter are calling the straight jackets. AOC had a rare bad night, looking not spirited, warm and original as usual but sullen, teenaged and at a loss. 2.
— Peggy Noonan (@Peggynoonannyc) February 6, 2019
Master of the clap-back, Ocasio-Cortez was not having this nonsense.
“Why should I be “spirited and warm” for this embarrassment of a #SOTU? Tonight was an unsettling night for our country,” she tweeted back. “The president failed to offer any plan, any vision at all, for our future. We’re flying without a pilot. And I‘m not here to comfort anyone about that fact.”
Why should I be “spirited and warm” for this embarrassment of a #SOTU?
Tonight was an unsettling night for our country. The president failed to offer any plan, any vision at all, for our future.
We’re flying without a pilot. And I‘m not here to comfort anyone about that fact. https://t.co/7bu3QXFMnC
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 6, 2019
Others had similar sentiments for Noonan:
https://twitter.com/nzingharahni7/status/1093131934434246659
So you’re saying she should have smiled more? Classy.
— Fred Wellman (@FPWellman) February 6, 2019
lol I didn’t realize you were still kickin around. good for you!
— america's lounge singer (@KrangTNelson) February 6, 2019
https://twitter.com/newusadream/status/1092991705635143680
Unlike AOC, your bad nights aren’t rare.
— The Hoarse Whisperer (@TheRealHoarse) February 6, 2019
You win a Pulitzer for commentary and this is the best you can do? You sound bitter and envious. It's a terrible look for a grown up.
— Victoria Brownworth (@VABVOX) February 6, 2019
BREAKING: Women should smile more pic.twitter.com/G2u9473432
— The Volatile Mermaid (@OhNoSheTwitnt) February 6, 2019
Ocasio-Cortez wasn’t the only critic of Trump’s speech. Even prominent Republicans such as former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum argued that it was poorly delivered and lacked policy
Rick Santorum (!) thinks Trump's speech was poorly delivered and didn't have any policy content. pic.twitter.com/Fp5NONKDmL
— Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) February 6, 2019
Trump’s Executive Time is gonna be pretty awkward today, to say the least.