State Of The Union Showdown

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Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:34

You are listening to Commission 6'8.

SPEAKER_07 0:40

Mr. Speaker, the President of the United States.

SPEAKER_08 0:46

As I say tonight, members of Congress, the state of our union is strong. Would you be ashamed of yourself not standing up? Would you be ashamed of? These people are crazy intelligent. Our country is winning again. In fact, we're winning so much that we really don't know what to do about it. The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens. The highest civilian honor, the presidential medal of freedom, petty officer Ruskin, the Legion of Merit. Present Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolf, the great family of Sarah Baxter, the Purple Heart. I would now like to ask General Jonathan Braga to present Chief Warrant Officer Sprover with our nation's highest military award, the Congressional Medal of Honor. To present Captain Royce Williams with his Congressional Medal of Honor.

Host Returns And Sets Agenda

Trump’s Speech As Political Theater

Camera Cuts And Crowd Reactions

Longest Address And Early Disruption

Olympic Hockey Team Spotlight

SPEAKER_03 2:18

It is Thursday, February 26th in the greatest country on earth. I'm your host, Randy Millette, and this is Commission 6'8. And welcome back to the show, everybody. Welcome back. I know it's been a couple of weeks. We haven't done a show. I took a few weeks off during the Mardi Gras holiday to spend some time with family and friends, but we are back. We have a great show for you today, and we're going to start things off by talking about Tuesday night's State of the Union address given by President Trump on Capitol Hill to joint members of Congress, the Supreme Court, the Cabinet, the Joint Chiefs, spectators, guests, and of course the country. We're going to touch on some of President Trump's talking points as well as the reaction from members of Congress. And let me just say that this was excellent political theater. If you watched it, you were most likely entertained. I know I was uh thoroughly entertained. If you went into this speech loving Donald Trump already, uh you came out of it loving him even more. If you already hate Donald Trump, you probably came out of it hating him even more. He kind of has a way of doing that. He doubles down on his personality. He provides the media with a treasure trove of sound bites. You know as well as I do, he doesn't shy away from controversy, and this speech was no different. Now I watched it on Fox News, and in my opinion, the superior performer of the night was the cameraman and whoever was in the control room. Because every time President Trump brought up an issue and was calling out members of Congress or when he called out the Supreme Court, the cameraman was giving close-ups of the reactions, and it was just wildly entertaining. So this was the longest State of the Union address in history at 108 minutes, beating last year's record of 99 and a half minutes. And let's talk about some of the highlights. Firstly, Democratic representative from Texas, Al Green, who was thrown out of the State of the Union last year, was also thrown out this year, this time in the first three minutes, for holding up a sign that said black people are not apes. So Al Green was thrown out two years in a row. Obviously, this was planned. He knew he wasn't gonna stay for the whole speech. Just more of a little political theater. Moving right along. Twenty minutes into the speech, we were met with a surprise where President Trump brought in the United States men's hockey team who just won the gold medal at the Olympics. Listen here.

SPEAKER_08 4:37

Our country is winning again. In fact, we're winning so much that we really don't know what to do about it. People are asking me, please, please, please, Mr. President, we're winning too much. We can't take it anymore. We're not used to winning in our country until you came along with just always losing, but now we're winning too much. And I say, no, no, no. You're going to win again. You're going to win big. You're going to win bigger than ever.

SPEAKER_07 5:06

And to prove that point, to prove that point, here with us tonight is a group of winners who just made the entire nation proud. The men's gold minimal Olympic hockey team. Come on.

SPEAKER_03 5:34

The hockey team was met with a stand in ovation and chance of USA. This was the first gold medal that the U.S. have earned at the Winter Olympics since the miracle of 1980. So the country is very proud. The women's hockey team was also invited to the State of the Union address, but chose not to come due to scheduling conflicts. However, they will be at the White House in the future. And then President Trump awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the goalie, Connor Hellebuck.

SPEAKER_08 6:02

But I just want to tell you that the members of this great hockey squad will be very happy to hear, based on their vote and my vote, and in this case my vote was more important, that I will soon be presenting Connor with our highest civilian honor, which we will be given and which has been given to many athletes over the years. But when I say many, not too many, like twelve, it's called the highest civilian honor in our country, the presidential medal of freedom.

SPEAKER_03 6:42

The next notable moment came when President Trump addressed the recent ruling from the Supreme Court on his tariffs. Traditionally, the justices of the Supreme Court are seated right in front of the President, and this year only four of the nine justices actually attended. Those four were John Roberts, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Comey Barrett, and Elena Kagan. All of those justices, except Kavanaugh, recently voted to strike down the tariffs. And here's what President Trump had to say.

SPEAKER_08 7:33

And the big story was how Donald Trump called the economy correctly. And then just four days ago, an unfortunate ruling from the United States Supreme Court. But the good news is that almost all countries and corporations want to keep the deal that they already made, knowing that the legal power that I, as president, have to make a new deal could be far worse for them. And therefore they will continue to work along the same successful path that we had negotiated before the Supreme Court's unfortunate involvement will remain in place under fully approved and tested alternative legal statutes, leading to a solution that will be even stronger than before. Congressional action will not be necessary.

SPEAKER_03 8:18

Another stirring moment was when President Trump addressed the widespread fraud and corruption in Minnesota.

SPEAKER_08 8:25

But when it comes to the corruption that is plundering, really it's plundering America, there's been no more stunning example than Minnesota, where members of the Somali community have pillaged an estimated$19 billion from the America taxpayer. Oh, we have all the information. And in actuality, the number is much higher than that. And California, Massachusetts, Maine, and many other states are even worse. This is the kind of corruption that shreds the fabric of a nation, and we are working on it like you wouldn't believe. So tonight, although started four months ago, I am officially announcing the war on fraud to be led by our great vice president J.D. Vance.

SPEAKER_03 9:15

Now during this segment, we were graced with a close-up of Ileon Omar and Rashida Talib, who were visibly upset, yelling back, screaming at the president, getting a little disruptive. In fact, during an interview after the State of the Union, Mike Johnson said he considered throwing them out. But he left them there so that the American people can see exactly how defiant they are against uh corruption, which we know uh factually has been taking place in Minnesota among the Somalis. But then we come to the moment where President Trump had someone in the gallery who had transitioned as a child from female to male without parent consent, without parental consent, in another state. And in fact, the parents couldn't even get her back because they did not recognize her as the gender that she was not born with. And this led to probably the most memorable exchange of the entire night.

SPEAKER_08 10:16

In the gallery tonight are Sage Blair and her mother, Michelle. In 2021, Sage was 14 when school officials in Virginia sought to socially transition her to a new agenda, treating her as a boy and hiding it from her parents. After she was found in a horrific situation in Maryland, a left-wing judge refused to return Sage to her parents because they did not immediately state that their daughter was their son. Sage was thrown into an all-boys stay home and suffered terribly for a long time. But today all of that is behind them because Sage is a proud and wonderful young woman with a full ride scholarship to Liberty University. Sage and Michelle, please stand back. Thank you for your great bravery. And who can believe that we're even speaking about things like this? But surely we can all agree no state can be allowed to rip children from their parents' arms and transition them to a new gender against the parents' will. Who would believe that we're even talking about? We must ban it, and we must ban it immediately. Look, nobody stands up. These people are crazy, I'm telling you. They're crazy.

SPEAKER_03 11:43

And lastly, I want to talk about the military medals that President Trump awarded during his speech. The first was to petty officer Scott Ruskin of the Coast Guard. He was awarded the Legion of Merit for rescuing over 150 young girls during the Texas floods of last year on July 4th. Then he awarded the Purple Heart to Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, and posthumously to specialist Sarah Bectrom, who died from a gunshot wound by an Afghan national in Washington, D.C. And Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolf was wounded. And lastly, President Trump awarded two medals of honor. One was to Captain Royce Williams, who is a hundred years old, a former Navy pilot who flew in World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam. The other was to Chief Warrant Officer 5 Eric Slover, who led the recent military operation in Venezuela, in which the U.S. captured Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro. We will listen to the entire recount of his story.

SPEAKER_08 12:52

There were many heroes on that January raid to capture Maduro. Really great heroes. It was very dangerous. They knew we were coming. They were all set. But the deeds of one warrior that night will live forever in the eternal chronicles of military valor. Chief Warrant Officer 5, Eric Slover, planned the mission and was the flight lead in the cockpit of the first helicopter, carrying, as you can imagine, many, many American warfighters. Wearing the dog tags, his wife Amy had blessed with holy water before he left. She knew it was going to be a rough one. Eric steered the Chinook under the cover of night and descended swiftly upon Madura's heavily protected military fortress. Protected by thousands of soldiers and guarded by Russian and Chinese military technology. While preparing to land, enemy machine guns fired from every angle, and Eric was hit very badly in the leg and hip, one bullet after another. He absorbed four agonizing shots, shredding his leg into numerous pieces. And yet, despite the fact that the use of his legs was vital to successful helicopter flight, then even as he was gushing blood which was flowing back down the aisle, Eric maneuvered his helicopter with all of those lives and souls to face the enemy and let his gunners eliminate the threat. Turned the helicopter around so the gunners could take care of business, saving the lives of his fellow warriors from what could have been a catastrophic crash deep in enemy territory. Only after safely landing the helicopter with all the warriors aboard, Eric told his co-pilot, also wounded, but not as gravely, to take over. I'm about ready to pass out. The success of the entire mission and the lives of his fellow warriors hinge on Eric's ability to take searing pain. It was unbelievable what's happened to his legs of the bullets and keep on flying and landing. People knew what was happening. Everybody in the back of the helicopter knew because they saw the blood pouring down the aisle. Chief Warrant Officer Slover is still recovering from his serious wounds, but I'm thrilled to say that he is here tonight with his wife Amy, Eric, and Amy, come on in. So we have a surprise for Eric and Amy. In recognition of Eric's actions above and beyond the call of duty, I would now like to ask General Jonathan Brugger to present Chief Warrant Officer Slover with our nation's highest military award, the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Break And Tease For History Segment

Constitutional Roots Of The Address

From Washington To Wilson

SPEAKER_03 16:24

So, as you heard, unbelievable actions by Chief Warrant Officer 5 Eric Slover, and well-deserved recognition in the face of danger, putting the lives of his fellow warriors and the mission above his own safety and his own life. Well deserved, and I'm happy to say that that rendered a standing ovation by the entire house. Both sides of the aisle, everyone in attendance was standing up and clapping for the actions of Chief Warrant Officer 5, Eric Slover. So there's your recap of the State of the Union address, and we're going to take a quick break here. And when we come back, we're going to talk about the evolution of the State of the Union over the years and how it has become what it is today. How did it start? And other memorable moments of the State of the Union throughout history and the president's annual address to Congress. We'll take a quick break. We'll be right back.

SPEAKER_02 18:19

You are listening to Commission 68.

SPEAKER_03 18:53

In Article 2, Section 3, Clause 1 of the United States Constitution, it states that the President shall from time to time give to the Congress information on the State of the Union and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient. The first State of the Union, then known as the annual address, was given by President Washington, who uh decided to address Congress in person. And this took place on January 8, 1790.

SPEAKER_04 19:30

Fellow citizens of the Senate and House of Representatives, I embrace with great satisfaction the opportunity which now presents itself of congratulating you on the present favorable prospects of our public affairs. The recent accession of the important state of North Carolina to the Constitution of the United States, the rising credit and respectability.

Radio, TV, And Four Freedoms

SPEAKER_03 19:54

President Washington's address to Congress set a precedent that other presidents would follow for years. John Adams would do likewise, and annually they would give an account or a state of the Union in person to Congress. However, President Thomas Jefferson believed that giving a in-person annual report to Congress was too similar to the King's report to Parliament. So he opted to give a written report to Congress, which per the Constitution was just as good as an in-person annual address. Other presidents would follow suit and a written report to Congress would be given by presidents for over a hundred years until the in-person speech to Congress was revived in 1913 by President Woodrow Wilson. Woodrow Wilson's goal of addressing Congress in person was to be a more personable, quotable, and relatable president to the people of the United States. And this would prove to be a valuable tool in reaching the population of the United States, especially because Woodrow Wilson would preside over America's entry into World War I. Realizing the effectiveness of an in-person speech to Congress, all presidents since Woodrow Wilson would deliver speeches in person to Congress, with the exception of Herbert Hoover. In 1923, President Calvin Coolidge, in an effort to address not only Congress but the American people, was the first president to ever issue a State of the Union address over the radio.

SPEAKER_01 21:49

The expenses of the government reach everybody. And force everyone to work for a certain part of his time for the government. Then we come to realize that the only expenses of the government million.

SPEAKER_03 22:42

By the time Franklin Delano Roosevelt was president, he began calling it the State of the Union, and he gave a famous State of the Union in 1941 with war going on in Europe. Perhaps knowing that American involvement was evident, he gave a speech that would become known as the Four Freedoms.

SPEAKER_10 23:51

Freedom from fear.

Reagan’s Guests And Modern Messaging

SPEAKER_03 23:58

After World War II and the American troops came back home, America was on the brink of post-war prosperity. And in January 6, 1947, President Truman would deliver the first State of the Union address that would be shown on television.

SPEAKER_05 24:13

The Capitol awaits the arrival of President Truman to deliver his message. He shakes hands with Senator Vandenberg, President Pro Tem of the Senate, and Speaker Martin, both presiding over the adjoint session, each receives a copy of the President's address. Mr. Truman confronts a Congress heavily weighted by the opposition. He delivers his message on the State of the Union.

SPEAKER_09 24:36

What we do or fail to do at home affects not only ourselves, but millions throughout the world. If we are to fulfill our responsibilities to ourselves and to other peoples, we must make sure that the United States is sound economically, socially, and politically. Let us have the will and the patience to do this job together. May He give us wisdom to lead the peoples of the world in his ways of peace.

SPEAKER_03 25:16

With the advancement of technology, the evolution of the President's address continued, and it became evident that this was not just a laundry list of accomplishments, but it was a unique opportunity for the President to not only reassure the constituents who voted for him, but win over those who did not.

SPEAKER_11 25:35

Today marks my first State of the Union address to you, a constitutional duty as old as our Republic itself. President Washington began this tradition in 1790 after reminding the nation that the destiny of self-government and the preservation of the sacred fire of liberty is finally staked on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people. For our friends in the press who place a high premium on accuracy, let me say I did not actually hear George Washington say that.

Why The Address Still Matters

SPEAKER_03 26:11

President Reagan was also the first president to start bringing guests into the gallery and highlighting them as an illustration of the success of his policies. Over the years, the State of the Union has served to be essential to the Republic, essential to the messaging of the President, and essential to the American voter. It's our job as Americans to hold our government accountable. And one of the ways we do that is by staying informed, staying engaged, paying attention to what the president says, and weighing that against what the president does. This last State of the Union address was extremely important for President Trump because right now he's enjoying a majority control of the House and the Senate. But at the end of the year comes the midterms, and I've already spoken in a previous episode about how important these midterms are. But as always, I hope you guys enjoyed this and thank you so much for listening to me today. I pray blessings, blessings over you and your family. I pray God blesses you coming in and you going out. I pray peace, power, and prosperity. And remember that you live in the greatest country on earth, and it's up to you to keep.

SPEAKER_02 27:17

This has been Commission 68.

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SPEAKER_00 27:30

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