Bad Speech

Just six weeks into his presidency, Donald Trump has dragged the country to the brink of recession. He’s become unpopular, lost the public’s trust to handle the economy, and hollowed out the government in risky ways. So in his first speech to Congress, Trump: blamed all of it on Joe Biden, subjected Democrats to a torrent of abuse, lied about Social Security (among many other things), and redoubled his commitment to tariffs, even if they cause “disturbance.”In this free post-address episode, Matt and Brian discuss:* Was this speech worse (that is, more dishonest, defamatory, etc.) than his first-term State of the Union addresses?* Does his dishonest and degrading style simply make him less popular, or is there a method to it?* What’s the endgame of seeding a bunch of lies about Social Security—a program he’s promised never to cut, and doesn’t have the votes to cut anyhow?* Would Democrats have served themselves better by boycotting the speech or having another party-wide plan to convey their contempt for and total lack of confidence in Trump?Plus: Elon Musk, Elissa Slotkin. William McKinleyTo our free subscribers: Thanks for listening. We hope you’ll stick around, and consider upgrading to a paid subscription. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.politix.fm/subscribe