The media, pundits (partisan and lazy) are choreographed, repeating how President Donald Trump “snubbed” Speaker Nancy Pelosi before the start of his State of the Union address.
Tension between Trump and Pelosi, beginning with a snubbed handshake
Trump snubs Pelosi, she tears up his speech
Pelosi extended her hand to Trump. He didn’t take it.
The handshake that wasn’t | Trump snubs Pelosi by refusing handshake
Trump Avoids Handshake With Pelosi at State of the Union
The Trump-Pelosi non-handshake: A snub or a slip-up?
Trump Does Not Shake Nancy Pelosi’s Hand at the SOTU
Trump appears to avoid handshake with Pelosi
Trump Ignored Nancy Pelosi’s Handshake At The State Of The Union
We say “lazy” because IF you really watch the video of the incident in question, you’ll see that President Trump handed the manuscript of his speech to Vice President Mike Pence (who didn’t offer a handshake) and handed another copy of the manuscript to Speaker Pelosi and said “Thank you” before turning away….
Business Insider was one of the few who put things in proper context.
Seriously, despite the pomp and circumstance associated with political events like the State of the Union where all partisanship is supposed to be sidelined for appearances, there are realities at play here and Democrats and their media tried to bury the actions that prompted a possible reaction.
Pelosi omitted the customary language about it being a “high privilege and distinct honor” to introduce the president.
— USA Today, 2/5/20
Putting things in historical context, that may have been a first.
President Trump, thanks to a hostile Democrat-controlled House of Representatives, has been forever marked as “impeached”. Many congresspersons have declared this goal from the moment Trump was elected president in 2016. Speaker Pelosi not only allowed but led the impeachment going forward despite the lack of formal crimes Trump was neither charged with or found guilty in a court of law, unlike Bill Clinton prior to his impeachment.
Should President Trump have acted all palsie with Pelosi like the impeachment never happened? How would any of us act publicly towards someone who not only tried to get you fired, but banned from ever trying to get another job in your field? Some of us may have chosen two different words….
Speaker Pelosi is receiving progressive justification in tearing up President Trump’s “manifesto of mistruths” that included historic employment achievements, a long overdue military promotion, tearful reunion, lifetime achievement acknowledgement and award, victim of illegal alien crime, medical ailment survivor, and postmortem honors while she was clearly conducting “mic check” Democrats when and when not to clap, when or when not to stand like she was at Occupy Wall Street.
The optics were terrible for Democrats and they know it, the responses from Republicans, Independents AND Democrats following the SOTU reflect the near-universal outrage for Pelosi and her party’s actions. Trying to deflect on the president is a lame attempt, but after the last three years, it’s par for the course.
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