TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A ritual of sorts has developed around the State of the Union address. President Trump arrives in the Capitol, basks in the pomp and ceremony, and delivers an uncharacteristically reserved speech that includes some passing appeals to compromise. ‘This is the day Trump became president,’ official Washington crows, shocked by the apparent transformation. Early the next morning, the president fires off a tweet. And it’s back to the usual political chaos. So, this year we’ll let others break down the policy ideas and possibilities for bipartisan action. We’re going to view the speech as what it most centrally was: an opening salvo in Mr. Trump’s re-election campaign.”
–Lisa Lerer, “On Politics With Lisa Lerer: State of the Union, or Trump’s 2020 Kickoff?,” The New York Times online, February 6, 2019