A muted, more controlled President Donald Trump occupied the podium at a joint session of Congress last night, his first formal address to the body, and presented a legislative agenda meant to occupy the opposition and other detractors.
Even before he said a word of his one-hour speech, Trump’s address set off a torrent of protests—among Democratic legislators themselves and by activist groups across the country—over key policy positions Trump was expected to push Congress to enact into law and fund. Public reaction, however, showed that Trump’s revamped demeanor helped him gain some ground among people found him objectionable.
Now that Trump has thrown down the proverbial gauntlet, how will the all-but-vanquished Democrats respond?