73 Comments
User's avatar
Nancy Fahy's avatar

Well said. And she did it in less than 20 minutes.

Troublesh00ter's avatar

๐ต๐‘Ÿ๐‘’๐‘ฃ๐‘–๐‘ก๐‘ฆ ๐‘–๐‘  ๐‘กโ„Ž๐‘’ ๐‘ ๐‘œ๐‘ข๐‘™ ๐‘œ๐‘“ ๐‘ค๐‘–๐‘ก.

-- William Shakespeare, Hamlet (Act 2, Scene 2)

Daniel Appleton's avatar

Donny's wit could be measured with an electron microscope.

Frank's avatar

You must have voted for the senile guy that imported millions of illegal aliens, then prioritized them over American citizens.

Marliss Desens's avatar

Of course, that proverb is cited by Polonius whose speech is characterized by anything but brevity. It's a Trumpian disconnect.

Marliss Desens's avatar

Yes, her speech was a little over 13 minutes.

Frank's avatar
2dEdited

Enjoy your illegal aliens, before they are deported. The former postal inspector, Spanberger, is on board with them.

Frank's avatar

We want the illegal aliens to go away. Your side doesn't, and seeks illegals as a voting bloc.

Susan Raquel's avatar

Check out Utah. They surveyed their voter roll. They found one person on it that was an illegal and that person didn't vote.

Frank's avatar

That was Utah, not Virginia.

Susan Raquel's avatar

Okay, give me the address where Virginia said that Illegal immigrants voted.

Steve Forman's avatar

You are so full of it. Everybody wants criminals who are not citizens to be deported. Thatโ€™s who your guy said he was going to go after. I support that. Instead, ICE and the Border Patrol started rounding up anyone who looked illegal, US citizen or not and detaining them for hours, sometimes days or weeks before letting them go. They are rounding up people who are in the middle of their application for citizenship. As far as illegals voting, thatโ€™s a laugh. You think somebody who is not a citizen and is in this country illegally is going to take a chance on voting when the penalty is deportation? You must be some kind of stupid.

Frank's avatar

You are the stupid guy that voted for the senile guy that imported millions of illegals into the country in the first place - and then prioritized them over American citizens. Which is the problem that ICE is trying to fix.

Steve Forman's avatar

Frank, Biden did not handle the border correctly at all and that resulted in an influx of many more people than should have been allowed in. There is no dispute there at all. He failed on border security. However, that does not excuse the way ICE is removing people without any due process at all, operating like a paramilitary army you would see in Russia, Iran or North Korea, and detaining anybody who looks Hispanic without regard to their citizenship, including children. As I stated before, I have no issue with non-citizen criminals being deported. The sooner the better. But not the way it is being done right now.

QKMCโ˜€๏ธ's avatar

You're very misinformed.

Troublesh00ter's avatar

Class act versus clown act. Reductive, maybe, but in many ways, I think it's just that simple. What I wonder, though, is how many if any of the MAGA set dared to tune into Governor Spanberger's address, and if so, what was their reaction to it.

Because the contrast between those two addresses could not have been more stark.

TJ's avatar

No fuss, no muss โ€” When Governor Abigail Spanberger said this, โ€œLet me ask you three questions,โ€ she said. โ€œIs the President working to make life more affordable for you and your family? Is the President working to keep Americans safe โ€” both at home and abroad? Is the President working for YOU?โ€ When all the answers to the question are NO then you have your answer all in less than 16 minutes. Itโ€™s time to use your โ€œrightโ€ to vote and make a change.

Troublesh00ter's avatar

That was a deft and thoughtful move on her part: to use those 3 questions as the basis of the theme of her talk. Rather like the "Army Method of Instruction:"

1. Tell 'em what you're going to tell 'em.

2. Tell 'em.

3. Tell 'em what you told 'em!

Tends to help the message STICK!

Karen's avatar

I don't think Trump has lost faith in our Founding because I don't think he ever had it to begin with. He only believes in power over others and getting as much for himself as possible, no matter the cost.

Shannon Crisman's avatar

Youโ€™re right he doesnโ€™t understand our founding, and he truly does not understand power. He threw away 200 years of accrued global soft power with both of his doll hands and is still crowing about it because he is simply too simple to understand policies are not hammers.

EaB's avatar

Good old boring governanceโ€ฆsighโ€ฆ weโ€™re working hard to get back to that!

Nice articulation, Terry Moran!

Deborah Petrina's avatar

Spanberger effectively blasted Trump and spoke the real truth about America in less than fifteen minutes. She spoke to affordability and the path back to power. These were the words that the majority of normal Americans wanted to hear. Like myself, I think many are ignoring the bullshit.

Karen Gold's avatar

It was the best rebuttal to a SOTU I have ever heard. It was a brilliant move to have Gov. Spanberger in front of a live audience.

Daniel Appleton's avatar

I think that Captain Cow-flop is losing his allure. Losing = hemorrhaging it.

Monte's avatar

With regard to the SOTU, as a military retiree (and Vietnam vet), I was deeply saddened the Congressional Medal of Honor presentation was denigrated and politicized (not once, but twice) by being marketed as just one of many programmed, TV photos ops. In the past, such sacrifice was recognized singularly โ€” on its own merits โ€” in a ceremony at the White House where family, friends, and the nation come together and applaud the individual rather than its being included just as another staged activity at political event. To me, use of the Congressional Medal of Honor used in such a highly partisan way not was only misplaced but also awkward, disrespectful & offensive to the Award itself and the individuals honored. The Medal is not about opportunistic politics but raw, patriotic heroism ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ.

Susan Raquel's avatar

Thank you Monte for your service and a reminder what the Congressional Medal of Honor really means.

Daniel Appleton's avatar

It's easier to govern a group of suspicious, fearful, paranoid people. These are cult tactics. A liberal ( ! ) sprinkling of anxiety with paranoia adds fuel to the flame.

Jo Burns's avatar

She looked at life positively and filled with hope. As per usual, AO, spoke hatred and destruction. Taking away, punishment, and embarrassing spectacle. + vs.- 20vs120. Senator Alex Padilla was excellent as well and he address his comments is Spanish. I loved that.

Daniel Appleton's avatar

Trump, the GOP & MAGA don't see the glass as half full, they see it as shattered !

Deborah Petrina's avatar

They don't see it at all.

Daniel Appleton's avatar

Not all MAGA cultists are uneducated. Even reasonably intelligent people fall for his twisted tales.

Deborah Petrina's avatar

That's very true and hard to understand that. I have a brother like that, and it drives my sister and me crazy.

Daniel Appleton's avatar

My aunt & late uncle supported him. They experienced remorse 4 months after. & they're reasonably intelligent. One of my cousins picks candidates based on what CHURCH they attend.

Deborah Petrina's avatar

Christianity has emerged as a big problem now. I plan/started on writing an article about this for next week.

Patric Martin's avatar

They see it as a golden chalice

Daniel Appleton's avatar

Puzzles the will...

David Ramos's avatar

All you have to see is no further than her resume. She's a former CIA officer. It tells you she believes in this country. With Trump, it is about what he can grift.

Cynthia's avatar

Excellent column, as always. You threw me there for a minute with "Vancian" debate, but then I realized it's just JD Vance. You're so tricky. Anyway, after hearing this a.m. about a 17-page administration memo to take control of the upcoming election, I am hoping - nay, praying - that this and the Epstein mess will finally be his undoing.

DEM's avatar
2dEdited

A great piece this morning, Terry. Abigail Spanberger is the type of candidate the Democrats would do well to run nationally. I'm happy to say she's my Governor.

"What most Americans want from politics is what most Americans have always wanted: Pragmatic solutions to the problems they face. Government policies and actions that will improve their lives and their communities."

Irene Baltierra's avatar

I refused to watch-why would I listen to him lie for 2 hrs. My final straw was when The State of the Swamp showed the menโ€™ hockey team - those that lack maturity- allowed themselves to be political pawns. The real shame was from a coaching staff that displays a lack of courage to allow their immature players who will have to live with the shame of a tarnished win. I wish Canada had won.

Marliss Desens's avatar

These are professional hockey players, many of whom are old enough to know better.

I also did not listen to the ravings of the current occupant of the White House. I do recommend the State of Democracy talk that Heather Cox Richardson gave in her Politics Chat on Tuesday before the speech. If you haven't found Politics Chat, it is on YouTube and Facebook, with new ones coming out Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is an excellent supplement to her Letters from an American.

Beatrice George's avatar

Good point. Which makes their infatuation even harder to comprehend. I lived in DC when Nixon was president. Never once did I have the hint of desire to attend the White House. The House deserves my respect not the occupant.

Star Aasved's avatar

Kitchen table issues are most Americanโ€™s concerns. Itโ€™s clear they are not those of the regime.

Marliss Desens's avatar

G. Elliott Morris' polling at Strength in Numbers Substack provides the hard data, and it is stark for Trump and the Republicans.

Sibyl White's avatar

For the first time, I must separate myself from all comments re the SOTU. Even your well thought out review here of Spanbergerโ€™s follow-up. I am seeing no usefulness in keeping the subject highlighted in independent media much less msm. I believe I may be speaking for more than just myself.

Deborah Petrina's avatar

You voiced thoughts that I had been thinking. Independent media has been doing more of this lately.

Cathleen Labate's avatar

I think about Usha Vance, an immigrant's daughter, and wonder how she procreates with him...from past articles on her, she seemed to be a critical thinker who believed in all you wrote..plus she was a very high power attorney. She sleeps next to this liar, this fake...I read somewhere last night the JD Vance is the first person the writer has ever seen who wears a mask and has grown into it.

Marliss Desens's avatar

And that is why he is a perfect person to head Trump's New Commission on Fraud. He lives it.

Troublesh00ter's avatar

I saw that same comment, and no, I don't remember where, but OH, is it on point! The way Vance has gone from never-Trumper to simpering sycophant is both startling and disturbing.

As surely as Trump never should have become president, Vance MUST NOT.

Doug Logan's avatar

Sometimes I wish more Americans were concerned about the moral part, the anti-democracy part, the stark choice we're facing. But American freedom includes the right to focus on day-to-day self-interest and ignore most of the rest. If the realities of gas and grocery prices can spur a big chunk of the populace into opposition, good enough.