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Health Care Is Front and Center in Democrats’ Response to Trump Address Health Care Is Front and Center in Democrats’ Response to Trump Address
(about 2 hours later)
In responding to President Trump’s address to Congress on Tuesday, Democrats had to navigate between the expectations of their angry base in America’s cities and the need to appeal to a broader array of voters in parts of the country where the president is far more popular.In responding to President Trump’s address to Congress on Tuesday, Democrats had to navigate between the expectations of their angry base in America’s cities and the need to appeal to a broader array of voters in parts of the country where the president is far more popular.
The party handed that task to former Gov. Steven L. Beshear of Kentucky, an emblem of the sort of largely rural state that Democrats lost in last year’s presidential election. Delivering the party’s official response, Mr. Beshear, dressed in khakis and a blue shirt, sat in a Lexington diner and offered down-home references to Friday night football, Sunday morning worship and life as a preacher’s kid.The party handed that task to former Gov. Steven L. Beshear of Kentucky, an emblem of the sort of largely rural state that Democrats lost in last year’s presidential election. Delivering the party’s official response, Mr. Beshear, dressed in khakis and a blue shirt, sat in a Lexington diner and offered down-home references to Friday night football, Sunday morning worship and life as a preacher’s kid.
Mr. Beshear noted that the Americans who had gained health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, a law he championed in his state, were the sort of “friends and neighbors” he surrounded himself with in the diner.Mr. Beshear noted that the Americans who had gained health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, a law he championed in his state, were the sort of “friends and neighbors” he surrounded himself with in the diner.
Before the law was passed, “they woke up every morning and went to work, just hoping and praying they wouldn’t get sick,” he said. “Because they knew they were just one bad diagnosis away from bankruptcy.”Before the law was passed, “they woke up every morning and went to work, just hoping and praying they wouldn’t get sick,” he said. “Because they knew they were just one bad diagnosis away from bankruptcy.”
Now, he vowed, “Democrats are going to do everything in our power to keep President Trump and the Republican Congress from reneging on that commitment.”Now, he vowed, “Democrats are going to do everything in our power to keep President Trump and the Republican Congress from reneging on that commitment.”
The decision by the congressional Democratic leadership to invite Mr. Beshear, 72, who has been out of office for more than a year, was a departure from tradition for the opposition party, which usually chooses a rising star to offer the televised response to the president’s speech.The decision by the congressional Democratic leadership to invite Mr. Beshear, 72, who has been out of office for more than a year, was a departure from tradition for the opposition party, which usually chooses a rising star to offer the televised response to the president’s speech.
But Democratic leaders are determined to make health care — particularly Medicare and the Affordable Care Act — the centerpiece of their attacks against Republicans leading into next year’s midterm elections. And as Mr. Beshear alluded to, he has a compelling story to tell about the effect of the health law in a conservative-leaning state.But Democratic leaders are determined to make health care — particularly Medicare and the Affordable Care Act — the centerpiece of their attacks against Republicans leading into next year’s midterm elections. And as Mr. Beshear alluded to, he has a compelling story to tell about the effect of the health law in a conservative-leaning state.
But congressional Democrats are struggling to keep a tight grip on their most impassioned voices, just as Republicans did with the rise of the Tea Party in opposition to President Barack Obama.But congressional Democrats are struggling to keep a tight grip on their most impassioned voices, just as Republicans did with the rise of the Tea Party in opposition to President Barack Obama.
So while Mr. Beshear devoted a substantial portion of his remarks to health care, he also turned away from his easygoing tone with strongly worded remarks on immigrants and refugees that he may have avoided were he facing re-election.So while Mr. Beshear devoted a substantial portion of his remarks to health care, he also turned away from his easygoing tone with strongly worded remarks on immigrants and refugees that he may have avoided were he facing re-election.
“President Trump has all but declared war on refugees and immigrants,” he said, adding, “We can protect America without abandoning our principles and our moral obligation to help those fleeing war and terror without tearing families apart.”“President Trump has all but declared war on refugees and immigrants,” he said, adding, “We can protect America without abandoning our principles and our moral obligation to help those fleeing war and terror without tearing families apart.”
And Mr. Beshear castigated Mr. Trump over the president’s incendiary rhetoric.And Mr. Beshear castigated Mr. Trump over the president’s incendiary rhetoric.
“When the president attacks the loyalty and credibility of our intelligence agencies, the court system, the military, the free press, individual Americans simply because he doesn’t like what they say, he’s eroding our democracy,” he said. “And that’s reckless.”“When the president attacks the loyalty and credibility of our intelligence agencies, the court system, the military, the free press, individual Americans simply because he doesn’t like what they say, he’s eroding our democracy,” he said. “And that’s reckless.”
The former governor was not the only prominent voice on the left responding to the president’s address to Congress. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who has perhaps the most intense following of any currently serving liberal, delivered a rejoinder via Facebook Live.The former governor was not the only prominent voice on the left responding to the president’s address to Congress. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who has perhaps the most intense following of any currently serving liberal, delivered a rejoinder via Facebook Live.
“The Republicans are now on the defensive, and we have to continue to push them back,” Mr. Sanders said, invoking issues such as climate change and mass incarceration, which Mr. Trump made no mention of but are particularly important to many liberals.“The Republicans are now on the defensive, and we have to continue to push them back,” Mr. Sanders said, invoking issues such as climate change and mass incarceration, which Mr. Trump made no mention of but are particularly important to many liberals.
And Astrid Silva, an immigration activist who came to America as an undocumented immigrant, delivered the first ever Spanish-language response to such a presidential address, saying, “Immigrants and refugees are the heart and soul, and the promise, of this country.”And Astrid Silva, an immigration activist who came to America as an undocumented immigrant, delivered the first ever Spanish-language response to such a presidential address, saying, “Immigrants and refugees are the heart and soul, and the promise, of this country.”
Mr. Sanders, a political independent, has been made a member of the Senate Democratic leadership, so his remarks were not of the same renegade nature as those delivered in 2011 by Michele Bachmann, a Minnesota congresswoman at the time, who offered a Tea Party-flavored speech after Mr. Obama’s State of the Union address. The Republicans’ official response that year was delivered by Representative Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin.Mr. Sanders, a political independent, has been made a member of the Senate Democratic leadership, so his remarks were not of the same renegade nature as those delivered in 2011 by Michele Bachmann, a Minnesota congresswoman at the time, who offered a Tea Party-flavored speech after Mr. Obama’s State of the Union address. The Republicans’ official response that year was delivered by Representative Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin.
Still, many rank-and-file Democrats, and some elected officials, believe Mr. Trump was illegitimately elected and are focused more on how to quickly expel him from office than on promoting a poll-tested message against him and other Republicans on health care.Still, many rank-and-file Democrats, and some elected officials, believe Mr. Trump was illegitimately elected and are focused more on how to quickly expel him from office than on promoting a poll-tested message against him and other Republicans on health care.
Representative Maxine Waters, the veteran California Democrat, said the demands from liberal voters were growing only more intense.Representative Maxine Waters, the veteran California Democrat, said the demands from liberal voters were growing only more intense.
“Even though many of my Democratic colleagues are not ready to talk about impeachment, in the grass-roots I’m hearing a lot about impeachment — and treason,” said Ms. Waters, who boycotted Mr. Trump’s speech, adding that she shared their desire to drive him from the presidency. “Even though many of my Democratic colleagues are not ready to talk about impeachment, in the grass roots I’m hearing a lot about impeachment — and treason,” said Ms. Waters, who boycotted Mr. Trump’s speech, adding that she shared their desire to drive him from the presidency.
“I believe he can be found guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors, with the interaction and the collusion that is taking place with Russia and the Kremlin,” she said. “And I’m going to keep on it, and I think I’m going to be proven to be right.”“I believe he can be found guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors, with the interaction and the collusion that is taking place with Russia and the Kremlin,” she said. “And I’m going to keep on it, and I think I’m going to be proven to be right.”
Beyond Ms. Waters’s absence, there were other signs of quiet protest that illustrated how uneasy Democrats are with a historically unpopular new president. Many of the female Democratic lawmakers in the audience were clad in white to honor the women’s suffrage movement.Beyond Ms. Waters’s absence, there were other signs of quiet protest that illustrated how uneasy Democrats are with a historically unpopular new president. Many of the female Democratic lawmakers in the audience were clad in white to honor the women’s suffrage movement.
And some of the House Democrats known in the past to stage an endurance test to be seen on camera shaking the hand of the president bypassed the rite, leaving mostly Republicans to greet Mr. Trump when he walked down the center aisle to deliver his speech.And some of the House Democrats known in the past to stage an endurance test to be seen on camera shaking the hand of the president bypassed the rite, leaving mostly Republicans to greet Mr. Trump when he walked down the center aisle to deliver his speech.
After his remarks, among the few Democrats to greet the president was a grinning Senator Joe Manchin III of West Virginia, perhaps the most conservative member of his party in Congress.After his remarks, among the few Democrats to greet the president was a grinning Senator Joe Manchin III of West Virginia, perhaps the most conservative member of his party in Congress.
Representative Joe Crowley of New York, the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, was less pleased.Representative Joe Crowley of New York, the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, was less pleased.
“We don’t agree with much of anything he said tonight,” he said.“We don’t agree with much of anything he said tonight,” he said.