“Presidential addresses to the nation, whether joint sessions of Congress or State of the Union speeches, were historically an opportunity to promote national unity while also highlighting policy differences,” the Los Angeles Times reports.
“That ship has long sailed, but President Trump’s address in the Capitol on Tuesday night — and the response from lawmakers of both parties — was remarkable and fiery from the moment it began, and the most contentious in recent memory.
”Associated Press: “The president has always reveled in his reputation for tough talk. But a look back at 2017, when Trump gave his first speech to Congress in his first term, shows how Trump has only become more of a hardliner.”
Stephen Collinson: Trump’s big night deepens America’s bitter internal schisms.