2018 State Of The Union: Recapping President Trump's Big Night
Cheddar's special post State of the Union show is a wrap-up of President Trump's big night: what were the highlights, what was the reaction, and most importantly, what's next for the GOP?
In his first official State of the Union address, President Trump said the country is strong, and that now is the beginning of a "new American moment." He touted tax reform success and a surging stock market. Republicans cheered, while most Democrats remained seated. Congressman Joe Kennedy III gave the official Democratic response, rallying Americans unhappy with President Trump's harsh rhetoric.
On Capitol Hill, Cheddar's J.D. Durkin spoke with numerous Democratic lawmakers moments after the speech, including Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Rep. Donald McEachin (D-VA). He asked each of them how they view the state of America right now.
Republican Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY) said President Trump gave a "great speech," but Democrats are against his personality, and therefore, his policies.
California Governor Gavin Newsom is projected to keep his job. Around two-thirds of the votes have been reported, and roughly 64% of those votes are in favor of keeping Newsom as their governor.
Daniel Strauss, senior political correspondent at The New Republic, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss more about what Newsom's win means to both political parties moving into Midterm elections season.
The Department of Justice is suing Texas over the state's new abortion law that prohibits abortions after six weeks, well before many women even know they're pregnant. The lawsuit argues the law is unconstitutional under long-standing Supreme Court precedent. It was filed last week in federal court in Texas, but could go all the way to the high court within weeks. Josh Blackman, a constitutional law professor at South Texas College of Law Houston, discusses the DOJ lawsuit and what it could mean for other abortion laws across the country.
26 states have now fully vaccinated more than half of their population with Vermont, Connecticut, and Massachusetts fully vaccinating at least two-thirds of their residents. These three states are among the ones with the lowest new Covid-19 cases per capita, but in states with low vaccination rates, hospitals are filling up again.
Dr. Rob Davidson, ER doctor and executive director of Committee to Protect Health Care, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss more.
The Biden Administration has officially extended a ban on a Trump-era policy that prohibits traveling with a U.S. passport to North Korea. The extension is expected to last until August 2022. The ban was initially enforced after the death of Otto Warmbier, who entered a vegetative state while in North Korean custody. Advocates against the ban argue that it has caused crippling impacts on Korean Americans who have not been able to reunite with their families back home. Senior Fellow at The Foundation For Defense of Democracies Anthony Ruggiero joined Cheddar's News Wrap to discuss more.
