Dems stick with muted ways of exercising art of dissent

There were audible groans when he announced a new office for victims of crimes committed by immigrants.

As Trump strode down the centre aisle of the House chamber to make his big entrance, some drew back to avoid shaking his hand.

There were even a few empty seats on the Democratic side of the aisle.

Rep. Eliot Engel, a New York Democrat who’s hugged the centre aisle seat for 29 years of speechmaking by presidents of both parties, took a pass on an aisle seat this year — and made a point of announcing it.

Democratic women from the House sent a sartorial message, but nothing as edgy as the pussyhats that dominated at the Women’s March on Washington.

Instead, they wore suffragists’ white to put a spotlight on women’s issues. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi drew the direct contrast to Trump, tweeting that those in white were supporting women’s rights “in spite of a @POTUS who doesn’t!”

A number of Democratic senators and House members made a political statement with the guests they invited to sit in the galleries for the speech, selecting people negatively affected by Trump’s exclusionary immigration policies and who have depended on the health care law he opposes.

Trump, too, was on good behaviour for the evening, exercising unusual restraint.

He did get in a subtle dig by pointing in the Democrats’ direction when he declared the “time for trivial fights is behind us.”

___

Follow Nancy Benac on Twitter at http://twitter.com/nbenac

Nancy Benac, The Associated Press

by Canadian Press

Dems stick with muted ways of exercising art of dissent

Our Community