Tuesday, a triumphant President Donald J. Trump (R) spoke for an hour and eleven minutes on the many accomplishments of his administration in the annual State of the Union address before a joint meeting of Congress in House Chambers. U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-Alabama) said that the speech focused on advancement.
“The President’s address to Congress tonight was an encouraging reminder of all that we have accomplished throughout his time in office,” Shelby said. “From fostering a thriving economy and generating job creation to building a robust military and protecting our national security interests, the nation has experienced tremendous growth.”
“The positive trajectory highlighted in tonight’s speech focused on advancements at the national level and also laid out an optimistic vision for the state of Alabama,” Shelby continued. “Our state’s unemployment rate is at a record low, businesses are booming, and job growth continues to skyrocket.”
“I look forward to continuing on this path to success paved by President Trump, and I will strive to work with both this Administration and my colleagues in Congress to accomplish what is best for Alabama and the nation,” Shelby stated.
Trump appeared jubilant as he cited a number of accomplishments in a speech that took one hour and eleven minutes. Trump is just the third President in American history to be impeached by Congress; but the impeachment has united Republicans behind him and he will probably be acquitted by the Republican controlled Senate later today. On Friday, 51 of 53 Republican Senators voted that there was no need to hear any additional evidence or testimony from witnesses before the vote to acquit the President. On Tuesday, Susan Collins of Maine, one of the two GOP Senators who opposed that resolution, said that she will vote to acquit the President on both Articles of Impeachment. Trump was impeached by the smallest vote margin in history and he will receive the largest margin of victory in history in the Senate. It takes a two thirds vote to convict and remove a President. Andrew Johnson came within one vote of being removed. The Senate voted 50 to 50 when it considered the impeachment trial of Pres. William J/ “Bill” Clinton.
Trump’s approval ratings hit the high point in his President thus far in a poll by Gallup that was released Tuesday ahead of the speech. 49 percent approved of Trump’s job performance, 50 percent disapproved, while just one percent had not opinion. Trump’s previous high in the Gallup poll was 46 percent in May 2019 when he was cleared of wrongdoing in the Mueller report.
Trump presented legendary conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh with the Medal of Freedom during the State of the Union address. Melania put the medal on Limbaugh during the speech. Limbaugh, a former cigar smoker, announced yesterday during his show that he has advanced stage lung cancer. Trump also honored the last surviving Tuskegee airmen by promoting the Colonel to Brigadier General.
Senator Richard Shelby is serving in his sixth term representing Alabama in the U.S. Senate after four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and two terms in the Alabama Senate.
