What A Day Medals, Insults and A Very Long Speech
17 snips
Feb 25, 2026 Matt Berg, newsletter writer and field reporter who covered alternative programming in D.C., and Greg Walters, Crooked News editor and on-the-ground Capitol reporter, walk through the longest State of the Union. They describe the odd atmosphere in the chamber, spotlighted military honorees, Trump's takeover tactics with shout-outs, and competing Democratic strategy and organizing outside the Hill.
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State Of The Union As Spectacle
- Donald Trump revived the long in-person State of the Union format into a spectacle of awards and pageantry.
- Jane Coaston and Greg Walters note Woodrow Wilson restarted in-person speeches and Trump used that stage to spotlight popular figures amid policy weaknesses.
Immigration As Public Shaming Tool
- Trump repeatedly framed immigration as a moral failure of Democrats and demanded lawmakers publicly denounce 'illegal aliens.'
- Jane recounts the moment he invited legislators to stand and then scolded Democrats like Ilhan Omar for not standing.
State Of The Swamp Felt Like Therapy
- Matt Berg describes the State of the Swamp event as a mixed therapy-and-strategy session for Democrats and anti-Trump Republicans.
- He notes inflatable frogs, speakers like Don Lemon and Stephanie Grisham, and attendees focused on organizing beyond the speech.