On the morning after President Donald Trump delivered his 2020 State of the Union address, there was further evidence of how heavily skewed toward the left that CNN has become as New Day did not feature a single pro-Trump guest to react to the speech. But the four-hour special edition of the flagship morning show did make time for three Democratic members of Congress and one liberal Republican CNN contributor to react negatively to the President's words.
In a special 5:00 a.m. Eastern hour (thus taking over an hour early from Early Start), CNN contributor and former Congressman Charlie Dent (R-PA) lamented that "sadly" the "partisan" speech did not "unite the country."
Here was Dent: "And the partisan nature of the speech. I mean, he really threw out a lot of red meat. Let's face it. He was talking abortion, guns, gives Rush Limbaugh publicly the Medal of Freedom award. So there was a lot there if you're a partisan, and not a lot there to unite the country sadly."
A bit later, he declared that he hopes that the U.S. Senate censures the President: "I'm not so sure the President has learned much from any of this. He's expressed no remorse -- he still says this was a perfect call, he 'did nothing wrong.' Frankly, I think that the Senate immediately upon his acquittal, somebody should move to censure him."
During the 7:00 a.m. Eastern hour, Democratic Congresswoman Veronica Escobar of El Paso -- who last night made a Spanish language response to President Trump's speech -- made an appearance and hinted that President Trump was to blame for the Wal-Mart mass shooting in her city from last year:
I don't speak for every single El Pasoan -- but one of the things that I mentioned in my speech last night was the painful reminder of the August 3 massacre here in El Paso. We know that a gunman -- a domestic terrorist drove over 600 miles, and he confessed to doing it so that he could slaughter Mexicans and immigrants in my community. That language that he used in a screed that he published online mirrored the President's language.
Near the beginning of the 8:00 a.m. Eastern hour, co-host Alisyn Camerota recalled a tweet by Maryland Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen as she introduced him:
But a handful of lawmakers did walk out of the chamber at some point. One Senate Democrat and close Pelosi ally tweeted: "If I wanted to attend a MAGA rally, I would have. The President never misses a chance to further divide the country. Disgraceful." Joining us now is that Democratic Senator, Chris Van Hollen. ... When you tweeted that it was "disgraceful," what part of the speech were you referring to that was disgraceful?
And at 8:30 a.m. Eastern, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) -- one of the impeachment managers -- made an appearance and complained that the President's speech was "divisive."
Below is the relevant transcript:
CNN's New Day
02/05/20
5:28 a.m. EasternCHARLIE DENT, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: And the partisan nature of the speech. I mean, he really threw out a lot of red meat. Let's face it. He was talking abortion, guns, gives Rush Limbaugh publicly the Medal of Freedom award. So there was a lot there if you're a partisan, and not a lot there to unite the country sadly.
(...)
DENT: I'm not so sure the President has learned much from any of this. He's expressed no remorse -- he still says this was a perfect call, he "did nothing wrong." Frankly, I think that the Senate immediately upon his acquittal, somebody should move to censure him.
(...)
7:42 a.m. Eastern
ALISYN CAMEROTA: So he's saying that he's lifted every race very high. Is that how Hispanics in El Paso feel?
CONGRESSWOMAN VERONICA ESCOBAR (D-TX): No, absolutely not. Now, of course, you know, I don't speak for every single member of the Latino community -- I don't speak for every single El Pasoan -- but one of the things that I mentioned in my speech last night was the painful reminder of the August 3 massacre here in El Paso. We know that a gunman -- a domestic terrorist drove over 600 miles, and he confessed to doing it so that he could slaughter Mexicans and immigrants in my community. That language that he used in a screed that he published online mirrored the President's language.
(...)
8:05 a.m. Eastern
CAMEROTA: But a handful of lawmakers did walk out of the chamber at some point. One Senate Democrat and close Pelosi ally tweeted: "If I wanted to attend a MAGA rally, I would have. The President never misses a chance to further divide the country. Disgraceful." Joining us now is that Democratic Senator, Chris Van Hollen. ... When you tweeted that it was "disgraceful," what part of the speech were you referring to that was disgraceful?
(...)
8:29 a.m. Eastern
JOHN BERMAN: Joining me now is one of the House impeachment managers, Democratic Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren.....What was it like to be sitting in the chamber with the State of the Union Address -- the very chamber where seven weeks ago, you impeached the President of the United States?
CONGRESSWOMAN ZOE LOFGREN (D-CA): Well, it was a very long speech, and it was disappointing in a lot of ways. It was more campaign speech -- it was very divisive in a lot of ways. You know, there were some points. I mean, everybody loves a solder coming back to be reunited with his family or a 100-year-old Tuskegee Airman -- who could not like that? But the policy stuff was really, number one, false, and really designed to be further divisive in the country which is not really what we need.
