Hey there, everybody, it is Wednesday, February twenty fifth, the best State of the Union ever. And with that, welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ. I should make a distinction here I said best State of the Union ever, not best State of the Union speech.
Just the production itself.
Wow, it was, you know what?
It was worth not getting a lot of sleep for.
We stayed up and look, you know me, I fall asleep pretty much watching anything after nine pm. I was up the entire time. It was highly watchable and dare I say, entertaining.
And historic and long.
Folks, if you didn't stay up, and maybe you didn't, but you missed the longest State of the Union speech in history, surpassing a record only set by mister Trump. It didn't feel like it was that long, I'll be honest with you.
Didn't, you know?
And that is why it was so watchable, because it wasn't just watching someone talk and talk and read prepared remarks. No, it was interspersed with poignant moments, things that even brought tears to my eyes, funny moments. I got a kick out of watching the two fellas behind Trump the entire time.
Per usual, And yeah, it was. It had everything you'd want in a television production.
It was a reality show, it was a game show. There were reveals, there were surprises, reunions, awards.
This was a TV show the likes we've never seen.
When we say this was the best day of the I'm saying this, I don't know how you feel about it. This was the best I've ever seen. Not having to do anything with that. This is not where we're going to get into the politics and the back and forth. Everybody's got that fact checks. He was lying about this a lot of stuff we've heard before. Anyway, robes, there was a production value, and we were watching a showman last time.
Yes, and that is what made it so fun to watch.
It wasn't just listening to what he had to say, or yes, what he was touting as his accomplishments.
For the year.
No, it was all of the stories that he created and his team created throughout the night, interspersed in his speech that kept you watching.
Okay, so let's be clear, a lot of people who are just anti Trump are going to look at this and those statements are going to be out there. It was meant to be a distraction. He didn't have a real record to talk about. So he filled it with all these little moments and filled it with all these Americans and highlighting exceptionalism for the United States. And this was all just done as a show. This wasn't a speech. He did not tell us the state of the Union.
We get that criticism understood. This is not politics. We're talking about Rose and I. We are simply talking about the effectiveness of moments. He had robes that were genuine with genuine people. They did not feel, at least to me necessarily, so you know what, they were authentic moments.
And if you couldn't feel a hundred year old guy finally getting a medal of honor, if you couldn't feel a reunion between a woman and a family member who had been in jail, if you can't feel good seeing the US hockey team up there, forget politics, forget what you feel about Trump. Those were very cool moments in which we all related to and were proud of the people that were being recognized.
And that's just truth.
Yes, you summed it up perfectly. That is exactly why we watched. You know, we were hoping for a show, and it exceeded all expectations. I have to say, I.
Was worried it was going to be nastier than it got between some of the hecklers.
You pointed this out last night.
Even as we were watching, and even as he was calling out democrats, he was he was doing it lightheartedly, if that makes any sense. Whereas when you read his true social posts and a lot of the vitriolge we hear and read from him seems very mean spirited and heavy handed. This was all very light and almost fun
and funny. Dare I say, like even when he was saying things that were anti democrats and calling them out for not standing up, you were kind of laughing, like it wasn't It didn't feel mean at all.
That's true. He was performing.
He was a showman last night, and we said at the very big he's he's on tonight.
He was well rusted.
Yes, it felt like he had a bounce in his step.
And to your point, again, I don't that it was a couple of mean moments people can point out in some of the context of the speech, but he was on now. I said to you at one point, Wow, he's been on for an hour, and it doesn't feel that way. But it ended up being almost a two hour speech. That's a long speech.
An hour and forty nine minutes. Yes, as you pointed out, the longest State of the Union speech in history, and the previous record was an hour and forty minutes sent by set by Trump himself last year.
And he set us up with this. He told us ahead of time, it's gonna be a long speech. I have a lot to talk about. And it was all he you know what, he didn't talk as much as he awarded.
He was a host last.
Night, directing things in that spot. Let's start though, with the entrance. This is always fun funny and sometimes you could say ridiculous to see these congressmen and women falling over themselves, clamoring, trying to get a handshake or a picture or a selfie or whatever with the president robes they were.
It's I don't know, it's tradition.
It turns it turns adults into little screaming teenage girls finding a member of the Beatles.
Like that's what it looked.
Like actually in moments, running trying to get selfies with the president.
Completely as you you would.
Be bortified having a camera trained on you while you're running after the president trying to get a selfie with him.
But yes, we saw grownadult's doing.
That, so we see it every time. I don't know why. It's tradition.
It's kind of funny, it's kind of silly, but they do. And who was the guy, I don't even know who he was, the one that had the Trump tie on.
That was hilarious. I don't know who it.
Was last night, but yeah, the guy's trying to make his way to give a big speech. One guy tried to do a selfie and didn't you know, we've all been there.
He couldn't get his right.
Yes, like you're holding up the president.
Dude, and everyone's watching you.
Okay, And everybody was watching the moment. What did you think of it? Robes anticipating what is he going to do? Is he going to walk past members of the Supreme Court that he just ripped in the past several days for their decision. I thought he held it better than expected.
I thought it was better than expected, is a good way to put it. I was worried that he was going to.
Be petty, and he greeted them all as he walked by. He he gave him a little verbal lashing when he got up eventually to give his speech, but almost in.
Again a funny way.
He was obviously and is clearly upset about the Supreme Court's decision on his tariffs, and he did call out folks, but again it didn't feel mean.
But after the anger we saw immediately after their decision, he went after several of them in a very nasty way. He had the opportunity to do so. Last night people were wondering will he with them sitting feet from him, is he going to be able to keep from going off on him?
And Rosey kind of did.
He just acknowledged a disappointing decision, a terrible does it whatever, and moved on.
He didn't single anybody out.
The only thing that was awkward about it was the camera choices that Network's made. They were actually like close up of the different faces of the Supreme Court justices as he was saying things, and their face stoically vacant, you know, trying not to have any expression or emotion as he's eviscerating them.
That was awkward for me who.
Had the They did a good job of not having an expression, But there's one I'm thinking about, which one?
Did you notice one that did.
No Elena Kagan to me, Oh really, Amy Cony Barrett.
I give her credit. She was stoic, she knew that was the moment. Yes, and let me keep it cool.
It was like the Award Show when they have five nominees for Best Actor and you know you have to be cool. When the reaction comes, it's not you. It's like she knows the camera's on her and she did not. She gave us nothing.
You said she did a great job.
Yeah, she gave us nothing, just a complete vacant like you will not be able to read my emotion right now.
You cannot tell what I'm thinking.
Moment of the night. It had to be the hockey team. Would it be for you the moment of the night?
I well, there were several, but it was in my top three for sure.
This was a nice moment.
And look, the US men's hockey team the heroes for the rest of their lives for what they pulled off and the way he had them enter. We got word ahead of time that the hockey team was going to a I didn't know if they were going to sit there the whole time, which I thought would be really, they're gonna sit through that whole thing? No, he had them walk in stand a presentation gold medals, Robes.
I thought it was great. They had the great sweaters on. It was a great moment. I don't know how to okay, he used them as paw. People will criticize what he did.
But for that team to get that honor, that recognition on that night, I have no problem.
I thought it was really cool and I love that he gave the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the goalie. We all watched that incredible save that absolutely gave tm USA the victory, and he specifically mentioned watching that save and giving him that high honor, the highest honor.
And trope Rose. We almost told you Trump, Robes. We uh.
We looked at each other when it happened and he talked about the president the highest civilian honor to a goalie.
We both looked at you. O that damn okay with that.
Yep, it was a cool moment.
He was special then the Olympics and he is absolutely a American hero now at the very top. It didn't last long. How long did a representative Green last in the room? Five minutes?
If that you kept saying, when's he going to get taken out? When's he going to get taken out with his sign.
Yes, Representative Al Green who got kicked out last year, he got censured last year, did he not?
He did?
He had he said last year was spontaneous. He had a cane and got up, started yelling as the president that kicked him out. This time, this was a planned demonstration, for sure. He came in with signs.
He came in with a sign that says black people are not apes, referring to, of course, President Trump reposting that video that at the end showed the Obamas as apes with Lion King playing in the background. So yes, he you can't make that up. Trump did not apologize for it, did take it down, but yes, Al Green making his point with his sign.
You know I was supposed to have a sign. You know, I was supposed to have a pro so he was not following the korum if you will. He got escorted out once again. The only ugly I don't know whereas if we call it an ugly moment. But he did
make mention in the speech. We got a heads up that this was one of the nastier or divisive moments of boy, he's calling out what the what's happened to fraud in Minnesota and specifically calling out the Somali community, and you could expect ilhan Omar, who represents that state. She started yelling.
She started yelling, liar, you should be ashamed. She said, you're a murderer. You've killed Americans. Yes, and she was screaming at him while he was talking.
That was an ugly moment.
I don't know how Democrats supposed to handle last night. What do you do with this guy? Oh? Yeah, we didn't even mention. The count is somewhere between fifty and seventy Democrats boycotted. They didn't even show up to the State of the Union. They have their reasons, they have their feelings they have I mean, maybe they think they're doing the right thing. I don't know, you show up. I wish they would show up, but they have their own way of doing things.
Look, I appreciated the folks who did show up.
You did see a lot of empty seats on the Democrats side, and of course you saw Trump point out every time Democrats.
Didn't stand up.
This is very typical, but he did it often and in certain points where he was baffled or seemingly baffled Why wouldn't you stand up for that, for that person, for that honor.
It has nothing to do with politics.
So yes, if you did choose to come, and you were a Democrat, you were faced with that decision when do I stand up?
When do I not stand up? That is that is tough.
Sometimes they didn't seem like they had a meeting about it ahead of time.
No, because it was.
Yeah, it was varied, because there were times and broke. I think he called it out. There were moments that everybody in the country we all agree with, but it's coming from him, so we can't applaud it. That is what it felt like in the room, like, well, oh my god, I can't remember her his name? The parents, So the young lady killed on the train, the murdered.
Yes, yes, yes, I remember her name.
But YEH pointed out the parents. The mom has tears running down her eyes. A lot of Democrats sat on their hands.
Yeah, that's tough. I don't know why that made they made that decision.
It's I don't He even said some of them didn't stand up for I think it's right.
The hockey team.
No, he absolutely said that. Yes, he said, how do you not have some of you stood up, but not all of you did. How do you not stand up for the US hockey team?
Yes, and he kind of set them up. And the biggest trap he set robes. I don't know if this is good politics, good theater, if it was petty, if it was unfair, even but what do you do? He asked Democrats a question that, oh, yes, The answer should have been yes, right.
Yes, right, it was Robes.
It was a trap. He did set them up, and it looked bad. But I don't know how it's being viewed today. But he's asking them the question, Robes, stand if you believe the first duty of the US government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.
It was a trap. It was an absolute trap.
Half the room stood up, applauded soundly, and you see the other side of the room when asked, is your job to protect American citizens over illegal aliens? And they didn't respond to that.
It was a trap. It was a set up. Maybe it was unfair, but to a lay person it looked bad.
Maybe it did look bad.
But I understand their dilemma because they're in their heads. I'm sure they're thinking, you know, what, my job is to protect all humans who are in this country, and so you know, not separating people based on their immigration status. That's what I'm thinking was in their heads. And by standing up, you're valuing one life over another.
I don't know.
I think it's a tough call for them, and that might be why many Democrats chose to boycott, because they were anticipating getting set up and putting.
A spot that would actually make sense. How do you handle that, though, Robes? I mean, what is should we be asking that question? You know, it was worded in such a way, it was carefully done. It made it impossible.
It was impossible because, yes, if you were somebody who has stood up to protect the lives of folks who are here who are undocumented, how do you stand up and value legally like legal status over illegal status.
That's tough.
And then the question other plenty of folks his supporters will look, how can you tell me that it's you're looking out for me and as an American citizen, just as much as you're looking out someone who crossed the border illegally that works in his base, that worked in certain parts of the country, And that was a I give them credit for the setup, but it was a setup. It was an absolute setup. The other parts, there were two Metal of Honors, meals of honor given out last night pros.
These were highlight moments.
They were because you asked if my the top moment was the US men's hockey team, and that was among them.
But seeing these men in very two different parts of their life or fronts of their military service, one who was one hundred years old correct.
And then we had the helicopter pilot who was injured in.
The Venezuela raid. That was phenomenal.
I didn't even realize that someone was so injured and someone so pivotal to the mission in getting Maduro. But the fact that he was described as piloting this this helicopter with bullet wounds in his his legs where his bones were fractured and he was in incredible pain having to pilot the helicopter using his legs.
It was remarkable. They hear this.
Story and then to see the guy come in using a walker and his wife with him.
Oh yeah, Amy and Eric, I mean.
Eric, that's my brother's name is Eric. So it was disturbing.
Eric.
I don't think he listens to the podcast.
But they kept saying Amy and Eric Amy and Eric I'm like, oh my god, are Eric and amiens? But that's like my mom and dad telling us to come to dinner weird.
So that was the only part that got weird for Robot. Her daddy Trump kept calling Eric Amy. But it was cool to see him standing there and the big guy, tough guy, this military uniform. I don't know if he knew the honor was coming, but as they were putting it on him, you said, he is trying to keep it together.
Oh, he had tears in his eyes. I don't think he saw that coming. He did not know he was getting the Medal of Honor. It was awesome.
And then the one hundred year old guy, Eve Royce Williams, World War two vet, they honored him. He was sitting next to Belaonnia Trump last night and they I think he mentioned him earlier in the night and then came back to him to give him the Medal of Honor. They put it around his neck and that's just a sweet, wonderful, adorable moment that you you cannot help but feel that moment.
The other one Robes that had people in tears, or Alexandra Gonzalez, this is a young lady whose uncle ran for office in Venezuela but was locked up by the mad Maduro camp. This young lady apparently didn't know the fate of her uncle. Trump is telling this story, announcing everything, and es said that jail, we've closed it down, and those political prisoners have been freed. But then he went further. I didn't see the next couple of things coming, No.
He said, Alejandra, I am pleased to inform you that not only has your uncle been released, but he's here tonight. We brought him over to celebrate his freedom with you in person. And then you see the two of them see each other. I don't know how long it had been hugging on live national television. Again, an incredible reality TV show moment, brought to you by President Trump.
It was great TV production. Ropes.
We have worked in television for a long time. How many surprises and things we pull off on morning shows before we know a good one.
When we see one.
It was a good one. Well, folks, stay here. We told you a lot of Democrats left or boycotted. Well, we will tell you one of the best answers we heard for why one Democrat decided to show up. Also a couple of other darl moments, including one little girl who's gonna have a law named after her, and another reunion between a rescuer and the little girl he rescued. All right, continue here on, Amy and TJ. We'll get through these last few things here. There was so much
last night. I'm trying to remember Robes, all the stuff we got to get to do. You need to mention he did have the parents of the guards, the Sarah Bestrom twenty years old killed in November. She was the young lady part of the West Virginia National Guard who was there on patrol in Washington, DC, had her parents their nice touch, nice moment. The other guy who was shot shot in the head told his story. He was there as well and looked good and gave him a.
They both got purple hearts. Purple hearts.
Yeah.
I almost started crying watching that.
And then to give it to Sarah Beckstrom's parents as well posthumously that just her father you said, his lip was quivering. You could not help but feel their pain, but also just the gratitude you were feeling towards these parents for the service of their daughter. It was it was, it was a real tear jerker moment.
All of these moments and again rolled I think he's done things before in speeches where he recognized somebody that is partisan, right, that's somebody that's with the left or excuse me, with the right. But last night these none of these seemed like partisan guests, right.
This look. He put on a good show last night. The other moment Rose was wonderful.
Scott Ruskin, Coastguards swimmer who was a part of the rescue teams that were down in the historic Texas flooding, one hundred and sixty five rescues he performed. One of them was of a little girl saw again for the last first time last night they were reunited at the Stale Union for the chills.
That's amazing, total chills, yes, and the two of them together standing up smiling. It was it was again another moment, like there were so many moments that you would wait for, like it was kind of like an Oprah or I'm just thinking like what would be the equivalent in daytime where you saw all of these beautiful reunions and it was all heartwarming.
It wasn't Who's the Daddy.
It was, you know, just all emotional with just this like it was a feeling of joy and purpose, and it was like the best of America.
He was highlighting the best of America, and it was a.
Diverse group of Americans to a certain degree, including little Delilah Law. Yeah, let's do you one better. This adorable little girl. Now I didn't know her story when I saw her. Oh she's sweet. What's her story?
Well, her story.
Is she was not expected to be doing well or even to survive after she was in a car accident. She was hit by someone who was in the country illegally. That's the point he was making. And now they're gonna name a law after this little girl. Dahlailah Coleman is her name, but she's getting a law named after her. And to see her bouncing on her dad's leg last night, another great TV moment.
Yeah, her smile was so sweet you could see. I mean, just the struggle. He talked about, all the surgeries and all the struggles and how she wasn't expected to live. But yes, now this law, undocumented folks cannot get commercial driver's licenses. But before I didn't realize they could if you were in this country illegally. I had no idea, you could go to the DMV. I can't even get my real idea if I don't have my Social Security card,
so I'm confused how that was even possible. But no longer can those folks who came here illegally get commercial driver's licenses.
Kind of seems like.
That was already Yeah, all right, other few other things here. Abigail Spamberger did the Democratic response. She had an audience in there with her, which I said, was probably a good move to make sure there's you break it up with applause. At least the audience at home knows that what was supposed to be a hard hitting line.
I can't remember another one that had a crowd.
But yeah, it was. It was, you know what it made it.
It was still a little awkward how they abruptly stopped clapping, like at very orchestrated moments, So that was kind of funny and weird. However, it was a lot less weird than seeing somebody at their kitchen table, or Marco Rubio guzzling water because he didn't.
Get into the law zips. It's just a guzzle.
Do you think about sometimes the infamous rebuttals, This one was not. It was.
It was fairly well done.
How'd you like the Nancy Pelosi joke? I actually smiled a little bit, yes, because again it wasn't mean he was smirking. Again, if you're listening, and if you don't like Trump, you didn't like anything he did last night, If you could just look at it objectively for a moment, this was not one of his worst or meanest moments.
No, it wasn't. He joked about Nancy Pelosi saying they stood up. I can't believe it. When did he was saying? When was he saying they stood up?
He was talking about the law they want them to pass in which there's no insider trading or whatever. Oh, yes, they can't benefit lawmakers can't benefit from.
Correct, So he points to the Democrats. They stood up. I can't believe it. Did Nancy Pelosi stand up? If she's even here.
And she was, she was there, I swear I think was it the biggest applause line he got We ended DEI in America. It was a very big applause line. He had a lot of energy when he delivered that line. We do want to mention Epstein's survivors were guests didn't see them. Actually during a lot of the coverage or anything pointed out or talked about last night, Mark Kelly, they showed him several times.
It's with some looks on his face.
Yeah, I thought that was kind of mean spirited by the cameras. They were in a super close up of his face. And obviously he has been absolutely the target of President Trump, and certainly Pete Hegseth, who was there. They kept showing, by the way, just this you just you see these characters in the Trump administration obviously depicted everywhere, and there they were all sitting together, Pam Bondi, Pete hegg Seth, Christine Nome, they were all there together.
They kept showing that picture.
But yes, they kept going into a close up of Mark Kelly and just obviously he had a look of disdain.
Maybe on his face for most of the evening and they just kept zooming in on it.
We do want to mention the mom Donnie moment. He did mention the mayor of New York complimented him and say, hey, he's a nice guy, but then talk about how bad of a job he's doing. He used them and again this was funny to me. Where he's making a point about you all don't want voter ID. And there have plenty of problems with the voter ID law that they're trying to pass.
We get that.
The point here is he said, how are you all going to be against someone showing ID to vote when you're requiring two photos, two forms of ID, and a Social Security card for shovelers in New York?
Which is true.
Yes, And he made a point, and it was funny. It wasn't necessarily mean spirited. It was based in fact, and it was funny.
Listen to us, we almost sound relieved. It wasn't mean.
Yes, honestly, that's where the bar is right now.
I mean it's low low, it's like, please, please, please, don't be mean spirited. I mean, yes, your jobs and have some fun with it, which, honestly, it actually felt a little bit more like and I know he hasn't actually even attended, but the White House Correspondent Center where the President gets up and is a little self deprecating. Now that Trump is self deprecating, he was quite the opposite, but having a little fun at at typically serious topics
that have created some pain and frustration. And so anyway, it all felt very lighthearted and that was just a welcome shift in town.
The last thing here.
Damned if you do, Damned if you don't, what are you supposed to do? Do democrats not show up at this thing? Plenty in the majority did? Of course.
I don't know. To each his or her own, of course, I don't know what you do.
Do you honor the office? Do you respect the office? Even if you don't respect the man? I don't know what the right thing is to each his or her own?
But I did hear a CNN was.
Reporting Elizabeth Warren obviously is no fan the President Trump.
That No, I think that's.
A fact, right, that's definitely a fact.
Yes, we have good sources on that. She attended last night. And I can't remember which scenem reporter was saying it, but said talk to her like, wow, you don't like this president. Why did you show up? And this is kind of what she said. I'm here to represent the people of my state of Massachusetts. And if the president, we know he's gonna lie, but he's gonna lie, I'll come and make him lie to my face.
It's a good answer.
I mean, that's the best you can do. I mean, you're there for what.
I don't know, rogues what you do here, but it was a display of where we are last night. This was not a State of the Union dress. I'm not sure what the state of our union is, but I'm sure how I know how the president.
People were hotter than ever before, hot over the hottest country.
We were dead, but now we're hot.
We're bad.
That's what we got out of it. Also, hockey team is awesome. That's what I got out of it. But folks, again we say it, please don't misunderstand. It was the best show we have ever seen at a State of the Union. Yes, the best show. The speech, I don't even remember much of it if you can get that other places. But folks, we appreciate you is always spending some time with us. I am T. J.
Holmes on behalf of my dear Amy Robot, who will talk to the Also