GEORGE NEUMAYR:
“…Nancy Pelosi spent much of Trump’s State of the Union address pretending to read a printout of it. She then ostentatiously ripped it up once the speech concluded. The moment captured the bitterness of a partisan watching a president she tried to overthrow moving closer to reelection. Trump delivered an effective address that made expert use of special guests in the audience, from Venezuela’s real president in exile to Rush Limbaugh to the widows and orphans of military heroes. All in all, it was a Reaganesque performance.
Far from derailing his presidency, impeachment seems to have energized it. Trump’s poll numbers are at the highest level ever, and after last night’s successful speech, the Senate will acquit him. Meanwhile, the Democrats are in disarray, reeling from a caucus they couldn’t run, and more bereft of a serious challenger to Trump than ever. Joe Biden’s poor showing in Iowa has exposed the depth of that problem. Already establishment figures, such as Chris Matthews, are questioning the viability of his candidacy. According to the Associated Press, his embarrassing fourth-place finish has donors looking elsewhere, perhaps toward Michael Bloomberg…”