Last night’s State of the Union address was a complete snooze to anyone outside of the MAGA hat-wearing crowd, but the Democratic response was enthusiastically received by the left.
In only 10 minutes, Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams managed to give a hopeful, inspiring, and thoughtful speech which laid out specific priority areas that impact all Americans. It was a direct contrast to Trump’s empty promises and divisive rhetoric.
Last year, Abrams made national headlines when she became the first black woman gubernatorial candidate ever nominated by a major political party. The election was tainted by widespread claims of voter suppression by her opponent, Republican Brian Kemp. After nearly two weeks of trying to certify the results, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate acknowledged that the race was unfair but would ultimately prove Kemp to be the winner. She went on to found Fair Fight Georgia, an organization dedicated to protecting voting rights around the state.
Though it was nothing short of a chore to have to sit through 90 minutes of Trump’s ranting (which many chose not to do), millions of people around the country were ready and waiting for Abrams to speak. Her supporters represented a diverse group of Americans across race, gender, profession, and experience. Some folks even grew impatient, because it was quite obvious that it was Abrams who would be the star of the evening.
It was a particularly poignant moment for the many people who believe that she won her election and is the rightful governor of Georgia.
Abrams delivered in every way, tackling important topics like immigration, black maternal mortality rates, the GOP tax scam, and health care. She even brought up the issue of voting rights, linking it specifically to her campaign for governor in Georgia.
From the full transcript on PBS:
While I acknowledged the results of the 2018 election here in Georgia – I did not and we cannot accept efforts to undermine our right to vote. That’s why I started a nonpartisan organization called Fair Fight to advocate for voting rights.
This is the next battle for our democracy, one where all eligible citizens can have their say about the vision we want for our country. We must reject the cynicism that says allowing every eligible vote to be cast and counted is a “power grab.”
Even as she acknowledged the incredible damage that Donald Trump is doing to our democracy, Abrams still offered a message of hope, demanding that he do better by the American people. She held nothing back, referencing the many lies he has told while in office and his complete lack of leadership.
So even as I am very disappointed by the President’s approach to our problems – I still don’t want him to fail. But we need him to tell the truth, and to respect his duties and the extraordinary diversity that defines America.
Her powerful and accessible speech was a hit, garnering praise and enthusiasm across the country. There’s no denying that America is excited about Stacey, and eager for her to declare her future plans to run for office. She has publicly said that she will decide by the end of March.
It should come as no surprise that she crushed her speech. She’s been hard at work doing this for more than 20 years. Check out her speech from the 30th anniversary of the March on Washington.
Stacey Abrams is clearly a leader that America needs. Democrats knocked it out of the park on this one.
In case you missed it, you can watch her full Democratic response here.