Patriotic or Partisan? Oregon Reaction To President’s SOTU Speech

Washington DC –  Polar opposite reaction to the President’s State of the Union address last night. Republican Congressman Greg Walden said “I thought the president gave a powerful and very patriotic speech. He opened the door to a new era of unity and working together on things from cancer research on children, securing our border to building the infrastructure our country desperately needs.”

Democratic Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley saw it differently. Wyden says ” It was stunning to hear a President plead with Congress to set aside its constitutional duty to conduct vigorous oversight. I walked out tonight reflecting on the sacred American principle that no one is above the law. The state of the union is clear; Donald Trump is steering America in the wrong direction.”

Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley said ” this wasn’t an address designed to bring America together. It was a profoundly partisan speech lacking in any kind of leadership.”