Sen. Rand Paul has a solution for the State of the Union dilemma as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has asked the president to delay his annual address amid the government shutdown.
The Kentucly Republican called Pelosi’s ploy to thwart President Donald Trump’s scheduled address as an “affront” to Americans during a Fox News Channel interview.
The GOP lawmaker weighed in on the partial government shutdown on Thursday’s “Fox & Friends,” discussing Pelosi’s letter to Trump asking him to delay the State of the Union address – currently scheduled to take place Jan. 29 – or to submit his remarks in writing to Congress. House leadership traditionally invites the president to deliver the annual address which dates back to President George Washington’s address before a joint session of Congress in 1790.
“I think that’s a real affront to the American people,” Paul said Thursday, suggesting “let’s host it in the Senate” where Republicans still hold the majority of seats.
“This will be the first time in history that the House would deny a president the forum of speaking,” he added. “If she’s going to do that, let’s hold it in the Senate.”
The first live audience in the “Fox & Friends” studio responded with applause when co-host Steve Doocy asked if they like the senator’s idea.
Co-host Brian Kilmeade countered that it could actually be “another example of more dysfunction,” and an “embarrassment” with empty seats, referring to Trump’s first State of the Union address in 2018 which was boycotted by some Democrats who hate the president.
The senator also made the suggestion that Trump bypass the House of Representatives in a tweet Thursday morning.
Senator McConnell is in charge of the Senate. If Mrs. Pelosi refuses to allow the president to deliver the State of the Union in the House, I propose we move it to the Senate and make it happen!
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 17, 2019
CBS News reported that “top White House officials” are also considering the possibility of a Senate-hosted address.
And if the president were to go ahead with a State of the Union address in the Senate chambers, attendees would find a lot less elbow room that in the House.
This might be fun. The Senate chamber is cramped and it would be Standing Room Only, but if no one brings guests, they max out gallery space and most of the Democrats boycott (as one does these days), I bet they all could shoehorn in there. https://t.co/Qs57LfvbDm
— David Martosko (@dmartosko) January 17, 2019
But with Democrats sure to boycott the event, this may not pose a significant problem after all.
Friendly suggestion for @senatemajldr: invite @POTUS to give the State of the Union in the Senate chamber.
Tight squeeze if the House members show up, but most Dems won’t.
— Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) January 16, 2019
Twitter users had plenty of opinions on a venue choice and offered some suggestions of their own.
Deliver the State of the Union as a televised ‘Address to the Nation’. Keeps the Democrats from grandstanding during the address. Great idea, plus it is cheaper. The Dems can’t say anything about it since it’s their idea.
— Curious Doubter (@bhaynes291) January 16, 2019
For every Democrat that refuses to attend, offer his/her seat to a “Dreamer” and have @realDonaldTrump talk about how he has been willing to do a DACA fix in conjunction with border security, but how the Dems would rather leave the Dreamers in limbo than secure the border.
— Political Sock (@PoliticalSock) January 16, 2019
No way think big, any nfl domed stadium. Charge $25 build the wall.
— Sam Felton (@66andout) January 16, 2019
NO! THE HOUSE…please! Don’t let the dems off the hook!!!
— Cher (@Cher_n_NJ) January 16, 2019
Forget the Senate take it to the people.
— Frenchy64 (@Frency641) January 17, 2019
Laura Ingraham weighed in with a poll of her own. Should the SOTU take place in the Senate, at Mount Vernon, at the Southern Border, or not at all?
The president should give his SOTU speech—
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) January 17, 2019
Stay tuned!
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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