The Atlantic

Some Democrats Actually Liked What They Heard From Trump

High-profile progressives and party leadership panned the president’s calls for unity. But a group of the newest House lawmakers saw an opening.
Source: Doug Mills / The New York Times via AP

President Donald Trump’s calls for bipartisanship during his State of the Union address drew indignant scoffs from Democratic leadership and members of the party’s progressive wing. “The president failed to offer any plan, any vision at all, for our future,” said Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, referring to the speech as an “embarrassment.” Much of the news media focused on these dismissive reactions, painting a picture of a Democratic Party unwilling to hear the president. But one bloc of House

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