President Donald Trump used his 2019 State of the Union address to get some opening shots off in his 2020 reelection bid.
“Here, in the United States, we are alarmed by new calls to adopt socialism in our country,” the president said. “America was founded on liberty and independence—not government coercion, domination, and control. We are born free, and we will stay free … Tonight, we renew our resolve that America will never be a socialist country.”
Trump’s calls come as more and more Democrats throw their hat in the ring for 2020, and more and more of them tack left in the wake of the 2018 midterms.
In kicking off her campaign, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) made Medicare-for-All part of her platform (even if she immediately walked it back), and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) proposed a wealth tax. Meanwhile, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is still considering a run. In 2020, it’s likely that Trump will go up against a Democrat pushing policies that are farther left than what has been the party norm for decades.
Trump’s bashing of socialism caused boos to ring out from Democrats and cheers from the right.
Lotta old white dudes who are about to go on Medicare really leaning into their cheers against socialism right now. #SOTU
— Jason Karsh (@jkarsh) February 6, 2019
trump directly attacking socialism is, no joke, great news for the public standing of socialism
— b-boy bouiebaisse (@jbouie) February 6, 2019
OMG! Did Democrats just sit through the socialism question? Really? They are on public record for overthrowing capitalism as the American system? I hope someone is taking names and notes…. #SOTU
— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) February 6, 2019
People particularly enjoyed a camera shot of Sen. Sanders after Trump went after socialism.
https://twitter.com/DavidKlion/status/1092984711604068354
Bernie is not a fan of the president's take on socialism. pic.twitter.com/lfzSFEEa14
— Jonathan Allen (@jonallendc) February 6, 2019
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