State of the Union: Clothes illustrate huge divide in US politics
Donald Trump talks working together for a better US while offering nothing to suggest a political agreement, Greg Milam writes.
Wednesday 6 February 2019 09:06, UK
The divide in American politics has rarely been so visual - a congressional chamber split between dark suits and white, and apparently very little common ground between them.
Donald Trump's State of the Union address began and ended with calls for Democrats and Republicans to bridge that divide and work together for the good of America.
But he spent the rest of his speech signalling a refusal to budge on his demands.
He gave no sense that he accepted any blame for the toxic tone he apparently wants to banish from politics.
For the first time in his presidency, Mr Trump had a Democrat literally looking over his shoulder for his big set piece speech at the US Capitol.
And the new speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, gave the watching audience a real-time commentary on the contents of the speech. The headshakes, eye-rolls and words under her breath spoke volumes.
But the spectacle of those two diametrically opposed politicians might have left the Americans who were watching despairing that nothing is about to happen in Washington any time soon.
Mr Trump repeated his hard line on immigration and the wall he wants on the US-Mexico border. Democrats are just as determined that the wall will never be built.
That dispute has already spilled over to budget negotiations and led to one partial shutdown of the US government, the longest in history, with the prospect of another just around the corner unless agreement can be reached by 15 February.
The president's speech offered nothing to suggest the two sides are any closer to that agreement.
In fact, the reaction in the chamber, not least from likely Democrat 2020 presidential candidates like Kamala Harris and Kirsten Gillibrand, suggested the divide, if anything, is growing wider.
The white suits were worn, predominantly by Democrats, in honour of the suffragettes and to mark 100 years of women having the vote. It was also in protest at a White House administration seen as ignoring women.
Mr Trump paid tribute to the record number of women elected to Congress, bringing rare cheers from Democrats on the night. But most of them were elected to thwart him.
It was a telling moment on a night when it was more clear than ever that however much talking is going on, not many are listening.