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President Trump to Declassify FISA Memo Detailing Spying Abuses

U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, left, and former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe testifying before a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) in Washington. (Photos: Reuters)

President Donald Trump will declassify a memo detailing abuses of secret government surveillance programs and transmit it back to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI). The memo sent back to the HPSCI will include minimal but additional redactions, which the White House added at the request of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) allows intelligence agencies to collect information on foreign targets abroad. However, it has been “routinely” abused and misused to spy on domestic targets, including President Trump, his associates and other U.S. citizens.

Representative Devin Nunes, R-Calif., the Chairman of the HPSCI, is expected to release the memo on Friday. It purportedly details widespread abuses and specifically names Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, as well as the just ousted FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.

This week, Mr. McCabe was “removed” from his post at the FBI amid conflicts of interest and ongoing investigations of misconduct.

The FBI and Justice Department (DOJ) have desperately attempted to derail the release of the memo. They first cited potential damage to national security, but have since evolved their objections into an attack on Chairman Nunes, who fired back on Wednesday.

“Having stonewalled Congress’ demands for information for nearly a year, it’s no surprise to see the FBI and DOJ issue spurious objections to allowing the American people to see information related to surveillance abuses at these agencies,” he said in a statement. “The FBI is intimately familiar with ‘material omissions’ with respect to their presentations to both Congress and the courts, and they are welcome to make public, to the greatest extent possible, all the information they have on these abuses.”

Mr. Rosenstein himself traveled to Capitol Hill in an attempt to persuade House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., to call off Chairman Nunes.

Speaker Ryan was having none of it.

On Tuesday, he called for a “cleansing” at the FBI and supported efforts to release the memo. Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows, R-N.C., a members of the intelligence committee, called the four-page memo “shocking” and “alarming.” Another congressman likened the details to KGB tactics in the former Soviet Union.

“Regardless, it’s clear that top officials used unverified information in a court document to fuel a counter-intelligence investigation during an American political campaign,” Chairman Nunes added. “Once the truth gets out, we can begin taking steps to ensure our intelligence agencies and courts are never misused like this again.”

The memo will detail how political appointees at the FBI and DOJ under Barack Obama used an unverified opposition research document — otherwise known as the Steele dossier or Trump dossier — to illegally obtain a FISA warrant to spy on members of Team Trump. The government is prohibited from using unverified third-party information in the FISA court.

The Hillary Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) paid the shadowy smear firm Fusion GPS more than $10 million for the dossier. Fusion GPS in turn hired Christopher Steele, a former MI6 British Intelligence Officer, to be the research-gatherer.

The nonprofit Campaign Legal Center (CLC) has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) alleging both the Clinton campaign and the DNC violated campaign finance law by failing to accurately disclose payments for the dossier.

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., the Ranking Member on the HPSCI, has also desperately tried to suppress the memo from the public. Multiple sources tell PPD that Mr. Schiff, a notorious leaker, sought to hide the revelation that the Clinton campaign and the DNC funded the dossier from his members of the committee.

He also tried to hide that the debunked dossier was used in large part to obtain a FISA warrant.

Mr. Steele, who was the head of the Russia desk at MI6, almost exclusively used sources tied to the Kremlin and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mr. Schiff had been making public statements sourced in the dossier during the campaign, well before it was first published by BuzzFeed.

According to texts messages between corrupt FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, which were uncovered by DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz, members of the FBI and DOJ were involved in an effort to undermine President Trump before and after the 2016 presidential election.

They discussed needing to talk to “Andy” about an “insurance policy” in the event President Trump defeated Mrs. Clinton, a reference to Mr. McCabe. Subsequent texts and other reports indicate that the insurance was the so-called “Russia collusion” investigation.

Senators Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., sent a a criminal referral to Mr. Rosenstein and FBI Director Christopher Wray to investigate Mr. Steele, citing potential violations of 18 U.S.C. § 1001, or making false statements to investigators particularly regarding the distribution of claims contained in the dossier.

Worth noting, while Director Wray has also attempted to suppress the release of the memo, multiple sources tell PPD he was “deeply disturbed” by the preliminary findings of the inspector general report.

As PPD also previously reported, the Obama Administration admitted at a FISA court hearing on October 26 (2016) that National Security Administration (NSA) intercept database searches “routinely” violated Americans’ Fourth Amendment rights.

February 1, 2018

President Donald Trump will declassify a memo detailing

Economy

ISM Manufacturing Index (PMI) Continues Boom as New Orders Just Keep Coming

Workers assemble built-in appliances at the Whirlpool manufacturing plant in Cleveland, Tennessee August 21, 2013. (Photo: Reuters)

The Institution for Supply Management (ISM) Manufacturing Index (PMI) continued to show extraordinary strength with a reading of 59.1% in January. Worth noting, with the employment index pulling the headline reading down slightly, the concern for overheating is real.

New orders continued to rage on at 65.4%, though that’s a decrease of 2% from the seasonally adjusted December reading of 67.4%. The Production Index registered 64.5%, a 0.7% decline from the seasonally adjusted reading of 65.2% the month prior.

The Employment Index registered 54.2%, a notable decline of 3.9% from the seasonally adjusted December reading of 58.1%. That could signal that the sample of manufacturers are having a hard time finding enough people to keep up production.

Of the 18 manufacturing industries, 14 reported growth in January in the following order: Textile Mills; Fabricated Metal Products; Plastics & Rubber Products; Primary Metals; Machinery; Transportation Equipment; Apparel, Leather & Allied Products; Chemical Products; Computer & Electronic Products; Paper Products; Petroleum & Coal Products; Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components; Miscellaneous Manufacturing; and Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products.

Four industries reported contraction during the period: Printing & Related Support Activities; Wood Products; Furniture & Related Products; and Nonmetallic Mineral Products.

“Comments from the panel reflect expanding business conditions, with new orders and production maintaining high levels of expansion; employment expanding at a slower rate; order backlogs expanding at a faster rate; and export orders and imports continuing to grow faster in January,” Timothy R. Fiore, Chair of the ISM Manufacturing Business Survey Committee said.

“Supplier deliveries continued to slow (improving) at a faster rate,” he added. “Price increases occurred across all industry sectors.”

PANEL RESPONDENTS SAID

“Sales nationally and internationally are strong in Q1. We are increasing our CapEx spend by 30 percent to 40 percent over [the] previous year.” (Chemical Products)
“We have heard reports of additional business due to the recent reduction of tax rates.” (Machinery)
“Business outlook is positive on all fronts right now with our customers. Budgets are being approved for new projects, and component prices from suppliers have temporarily stabilized.” (Computer & Electronic Products)
“Our usual winter slowdown has not occurred, and we are very busy with new orders.” (Furniture & Related Products)
“Slow start to 2018; pricing on metals is heading up and quotes/orders are picking up as well.” (Fabricated Metal Products)
“Overall, business remains steady. With several key programs to begin ramping up in the industry, outlook looks good for calendar year 2018.” (Transportation Equipment)
“Employment is very tight in our area.” (Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products)
“Business continues to strengthen.” (Paper Products)
“Business is starting the new year strong. Consumer confidence seems to be driving a lot of our customers’ order requirements higher.” (Plastics & Rubber Products)

February 1, 2018

The Institution for Supply Management (ISM) Manufacturing

Economy

Construction Spending Posts Strong Gains in December, Beats Forecast

New residential homes are shown under construction in Carlsbad, California September 19, 2011. (Photo: Reuters)

The U.S. Census Bureau said construction spending was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,253.3 billion, up 0.7% (±1.0%) from the revised November estimate of $1,245.1 billion. The gain is 2.6% (±1.3%) higher than the December 2016 estimate of $1,221.6 billion, and follows another solid 0.8% gain in November.

The value of construction in 2017 was $1,230.6 billion, up 3.8% (±1.0%) from the $1,185.7 billion spent in 2016.

Private Construction Spending

Spending on private construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $963.2 billion, 0.8% (±1.2%)* higher than the revised November estimate of $955.9 billion. Residential construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $526.1 billion in December, up 0.5% (±1.3%)* from the revised November estimate of $523.8 billion.

Nonresidential construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $437.1 billion in December, or 1.1% (±1.2%)* higher than the revised November estimate of $432.1 billion. The value of private construction in 2017 was $950.7 billion, 5.8% ( ±1.0%) above the $898.7 billion spent in 2016.

Residential construction in 2017 was $515.9 billion, 10.6% (±2.1%) above the 2016 figure of $466.6 billion and nonresidential construction was $434.8 billion, 0.6% (±1.0%)* above the $432.1 billion in 2016.

Public Construction Spending

In December, the estimated seasonally adjusted annual rate of public construction spending was $290.0 billion, 0.3% (±1.5%)* higher than the revised November estimate of $289.1 billion. Educational construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $75.5 billion, 1.6% (±2.1%)* above the revised November estimate of $74.4 billion.

Highway construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $88.3 billion, 0.3% (±3.5%)* higher than the revised November estimate of $88.0 billion.The value of public construction in 2017 was $279.8 billion, 2.5% (±1.8%) below the $287.0 billion spent in 2016.

Educational construction in 2017 was $71.2 billion, 2.5% (±3.5%)* above the 2016 figure of $69.5 billion and highway construction was $87.7 billion, 3.7% (±4.1%)* below the $91.1 billion in 2016.

February 1, 2018

The U.S. Census Bureau said construction spending was

Economy

Jobless Claims Unexpectedly Fall Further, Labor Demand Strong

Jobless claims, an application for first-time unemployment benefits. (Photo: Reuters)

The Labor Department said jobless claims unexpectedly fell to 230,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week’s revised level. The median economic forecast called for a raise to 235,000.

The previous week’s level was revised down by 2,000 from 233,000 to 231,000. The report indicates sustained strength in the demand for labor and stability in the labor market.

The 4-week moving average was 234,500, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week’s revised average. The previous week’s average was revised down by 500 from 240,000 to 239,500.

Claims taking procedures in Puerto Rico and in the Virgin Islands have still not returned to normal.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.4% for the week ending January 20, unchanged from the previous week’s unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending January 20 was 1,953,000, an increase of 13,000 from the previous week’s revised level.

The previous week’s level was revised up 3,000 from 1,937,000 to 1,940,000.

The 4-week moving average was 1,932,750, an increase of 12,000 from the previous week’s revised average. The previous week’s average was revised up by 750 from 1,920,000 to 1,920,750.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending January 13 were in the Virgin Islands (8.1), Puerto Rico (4.6), Alaska (4.0), New Jersey (2.9), Montana (2.8), Connecticut (2.7), Illinois (2.6), Pennsylvania (2.6), Massachusetts (2.5), and Rhode Island (2.5).

There were no increases in initial claims for the week ending January 20, the largest decreases were in Pennsylvania (-10,925), Texas (-7,747), California (-7,213), Georgia (-6,438), and New York (-4,954).

February 1, 2018

The Labor Department said jobless claims unexpectedly

Politics

Executive Committee Votes to Confirm Todd Ricketts as RNC Finance Chair

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President-elect Donald Trump stands with Todd Ricketts, co-owner of the MLB baseball team the Chicago Cubs, following their meeting at the main clubhouse at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, U.S., November 19, 2016. (Photo: Reuters)

The Executive Committee of the Republican National Committee (RNC) voted unanimously to confirm Todd Ricketts as the new RNC finance chairman. A vote will be held to formalize the new finance chairman’s role on Friday during the General Session of the RNC’s 2018 Winter Meeting.

“His incredible leadership and proven track record of results will continue to grow support for our Party and ensure we have the resources needed to deliver Republican victories in 2018 and beyond,” RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in a statement emailed to PPD.

Mr. Ricketts is a member of the Boards of Directors for TD Ameritrade Holdings (AMTD), a co-owner of the Major League Baseball (MLB) team the Chicago Cubs and a small business owner. He also served as Chief Executive Officer for Ending Spending, a national advocacy group focused on finding solutions to the nation’s fiscal crisis.

“I have wanted to be helpful to President Trump and the Republican Party since our successful 2016 elections,” Mr. Ricketts said in response to the vote. “Serving as the Republican National Committee’s Finance Chairman is the perfect opportunity.”

“I look forward to raising the resources to support the president, Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to continue the Republican Party’s successful agenda of reducing taxes on all Americans and creating jobs and opportunity.”

Mr. Ricketts has not only been a longtime Republican player but was also an early supporter of President Donald Trump. He comes from a prominent Republican family, many of whom did not support the businessman from New York during the presidential primary. The confirmation is the latest victory for those who want to remake the RNC into President Trump’s party.

That includes Chairwoman McDaniel, who has been a staunch supporter and loyal ally to the president.

“Todd will be a great addition to the Republican National Committee, and I couldn’t be happier he is lending his tremendous leadership to our party,” President Trump said in a statement.

The vote comes as the RNC shattered their all-time fundraising record in 2017, hauling in $11.1 million in December and $132.5 million overall for the year. The annual total for the RNC is the most any party has raised in an off-year and more than double the $65.9 million raised by their counterparts at the Democratic National Committee (DNC).

January 31, 2018

The Executive Committee of the Republican National

Elections

RNC Breaks All-Time Fundraising Record in 2017, Raising $132.5 Million

In this March 3, 2016 file photo, RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, then the Michigan Republican Party chair, speaks before a Republican presidential primary debate in Detroit. (Photo: AP)

The Republican National Committee (RNC) shattered their all-time fundraising record in 2017, hauling in $11.1 million in December and $132.5 million overall for the year. The annual total for the RNC is the most any party has raised in an off-year and more than double the $65.9 million raised by their counterparts at the Democratic National Committee (DNC).

“Our strong fundraising numbers reflect voters’ optimism and continued support as President Trump fulfills his promises to the American people,” RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in a statement emailed to People’s Pundit Daily (PPD). “In his first year, President Trump delivered a historic tax cut to the middle-class, slashed regulations, and grew our economy.”

The RNC now has six times more cash on hand than their counterparts at the DNC. While the RNC boasts $38.8 million total cash on hand and no debt, the DNC has a meager $423,000 cash on hand and $6.1 million in debt.

Committees	December	YTD (Year-to-Date)	Cash on Hand (COH)	Debt
RNC	$11.1 Million	$132.5 Million	$38.8 Million	$0
DNC	$5.2 Million	$65.9 Million	$6.3 Million	$6.1 Million

Republicans have significantly outpaced Democrats in fundraising for the first time in a non-presidential cycle in 2017. In November, which was the DNC’s worst for that month in 10 years, Chairman Tom Perez claimed that Democratic candidates are out-fundraising Republican candidates, $221 million to $206 million.

However, if you drilled down into the numbers, $31 million of the total House Democrat haul came from Jon Ossoff. He ran a failed and outrageously expensive race against now-Representative Karen Handel in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District.

In July, roughly 8 months after the Democratic Party experienced one of its most devastating defeats in history, Chairman Perez announced an “unprecedented” effort to rebuild the party with a $10 million fund dedicated to state parties. He claimed it would provide hundreds of thousands of dollars to each state party.

Vice News recently reported that the money never arrived.

Meanwhile, the RNC will have more staff on the ground and in more states than they’ve ever enjoyed before. They have teams in 22 states and have trained nearly 7,000 fellows through a program dubbed the Republican Leadership Initiative. That’s more in 2017 than all of 2015 to 2016.

They have also made a sizable and significant investment in big data and their digital operations, helping them to make roughly 11 million voter contacts in 2017 alone. That’s more than any non-election year, ever.

“We look forward to electing more Republican leaders to Congress who will support President Trump’s winning agenda on behalf of the American people,” Chairwoman McDaniel added.

Once filled with hope for a wave in the 2018 midterm elections, the Democrats now find themselves broke to the point of being on the verge of insolvency, and their lead on the generic congressional ballot has vanished.

January 31, 2018

The Republican National Committee (RNC) shattered their

Politics

Trey Gowdy Retiring Back to Justice System, Won’t Seek Reelection in 2018

Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., the Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

Representative Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., announced Wednesday that he will not seek reelection in 2018 and instead will return to the justice system. The former prosecutor has been serving as the representative for the Fourth Congressional District since 2011, when he rode the anti-establishment wave of the Tea Party movement in 2010.

“Words cannot adequately express my gratitude to the people of South Carolina for the privilege of representing them in the House of Representatives,” Rep. Gowdy said in a statement. “I will always be grateful for the opportunity to serve in the People’s House and-prior to Congress-to advocate on behalf of justice in our court systems.”

“I will not be filing for re-election to Congress nor seeking any other political or elected office; instead I will be returning to the justice system.”

From 1994 to 2000, Mr. Gowdy was a federal prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. In 2009, he announced that he would challenge incumbent Republican Representative Bob Inglis in the Republican primary. The incumbent had betrayed the base on climate change and a host of other issues.

In the June 2010 primary, Mr. Gowdy ranked first with 39% of the vote, short of the 50% majority threshold to win outright and avoid a runoff. Rep. Inglis received 27% of the vote. In the run-off, he defeated Rep. Inglis by an overwhelming margin, 70% to 30%.

From 2014 to 2016, Rep. Gowdy chaired the House Select Committee on Benghazi and later pressed for the criminal prosecution of Hillary Clinton for mishandling classified information. It was Chairman Gowdy’s investigation into the Benghazi terror attack that killed four Americans that uncovered her use of an illegal private email server.

In 2016, he won reelection against his Democratic opponent 67.2% to 31.1%.

FULL STATEMENT

Words cannot adequately express my gratitude to the people of South Carolina for the privilege of representing them in the House of Representatives. The Upstate of South Carolina has an incredible depth and breadth of assets including numerous women and men capable of representing us. I will always be grateful for the opportunity to serve in the People’s House and-prior to Congress-to advocate on behalf of justice in our court systems.

I will not be filing for re-election to Congress nor seeking any other political or elected office; instead I will be returning to the justice system. Whatever skills I may have are better utilized in a courtroom than in Congress, and I enjoy our justice system more than our political system. As I look back on my career, it is the jobs that both seek and reward fairness that are most rewarding.

There is no perfect time to make this announcement, but with filing opening in six weeks, it is important to give the women and men in South Carolina who might be interested in serving ample time to reflect on the decision.

To my wife, Terri, and our two children, Watson and Abigail: thank you for all you sacrificed, missed, or did alone so I could serve as both a prosecutor and a member of the House.

To my parents and my three sisters: thank you for having confidence in me and high expectations for me, even when I did not.

To the women and men I worked with at the South Carolina Court of Appeals, the United States District Court, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the 7th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, and in Congress: thank you for the texture, depth and joy you added to life.

To the law enforcement officers and victims of crime: thank you for personifying courage.

To those across South Carolina and our country who, over the past 7 years, have expressed words of encouragement, accountability and even criticism: thank you. All are needed for those in public service.

The book of Ecclesiastes teaches us there is a time and a season for all things. There is a time to start and a time to end. There is a time to come and a time to go. This is the right time, for me, to leave politics and return to the justice system.

January 31, 2018

Representative Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., announced Wednesday that

Economy

Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI) Meets Forecast, Points to Future Expansion

A single family home is shown with a sale pending in Encinitas, California May 22, 2013. (Photo: Reuters)

The Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI) rose 0.5% to 110.1 in December from an upwardly revised 109.6 in November, meeting forecasts and indicating improvement in the months ahead. With last month’s modest increase, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) index is now 0.5% above a year ago.

“Another month of modest increases in contract activity is evidence that the housing market has a small trace of momentum at the start of 2018,” Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist said. “Jobs are plentiful, wages are finally climbing and the prospect of higher mortgage rates are perhaps encouraging more aspiring buyers to begin their search now.”

While a lack of demand from tight inventories are still expected to fuel upward price pressure in most areas this year, Mr. Yun expects overall price growth to shrink and some states to even see a decline as a result of tax reform. He cited changes to the mortgage interest deduction and state and local deductions under the new tax law.

“In the short term, the larger paychecks most households will see from the tax cuts may give prospective buyers the ability to save for a larger down payment this year, and the healthy labor economy and job market will continue to boost demand,” Mr. Yun added. “However, there’s no doubt the nation’s most expensive markets with high property taxes are going to be adversely impacted by the tax law.”

Still, pending home sales expanded by 1.1% in 2017 to 5.51 million and Mr. Yun does anticipate a slight increase (0.5%) in existing sales this year (5.54 million). Single-family housing starts are forecast to surge 13.3% to 961,000, which will push new home sales up 15.3% to 701,000 (608,000 in 2016).

The PHSI in the Northeast fell 5.1% to 93.9 in December and is now 2.7% below a year ago. In the Midwest, the index declined slightly by 0.3% to 105.0 in December. However, it is still 0.3% higher than December 2016.

Pending home sales in the South grew 2.6% to an index of 126.9 in December and are now 4.0% higher than last December. The index in the West rose 1.5% in December to 101.7, but is still 3.1% below a year ago.

January 31, 2018

The Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI) rose

Economy

Employment in MNI Chicago Business Barometer (PMI) Nears 6-Year High

SUV parts are fabricated in the stamping facility at the General Motors Assembly Plant on June 9, 2015. (Photo: Reuters)

The MNI Chicago Business Barometer, also known as the Chicago PMI, easily beat expectations as the Employment Index nears a 6-year high in January. While the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) index fell 2.1 points from a previously revised 67.8 in December, which was an 11-year high, it crushed the 64.0 consensus and remained extremely strong.

“Official data in Q1 tends to come in weaker than in reality, but our survey suggests that despite softening a little, sentiment among businesses remains robust,” Jamie Satchi, Economist at MNI Indicators said. “This was the best January result in seven years, capped off by the Employment indicator rising to its highest level in almost 6 years.”

Even though the New Orders indicator fell to a five-month low, which mostly to the decline in the Chicago Business Barometer, the Production indicator fell only marginally.

The Barometer was up 28.3% on last January and at 65.7, stands above the H2 2017 average of 63.7. The Employment indicator hit a near-six-year high, breaking past the 60-mark for the first time since late 2013.

“Still, inflationary pressures remain elevated and show no signs of abating, something that should be at the forefront of the Fed’s mind,” Mr. Satchi added.

January 31, 2018

The MNI Chicago Business Barometer, also known

Opinion

Donald Trump Absolutely Killed It During His First State of the Union Address

President Donald Trump delivers his first State of the Union address on Tuesday, January 30, 2018.

President Donald Trump delivered his first State of the Union address Tuesday evening and, without a doubt, he absolutely knocked it out of the park. Democrats, who chose to collectively protest by sitting on their hands and occasionally boo in disapproval, will rue their decision.

A CBS News/YouGov Poll of the audience found a whopping 75% approved of the president’s address, including 97% of Republicans, 43% of Democrats and 72% of independents. More than 8 in 10 (81%) think the president was trying to unite the country, not divide it.

More than 9 in 10 (91%) favored the infrastructure proposal, 75% favored what he said on national security and 72% favored what they heard on immigration.

Here’s why.

It was relatable yet shockingly disciplined.

The former New York businessman has a tendency to give a speech like a former New York businessman. He shows up with prepared remarks, but after a few deliveries he begins to improvise. While the American people often find that relatable and refreshing, the State of the Union address is not the proper venue for ad libitum.

He kept that to a minimum and the few times he did ad lib, it still fit well with the speech and sounded rather natural. For a speech that will go down as the third longest in history, the businessman-turned-president was extraordinary disciplined.

It was optimistic yet realistic.

Barack Obama was a great orator. Few possess the talent of reading off a screen as he. Mr. Obama had a habit of pretending like things were going smoothly when they were not. All presidents gloat during the State of the Union address, but he repeatedly went overboard.

He did the exact opposite of what President Trump did Tuesday night during his address, which is to minimize people’s problems and our collective challenges as a nation. President Trump struck the right balance.

He kicked off the speech calling for unity and by reminding politicians “we were elected to serve” the people.

While he mentioned the historic fact that unemployment for blacks and Hispanics are at all-time lows, he wasn’t dismissive of their situation. Democrats, to include the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), sat on their hands stone-faced.

It was a low, classless moment for them and indicative of why the president’s support among black and Hispanic Americans has doubled since election day.

He told “all Americans” that there “has never been a better time to start living the American Dream.” It was a moment I found comparable to an inspiration speech by a college football coach telling his team to go out and get their glory.

“No matter where you have been, or where you come from, this is your time,” he said. “If you work hard, if you believe in yourself, if you believe in America, then you can dream anything, you can be anything, and together, we can achieve absolutely anything.”

It was strong yet warm.

On immigration, the central issue at the current time, one line stands alone: “My duty, and the sacred duty of every elected official in this chamber, is to defend Americans… because Americans are dreamers too.”

Two of the most powerful moments of the night came during his remarks on North Korea, an issue on which his critics often border hysteria.

President Trump honored the parents of Otto Warmbier, the 22-year-old U.S. student imprisoned in North Korea. Though the Trump Administration was able to secure his release, he ultimately perished as a result of the brutal treatment he received at the hands of the leftist communist regime.

“Otto Warmbier was a hardworking student at the University of Virginia, and a great student he was,” he said. “Tonight, we pledge to honor Otto’s memory with total American resolve.”

North Korean defector Ji Seong-ho raises his crutches as President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 30, 2018.

He honored defector Ji Seong-ho, who some 20 years ago was a starving boy in North Korea. His limbs were run over by a train after he collapsed in exhaustion on the tracks before enduring torture at the hands of North Korean authorities.

“Seong-ho traveled thousands of miles on crutches all across China and Southeast Asia to freedom,” President Trump said. “Most of his family followed. His father was caught trying to escape, and was tortured to death.”

The scene of Ji Seong-ho raising his crutches in defiance of the regime toward President Trump was a truly amazing moment. Along with the image of a still-grieving Warmbier family, it made those who criticize the president’s handling of Pyongyang look small and petty.

President Trump ended the address in much the same way he began it, by reminding politicians who is the true sovereign in this country and that it is their job to respect the sovereign, not rule them.

“But above all else, they are Americans. And this Capitol, this city and this Nation, belongs entirely to them,” he said. “The people dreamed this country. The people built this country and it is the people who are making America great again.”

It was an appropriate ending to President Trump’s first State of the Union address. That line not only represents why Donald Trump won the presidency but also why the political class hates him so much.

I have little doubt that the president’s approval and favorability numbers will improve in the aftermath of the address. The only question is by how much and for how long.

January 31, 2018

President Donald Trump delivered his first State

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