'Great Speech' To 'Lies & Mistruths': Broward Politicos Split On President's State Of The Union Address
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – From the very beginning, the State of the Union was filled with a lot of never before seen moments.
The one that really sticks out was when Speaker Nancy Pelosi put her hand out to shake the president's hand, which didn't happen.
"I don't think he saw it," said Richard DeNapoli, a Broward Republican Executive Committee member.
DeNapoli thinks it was an oversight. But he said he did notice Speaker Pelosi's facial expressions as she sat behind the president.
"Her expressions were definitely negative and that's the first time I've ever seen it to that extent," he said. "Usually you just keep quiet or just sit there, much more stone faced looking."
Ken Evans is with the Broward Democratic Party. He assessed the night very differently than republicans.
"She's a human being and she's the Speaker of the House. She knows the truth, we all know the truth and the truth was not being talked about last night," Evans said.
Evans is with the Broward Democratic Party. He assessed the night very differently than republicans.
"Last night was the absolutely the manifesto for Trump and his lies and his mistruths. Everything that he said just was not true." Evans said.
DeNapoli didn't see it that way.
"I thought the president gave a great speech, talking about our wonderful economy, the best in over 50 years, low unemployment rate, 3.5 percent," he said.
When President Trump said gun rights were under siege, Parkland parent Fred Guttenberg said he lost it and shouted out.
He was removed from the chamber.
He later apologized on Twitter, saying, in part, "Tonight was a rough night. I disrupted the State of the Union and was detained because I let my emotions get the best of me."
And both Republicans and Democrats are talking about how the whole thing ended with Speaker Pelosi ripping up the president's speech.
"If you listened to that speech and all the misrepresentations that were in it and all the lies, like I said, the reality show it was, I think she just got to the point, enough was enough. And she did it," Evans said.
DeNapoli on the other hand was not a fan.
"I thought what she did, ripping up the speech, was disgusting, conduct unbecoming of the Speaker of the House and just displaying very much lack of civility," he said.
