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U.S. State of the Union History; President Trump`s State of the Union Address Highlights, and the Democratic Party`s Response; Trouble at the Iowa Caucuses
Aired February 05, 2020 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CARL AZUZ, CNN 10 ANCHOR: Hey, I`m Carl Azuz. Thank you for taking the time to watch CNN 10.
It used to be called the president`s annual message to Congress. In 1947, it became known as the State of the Union Address, and that`s in line with
what the Constitution says about it, that the president shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the State of the Union.
It doesn`t have to be on TV, it doesn`t have to be done every year, it doesn`t even have to be delivered in person. President George Washington
started that tradition in 1719, but from the time of President Thomas Jefferson until that of President Woodrow Wilson, the State of the Union
was delivered to Congress in writing. In 1913, President Wilson went back to the practice of addressing Congress live and in person, and since then,
most American leaders have followed that example and used the speech is a yearly chance to get in front of Congress and drum up support for their
goals for the year to come.
More people probably have access to the live event today than ever before. It`s delivered in primetime and on every major media platform. With an
Internet connection, people from Alaska to Antarctica can see it as it happens.
And last night, the 45th president, Donald Trump, entered the House of Representatives to give his fourth annual message to Congress.
Here are some of the highlights.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I am thrilled to report to you tonight that our economy is the best it has ever been. Our military is
completely rebuilt, with its power being unmatched anywhere in the world -- and it`s not even close. Our borders are secure. Our families are
flourishing. Our values are renewed. Our pride is restored.
And for all these reasons, I say to the people of our great country, and to the members of Congress: The State of our Union is stronger than ever
before!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
Thanks to our bold regulatory reduction campaign, the United States has become the number one producer of oil and natural gas anywhere in the
world, by far.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
With the tremendous progress we have made over the past 3 years, America is now energy independent, and energy jobs, like so many elements of our
country, are at a record high.
My budget also contains an exciting vision for our nation`s high schools. Tonight, I ask Congress to support our students and back my plan to offer
vocational and technical education in every single high school in America.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
We must also rebuild America`s infrastructure.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
I ask you to pass Senator Barrasso`s highway bill to invest in new roads, bridges, and tunnels across our land.
I`m also committed to ensuring that every citizen can have access to high- speed Internet, including and especially in rural America.
Our spirit is still young; the sun is still rising; God`s grace is still shining; and my fellow Americans, the best is yet to come.
Thank you. God Bless You. God Bless America.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: Another tradition associated with the State of the Union Address is the opposing political party`s response. That`s been carried out since 1966
when two Republicans recorded speeches that were shown after the Democratic president`s address.
In modern presidencies, you typically see a different person give the opposing party`s response after each presidential address. And after
Republican President Trump`s message last night, it was Michigan`s Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer who spoke to the nation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. GRETCHEN WHITMER (D-MI): Michiganders are no different from Americans everywhere. We love our families and want a good life today and a better
life tomorrow for our kids. We work hard and we expect our government to work hard for us as well.
We and all Americans might be weary of today`s politics, but we must stay engaged. Our country, our democracy, our future demand it. We`re capable of
great things when we work together. We cannot forget that despite the dishonesty and division of the last few years and that we heard tonight
from the president of the United States, together, we have boundless potential.
As we witness the impeachment process in Washington, there are some things each of us no matter our party should demand -- the truth matters, facts
matter, and no one should be above the law. Remember, listen to what people say, but watch what they do. It`s time for action. Generations of Americans
are counting on us. Let`s not let them down.
Thank you for listening. God bless America. Good night.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ (voice-over): Ten-second trivia:
Who is America`s 31st president and the only U.S. leader born in Iowa?
Calvin Coolidge, William Taft, Theodore Roosevelt or Herbert Hoover?
Born in West Branch, Iowa, in 1874, Herbert Hoover went on to become U.S. president.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: In that state on Monday evening, during America`s first presidential nominating contests, CNN projected that U.S. President Donald Trump would
win the Iowa Republican caucuses as expected.
What wasn`t expected was what happened with the Democratic caucuses. Analysts described Monday as the night of confusion and chaos. It wasn`t
because of the voters themselves, there were problems with a new application that was supposed to be used to report caucus results, and
there were problems with the phone line that was supposed to be used to report results.
We did not have complete information when we produced this show, but initial results indicated that the top two finishers would be Pete
Buttigieg, a former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. Though again, we didn`t have a final count on who was first
and who was second.
Initial results also indicated that Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren and former Vice President Joe Biden stood in third and fourth place. Though
the results were delayed, the Iowa Democratic Party said they would be accurate.
The next contest in the nominating process is in New Hampshire. Its primaries will take place next week.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ZACH WOLF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Iowa and New Hampshire get to pick first in the presidential primary process. Iowa and New Hampshire didn`t gain
prominence until after chaos tainted the 1968 Democratic primary in Chicago. Inside the convention hall, delegates picked Hubert Humphrey as
their nominee that year, even though he didn`t run in the primary. Outside, protesters rose up in anger against the Vietnam war and the political
system.
The next year, primary voters got more say in the process. New Hampshire`s leaders had had foresight to put their primary first back in the 1920s.
Iowa ended up being the first caucus by accident though. There were no hotel rooms available for the regularly scheduled state party convention,
so Democratic leaders moved the caucuses up to comply with the state law.
Both states have guarded their first in the nation status with laws ever since.
Even though they go first, Iowa and New Hampshire actually end up being more important for gaining momentum than for actually picking who the
president is going to be.
Iowa and New Hampshire don`t always pick the winner of the primary. Donald Trump didn`t win Iowa in 2016 and Hillary Clinton, she didn`t win in New
Hampshire.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
AZUZ: OK, let`s forget all about donkeys and elephants for a moment and just enjoy this special friendship between dog and cat, big cat. Nandi is a
cheetah, Bowie is a Labrador retriever, and since they were just cub and puppy, they`ve been paired up at a New Jersey zoo because dogs help
skittish cats like cheetahs feel more secure. When they`re not playing together, they`re working together to get people to support cheetah
conservation.
It`s like the fast and the friendliest. In any kind of weather, it`s raining cats and dogs with a lab and a predator. Maybe you should never
play cards with a cheetah, but when Bowie`s there with Nandi, you should really try to meet up, because wildebeests and ostriches will say cheetahs
are horrible, with the dog beside them, they`re simply Labradorable.
All right. I`m Carl Azuz. Today`s show goes out to Yokosuka Middle School in Yokosuka, Japan. You guys are awesome! I don`t personally choose the
schools we mentioned, but for your chance, please keep commenting and subscribing at youtube.com/CNN10.
Then, again, my producer said that if we hit a million subscribers, I`d have to start vlogging. So, maybe don`t subscribe.
END
