WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump uttered a dizzying number of false statements in his epically long weekend speech, to an audience that didn't seem to mind at all. He got the unemployment rate wrong. He misstated his winning margin in the election. He reprised some of his most frequently told fictions and dusted off old ones, even going back to the size of his inauguration crowd. A look at some of his words in his two-hour-plus speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference on Saturday: UNEMPLOYMENT TRUMP: "We're down to 3.7 percent unemployment, the lowest number in a long time." THE FACTS: The unemployment rate is 4 percent. It was 3.7 percent in September. ___ DIVERSITY VISAS TRUMP: On the diversity visa lottery program: "They send us the people they don't want." THE FACTS: A persistent falsehood. "They," meaning other countries, do not select citizens for the U.S. program. Foreigners decid on their own to apply for it. They must meet education or skills benchmarks … [Read more...] about AP FACT CHECK: Trump’s epic speech is laced with fabrication
Trump inaugural speech
Will the State of the Union be ‘Teleprompter Trump’ or ‘Twitter Trump’
President Donald Trump may be the most untraditional president in modern history, but he has taken a strikingly traditional approach to that most presidential of rituals — speaking to Congress. In each of the past two years, Trump has delivered a lofty, optimistic annual message on Capitol Hill, reading dutifully from a Teleprompter and setting aside his personal insults, attacks on the media, even his rambling boasts. Story Continued Below His aides are suggesting that this year will be much the same. But this year’s State of the Union Tuesday could present an especially jarring contrast with the realities of Trump’s presidency. Trump will speak amid a protracted battle with Congressional Democrats over his demand for $5.7 billion to build a Mexican border wall.In the days before the speech, Trump repeatedly slammed Democrats on Twitter. While the official said Trump would offer “a bipartisan way forward” on immigration, the president has dismissed talks … [Read more...] about Will the State of the Union be ‘Teleprompter Trump’ or ‘Twitter Trump’
Trump is decrying Maduro’s authoritarianism in Venezuela as he simultaneously embraces the region’s newest strongman in Brazil
President Donald Trump has found a strongman he does not like: Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro. Trump’s forceful stance against Maduro stands in contrast with his position toward other authoritarians. As Trump denounces Maduro, he’s simultaneously embracing another controversial leader in the region: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. There is a distinct contradiction between President Donald Trump’s forceful repudiation of Nicolas Maduro’s authoritarianism in Venezuela alongside his warm embrace of Jair Bolsonaro – the region’s newest strongman in Brazil. As Venezuela descends into further chaos as a result of Maduro’s inept, callous policies that have led to economic collapse and mayhem on the country’s streets, Trump has taken the opportunity to work with allies to undermine his authority. Earlier this week, Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó declared himself the country’s interim president as protests … [Read more...] about Trump is decrying Maduro’s authoritarianism in Venezuela as he simultaneously embraces the region’s newest strongman in Brazil
Larry Hogan stokes speculation he’ll primary Trump in 2020
Republican Gov. Larry Hogan is acting a lot like a guy who wants to run against Donald Trump in 2020 — and the president's reelection team is taking notice. The second-term Maryland governor has been implicitly going after Trump in speeches, meeting with Never Trump Republicans, and planning a March trip to Iowa as vice chair of the National Governors Association.Story Continued Below It’s all fueling speculation that Hogan, a 62-year-old cancer survivor who coasted to reelection in liberal Maryland and remains one of the most popular governors in the country, is open to the prospect of a long-shot primary challenge to the incumbent president. His flirtation comes at a time when Trump is facing increasing blowback over his handling of the protracted government shutdown and bracing for a potentially devastating report by special counsel Robert Mueller. Hogan used his inaugural address on Wednesday to repudiate the “debilitating politics” of Washington — … [Read more...] about Larry Hogan stokes speculation he’ll primary Trump in 2020
Hogan stresses civility, bipartisanship, in inaugural speech
Brian Witte, Associated Press Updated 12:21 pm PST, Wednesday, January 16, 2019 Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, left, speaks with members of the news media outside the Maryland State House before his inauguration ceremony, Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2019, in Annapolis, Md. Hogan is the first Republican governor to be re-elected in the state since the 1950s. less Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, left, speaks with members of the news media outside the Maryland State House before his inauguration ceremony, Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2019, in Annapolis, Md. Hogan is the first ... more Photo: Patrick Semansky, AP Photo: Patrick Semansky, AP Image 1 of / 17 Caption Close Image 1 of 17 Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, left, speaks with members of the news media outside the Maryland State House before his … [Read more...] about Hogan stresses civility, bipartisanship, in inaugural speech