A strategic play kept Trump's 'lunacy' at bay during the first hour of his SOTU speech

President Donald Trump's team executed a strategic bait-and-switch at Tuesday's State of the Union address, according to Slate analyst Amanda Marcotte. During the first hour, Trump embraced a positive tone and celebrated the men's hockey team, handed out medals, and made vague promises about housing and healthcare prices. But once the hour passed and casual viewers switched off their televisions the "real Trump" emerged, complaining about tariffs, sharing grievances about Democrats, and turning to "unvarnished racism" by blaming immigrants for crime. Marcotte noted Trump's approval ratings have collapsed to 37-39 percent, with only 32 percent of Americans believing he has the right priorities. She argued his team has mastered keeping extreme moments confined to late-night viewing, limiting exposure to mainstream audiences. However, Marcotte concluded that Trump's collapsing polls reflect real-world consequences of his incompetence that no manipulation can reverse.

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