Your SOTU Go-To Guy

by Mark Steyn
Steyn on the Air
February 6, 2019

https://www.steynonline.com/9177/your-sotu-go-to-guy

On the morning after the State of the Union the night before, Mark started the day with Bob Lonsberry on NewsRadio WHAM 1180 in Rochester, New York, where he and Dennis Miller will be appearing in a few weeks live at the Kodak Center (where we hope to see a few friendly Ontarian faces in the crowd from up the QEW). Click below for post-SOTU analysis and more:

This afternoon at 3.30pm Eastern Mark will return for more post-SOTU Wednesday-morning-quarterbacking with Rich Zeoli on 1210 WPHT in Philadelphia. Rich will be joining Miller and Steyn on stage for their February 22nd gig at the Santander Performing Arts Center in Reading, Pennsylvania (where tickets are fast disappearing). More details of the Miller/Steyn tour here.

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22 Reader Comments

Rob Mort • Feb 7, 2019 at 05:19

Mark, this Robert Mueller thing has been going on a long time now. I'm concerned that many people may be losing interest. Do you think that if he started 2019 and the inquiry by appearing in black face it could liven things up a bit and maybe re pique peoples waning interest? Cheers morty Australia

Raymond Swenson • Feb 7, 2019 at 02:02

Mark, when uou sre visiting Rochester you should take a couple hours to visit the small Rochester suburb of Palmyra, next to the original Erie Canal, and see the birthplace of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, nicknamed "the Mormons". Josrph Smith as young poorly educated farmer received a book engraved on thin golden metal sherts, held together by three metal rings, as described by 8 other men who were able to hold them and turn the leaves. It had been stored for centuries in a stone box on the side of the hill now called "Cumorah", a glacial drumlin that hss been the site of a week long outdoor religious pageant for a week in July, free to the public. There is a nice visitor center there that introduces people to the farm that was being carved out of virgin forest by the family of young Joseph Smith after they had been evicted out of New Hampshire in 1816 by "the year without a summer". The LDS Church has done a great job of restoring the Smith family farmhouse to the condition it was in when Joseph took possession of the metal record in 1827. Just to the north, in the center of old Palmyra, the Grandin Printing Shop where the Book of Mormon was typeset, bound and printed, has been restored so you can see how the work was done. Smith and his scribal assistants had produced a 500 page book in 90 days of straight dictation, without revisions or edits, and no references, and no notes or a copy of the Bible. He had only the merest education, had never publshed anything before, and had never been a preacher or given a sermon to an audience. Yet the book he dictated, cover yo cover, is full of sermons and doctrinal discourses, realistic depictions of armed conflict, confirmable facts about the geography of the Arabian Peninsula, fine examples of little known ancient Hebrew poetic verse forms such as chiasmus, a complex narrative with several flashbscks to events happening at the same time at different locations, remarkable internal cross references and quotations hundreds of pages apart, and prominent use of names with clear Hebrew or Egyptian origins, but which are NOT in the Bible.

I think you will find it interesting and thought provoking, and help you understand the modern phenomenon of "Mormonism" that carries an outsize influence beyond its membership in the US (6 million) and elsewhere (anothrr 20 million).

Paul Harmon

Raymond Swenson • Feb 7, 2019 at 21:03

So the Krakatoa eruption, which caused the "year without a summer", created the Mormon movement. Interesting.

Rob Mort

Raymond Swenson • Feb 9, 2019 at 17:24

Interesting mate. I'm Australian but I've just started reading the 2nd volume of prof augusto Zimmerman's Christian foundations of them constitution (volume 2 USA). I implore you to grab a copy. Absolutely fascinating. Google it or connor court press Brisbane. Cheers Mort

Sol • Feb 6, 2019 at 23:29

The Trump that his opposition portrays disappeared and a genial, sensible citizen-President called it like most people see it last night. The constant high-tension and negativity is wearisome and was seen to be unwarranted. The new blood of the feverish left does not have the ice-in-the-veins composure of Obama's Rules for Radicals. Still, it may adapt. For once, Republicans could choose not to reprise that horror-film standard of letting the almost-dead creature up without decisively finishing it off; only for it to rise and terrorize further; but that would be a fantasy film.

Paul Harmon • Feb 6, 2019 at 20:06

FWIW, the white dresses were a terrible idea. The "White Ladies" of Cuba have been horribly oppressed (imprisoned, raped, etc), and these women are taking their mantle, trying to draw down the Cuban's moral capital as brave opponents of Donald Trump? Seriously bad taste, and poor judgment.

And... was my wife the only one to notice her smirking? Was that a facecrime, like the Covington kid?

Babs from Cali

Paul Harmon • Feb 7, 2019 at 00:37

Notice who smirking? Pelosi? Ocasio-Cortez? Harris?

Paul Harmon

Babs from Cali • Feb 7, 2019 at 21:00

Ah, yes... Pelosi is the one my wife noticed, while listening to DJT's speech.

Rob Mort

Paul Harmon • Feb 9, 2019 at 17:27

I've reported myself to my local police station here in new south Wales for face crime as I was told by my kids I was smirking during a news report on the sotu speech. I'll be charged next week.

Rob Mort

Paul Harmon • Feb 9, 2019 at 17:28

Oh and I'm catholic...serious trouble for me.

Babs from Cali • Feb 6, 2019 at 20:03

Yeah, Mark, I was one of the deplorables who actually liked the SOTU speech last night, but then I'm female and tend to like the upbeat, positive, sentimental, patriotic vibe because it was in sharp contrast to the harder moments where Trump announced strongly that he'll build the wall and the point-blank comments about socialism and the NY law sanctioning the killing of babies once birthed, the thought of which makes me sick. It was actually fun to watch the Leftists squirm, trying to figure out if they should applaud, stand or sit like hateful non-patriots with sour faces. I found it laughable that the women in white, claiming to be defined by caring about women's voting rights and other rights were totally confused as to whether they should applaud anything that alluded to women's rights, women's unemployment numbers, women in the workplace or anything else that is now better for women, both here and abroad. You could literally see them squirming in their seats and looking around for signals, hahaha. After 8 years suffering through Obama's speeches, it's always good to see your guy up there making them "eat it" for a change. I well know that it's mostly for show and for scoring political points where one can, but hopefully the masses watched for themselves, rather than relying on the MSM to censor out all the good achievements. As one married to a non-voting liberal, I was happy to see that my other half had zero negative comments and zero denials to make to me afterwards, even after watching the Dems dishonest spin doctors - and that's always a good thing. I then watched a Liam Neeson thriller afterwards and went to bed feeling a tad more optimistic. Is that such a bad thing?

Fran Lavery

Babs from Cali • Feb 6, 2019 at 22:29

Babs from Cali, "the deplorables who actually liked the SOTU speech" dittoes back at you!

I clapped at the remark about the US being the number one energy exporter, and I cried when the guests stood up one by one, each one: especially the little girl with brain cancer (seemed she could hardly contain her joy), the WWII Normandy survivors, the Dachau prisoner released by the Americans, the two prisoners who served time and turned their lives around, the family of three generations from Reno who lost the grandparents to the illegal shooter, the fellow who served in ICE that helped hundreds of women who were victimized by the savage cartels along the border, (hard thinking that number represents a portion, the rest having disappeared without a trace); there was a man who lost his Navy son in the USS Cole attack and let's see, there was one more. There was a man who survived the synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh and was also years ago saved by Americans on the train to the death camps. Oh, and another LE who was shot many times at that synagogue and who underwent many surgeries and still showed up for this event.

All were so gracious and inspiring, and deserved recognition. So that is a memorable speech in my mind and I don't think i'm going to forget any of it. Also, had a little laugh when President Trump started trying to keep the singing of the Happy Birthday in time. The most evocative was the ending when President Trump brought forth a sense of the possibility of our potential to be great and a positive force in the world as we move into the future.

Fran Lavery

Fran Lavery • Feb 6, 2019 at 23:56

I left off the great Buzz Aldrin who received his recognition for the fiftieth anniversary of getting the USA to take a big walk on the moon. Oh, how could I forget that memorable achievement?! Argh!

Babs from Cali

Fran Lavery • Feb 7, 2019 at 00:25

Wow, Fran, did you take notes? I'm super impressed with your memory if you didn't. I was focused above on addressing some of the points Mark made in his radio interview, that's all. But you really did summarize the truly great moments in the speech that really touched one's heart and spirit. But we're females and we're generally more emotional, so I'm wondering how our reactions stack up against the reactions of men. I read a blog by Bill Bonner, a well-known investment adviser, who is pretty much a never Trumper and he was quite critical and a bit mean spirited, I thought. Then I listened to a video with Bill O'Reilly who was sort of lukewarm on the speech. I had wished for something more in-depth from Mark, to be honest, even something more complimentary, but maybe he'll have more to say in a day or two.

Fran Lavery

Fran Lavery • Feb 7, 2019 at 12:52

They all touched me, Babs from Cali, so it was hard to forget. No, I didn't take notes and I didn't even mean to list them, but I was practically sobbing when the ICE man stood because living forty miles to the border I know there have been so many women and young girls victimized, murdered, decapitated by the hundreds upon hundreds, and brutalized in ways too savagely to be mentioned in print, by evil drug cartels and human smugglers that we'll never identify or bring to justice. This has been going on for decades in Mexico and you know our LE hands are tied when it's happening in a foreign country but when it happens here, what is the excuse? LE is overwhelmed!

Contrast this ICE man's efforts to the image the likes of some completely irrational thinking and newly elected politicians wish to portray of ICE and you have a pretty good picture who is responsible for the reign of terror that continues on innocent Americans in our country. While crimes are being committed by the bad illegals who keep getting released and who keep returning or are allowed to stay without being prosecuted harshly for crimes they are known to have committed; or who are permitted access into our country without complete vetting of their past criminal records, many of which are unknown. It's the Democratic Party and some on the Republican side that are allowing this to continue by not working with our President to get a border wall built and make multiple other legislative changes. The general citizen does not have the luxury of high walls around our properties and 24/7 armed security detail on our properties. Why does this repeated message keep falling on deaf ears?

But these people were fellow Americans and I applaud them and cherish them each and every one like family. I also mentioned the little girl as having cancer and, of course, I should've said she was a very brave soldier having fought and having survived brain cancer. This child, too, represented a great tribute to our brilliant, hard-working health professionals in many fields of medicine. Her cancer survival was especially meaningful to me. So many cancer patients don't make it. So many fighting soldiers, Jews, gypsies and "defective" human beings, along with POWs did not escape the Nazis' brutal regime and so what we have left is to carry their torch as John McCrae writes in his Flanders Fields poem. That's what I took from this speech. There is no alternative but to carry on and fight for each life and each one's liberty. Today's fight is just with different enemies, and those are in increasing numbers within our borders now.

Fran Lavery

Babs from Cali • Feb 7, 2019 at 13:30

I goofed again, Babs from Cali. The reply below was meant for you.

Babs from Cali

Fran Lavery • Feb 7, 2019 at 15:05

Wonderfully stated, Fran. I totally agree with you, which is why I simply can't stand to even look at some of those people, like Kamala Harris, Shumer and Palosi et al.

My best friend, first husband and business partner of over 50 years died in my home after a year long battle with colon cancer. I've mourned over this for over 4 years now and he's always in my thoughts and memories. I even wrote a book about him and our deep friendship with proceeds going to fight cancer.

I too cried several times during the speech as various of our citizens stood up to receive special recognition. I wished there had been an angel mom or dad in the mix, but maybe he did that last year. The man who took six bullets. Wow. The sacrifices so many have made and their families. I know it's theater to an extent, but this is the one speech that more of the masses will hopefully have watched. My liberal husband said to me a couple weeks ago, "Trump hasn't done anything at all for the country." How uninformed he is cause he only wants to watch MSM. But he said nothing after the speech at all and hopefully other people like him got a new perspective on lots of topics that could make a difference when they go to vote in 2020. I have to think positively or I'll go mad.

Babs from Cali

Fran Lavery • Feb 7, 2019 at 15:15

Yes, what an accomplishment. But I was also wishing Trump had blasted the recent movie that turned it into an international accomplishment, not an American one. I won't watch it for that reason, even though I like the main actor. Liberals just want to remove all greatness from the USA in their love and devotion to globalization. In the same way the movie, Noah, removed the concept of mankind's sinfulness as the reason for the flood and portrayed it as merely an environmental issue. I like Russel Crowe but I won't watch that movie because of the political untruthfulness it contains. They may have even removed God from the event as well, for all I know, because I haven't watched it and removing God is also what they like to do. Maybe someone has seen it and can enlighten me? I don't want any of my dollars going into the pockets of those who misconstrue facts and history.

Fran Lavery

Babs from Cali • Feb 7, 2019 at 17:48

I don't think we ever really lose people we love, Babs from Cali. We think they are specific bodies but the body decays and is more like a vehicle we have been given at conception to experience life and nature in all of its glory for whatever time we have here. We all shed our bodies some day one way or another, not many easy ways out of them either; but we must be more like spirits that inhabit our bodies, and the way we need to respect others is the way we would each like to be respected, as travelers passing briefly through the same space-time continuum.

I can't get too hung up on the flag in the moon. Man got there and it was an exhilarating feeling. We know Americans did it, so maybe it served as a symbol of what any good, hard-working smart people can accomplish when they have the confidence and support of their own trustworthy government behind them and their minds are focused the very most noble goals. Anyway, in another interglacial to ice age cycle the flag will be gone and so will the film. Our spirits will live on and we'll all have a good laugh about the things we use to think we had control over.

Fran Lavery • Feb 6, 2019 at 19:25

Funny this came up about the mountain lions. We have mountains lions, bobcats and coyotes coming through the neighborhood at different times iof the year, especially after a dry spell they come down from the foothills of the Organ Mts. behind us looking for water and prey Just before sunset last night two hungry large coyotes startled me, coming closer than they ever had before, about fifty feet away. My heart skipped a beat as I had three of my small geriatric dogs with me walking. I'm not sure what I would do if they attacked. If they did attack one of the dogs, I guess I could just pick up a big rock alongside the road and clunk one between the eyes. But two coyotes, that could present a more complicated situation.

Walt Trimmer • Feb 6, 2019 at 15:32

I have been trying to choreograph in my mind the Colorado jogger "suffocating" the mountain lion. I was impressed by your cat fighting hobby. As cougars (our local variation) often come down into the park across the street, especially during the winter, in search of tasty feline morsels, I would appreciate any insights you could give me on how to suffocate a cougar without being eviscerated by the big cat's claws.

Raymond Swenson

Walt Trimmer • Feb 7, 2019 at 02:13

I read that, after it had bit his face, he hit it in the head with a rock. Apparently that stunned it long enough that he was able to get on its back, grasp its body with his legs, and strangle it from behind.