Campaign Against Trump Could Backfire on Democrats

While Democrats swing further to the left, Trump offers an alternative to identity politics

President Donald Trump leaves after addressing a special joint session of Congress in Washington on Feb. 28. The speech received positive reviews from pundits and the public, and was deemed his most presidential to date. But the moment the speech was over, most Democrats quickly cleared the House as a show of resistance to Trump and his administration. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images

President Donald Trump had just addressed a joint session of Congress. The speech, which was well received by both liberal and conservative media, ended with a call for all Americans to dream and do great things again, together.

No sooner had the last syllable reverberated through the chamber of the House of Representatives than the Democratic side of the aisle emptied as though a fire alarm had been pulled. Only a few Democrats stayed behind to shake Trump’s hand, among them West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin.