The speech was well written and played to President Trump’s strengths as a showman, showing policy goals and successes through the gripping stories of real Americans who were present in the balcony. But ultimately the speech was good because the facts were so good.
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Clearly Democrats had made an agreement to be hostile to President Trump. Many of them sat on their hands no matter the topic. In fact, one leader of the Democratic Party, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, announced her refusal to even show up to the speech.

As President Trump listed economic successes, going into granular detail about how the economy had helped minorities and women, Democrats’ refusal to clap looked odd. By the time people were refusing to clap for 100-year-old heroes such as Tuskegee Airman Brig. Gen. Charles McGee, the oppositional stance looked downright absurd.
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Smack dab in the middle of the speech, President Trump thanked conservative hero Rush Limbaugh for “decades of tireless devotion” to the country. In recognition of his work and the inspiration he has provided millions of Americans, Trump announced the country’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He had Melania Trump immediately present the honor in front of the assembled crowd.

While it is beyond common for liberal heroes and liberal celebrities to receive awards, Republican leaders acted over the course of decades almost as if it was okay for conservatives to be treated as second-class citizens in this regard. President Trump recognizes that the half of the country that is not liberal also likes to honor its celebrities and heroes.

Limbaugh has taught millions of Americans about conservative ideology, emphasizing the Constitution and the country’s founding ideals, and suffered attacks from the left as a result. He is a folk hero who is beloved in part because he defends tens of millions of Americans against attacks.

No other previous Republican president or nominee would have had the courage to bestow this award on such a deserving American. They would instead have worried about a media backlash. The media and Democrats did in fact react negatively to the honor for Limbaugh, who announced this week he has advanced cancer.
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One of the reasons President Trump won in 2016 was his opposition to the way we fight wars. At the same time, he is willing to use American force to advance American interests. This confuses the foreign policy groups at either extreme. When discussing his desire to end the war in Afghanistan, he said of America’s warfighters that they are “the best in the world, and they either want to fight to win or not fight at all.”
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This foreign policy has been confusing to many in the establishment, but it is a return to the foreign policy embraced by Republican presidents Eisenhower through Reagan, a form of peace through strength.
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The decision to be hostile throughout the speech caused Democrats to look small and petty, particularly as President Trump spoke of big successes and big goals for the future. Pelosi appeared distracted during the speech, rifling through papers and chomping on her gums. Her ripping stunt at the end of the speech was extremely well received by the media and other partisans on Twitter, but was less likely to play well among average voters.

https://pjmedia.com/trending/backfire-i-will-never-vote-democrat-again-say-angry-dems-on-c-span-after-pelosis-tantrum/

After Pelosi and her White Witches threw their little fits of rage last night at the SOTU, they felt very smug about themselves. Their voters, on the other hand, felt differently. It turns out that most Americans think you should stand up and clap for the good things that happen in America instead of sulk and pout on your butt like a spoiled child.

C-SPAN asked people to call in and give their opinions on the SOTU. What happened after that was brilliant.
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According to people who watched it live, there were many more calls saying the same thing. All the Democrats had to do was look normal, and they couldn’t even do that. It’s almost as if they have a death wish. I’m not complaining, but dang! That was some seriously bad optics, folks! Considering that the Trump rally in New Jersey drew a crowd of 25% Democrats (who were all cheering and screaming for the president) I think they are in big, YUGE trouble. What do you think?

See, https://mobile.twitter.com/elbh/status/1225091873988964353

Elaine on Twitter thread: https://mobile.twitter.com/elbh/status/1225091873988964353

**A decorum observation, thread: you don’t have to like the President’s crassness and tone to understand why Nancy’s speech ripping is perceived as different than his twitter baiting. It’s also an absolute pillar of communication. Let me explain. [1]

We’d be well served to appreciate him for that. [12] **

Angry Nancy and her party of hate. How lovely.

I suspect that Trump had no intention of shaking her hand at the outset. Also, the Dems have a long tradition of being extremely duplicitous as to their on-camera versus behind closed doors behavior.

Bob Dole once remarked that Clinton was “an extremely good liar.” The context of that comment was that there had been a two party parley at the Clinton Whitehouse with many promises made and an agreement as to the off-the-record content. The Clintons immediately violated all of that as soon as the cameras were switched on.

I do think Nancy was livid from the handshake snub. Also, I thought I discerned something like winces on Nancy’s face, as she absorbed the political body blows that Trump delivered. He was hitting the Dems where they live. He’s adding millions of extra jobs and trillions to the economy, and Whitmer’s people are filling potholes with dirt. That will last about a week. And Bernie is ranting that the billionaires are still getting richer. Focus on the envy!

How about those opportunity zones? It’s an old idea, but I had not heard or read a scintilla of information about this. It’s one of the problems with massive pieces of legislation, but still. Nobody said anything that I saw. GOP, get your act together please.

If this sort of display doesn’t make any remaining normals in the nominal D ranks really squirm I’m not sure what it will take. They have to realize that they are on the wrong side.

I think you’ve got her nailed. She had five children, which takes skill in the domestic sphere. It’s difficult to ascertain outside that sphere anything of her own other than the ability to navigate the politics of a collection of Democratic politicians. She’s not had much experience with competitive elections (her last difficult contest was in 1987), nor has she held any office other than member of Congress. She landed in Congress because she was a protege of Phillip and Sala Burton, who employed her, then sponsored her for Democratic State chairman in California, then for the seat in Congress that had been held first by Phillip and then by Sala. Look at her legislative record. She has sponsored a mess of minor constituent-service measures. She has no policy chops at all.