In his response to the State of the Union address, Rep. Joe Kennedy is set to indirectly refer to President Donald Trump as a “bully,” according to excerpts provided ahead of his speech.
“Bullies may land a punch. They might leave a mark,” the Massachusetts Democrat will say, according to excerpts released by his office. “But they have never, not once, in the history of our United States, managed to match the strength and spirit of a people united in defense of their future.”
Kennedy, who comes from one of the most prominent families in American politics, is also set to slam Trump for “targeting laws” that protect Americans.
“It would be easy to dismiss the past year as chaos. Partisanship. Politics. But it’s far bigger than that,” he will say. “This administration isn’t just targeting the laws that protect us — they are targeting the very idea that we are all worthy of protection.”
He will also explain why he chose a technical school in Fall River, Massachusetts, as the location for his response.
“From textiles to robots, this is a place that knows how to make great things,” he will say. “The students with us this evening in the autoshop at Diman Regional Technical School carry on that rich legacy.”
He will continue: “It is a fitting place to gather as our nation reflects on the state of our union. This is a difficult task. Many have spent the past year anxious, angry, afraid. We all feel the fault lines of a fractured country. We hear the voices of Americans who feel forgotten and forsaken.”
Kennedy is expected to give his response after Trump concludes his speech.
On Tuesday night, Trump’s State of the Union address is expected to argue for bipartisan cooperation while praising the roaring stock market and low unemployment, aides have said.
The President told advisers he wanted to strike a unifying tone after a year of stoking divisions on race, politics and gender.