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A few things to listen for tonight. 1) The words "crisis," "threat," "emergency," & "enemies" without evidence or on "secret" evidence. 2) Framing Trump's base as victims of these threats. 3) Blaming predecessors & opponents for not dealing with the threats, or for causing them.
4) Attacking media for not blindly repeating his narrative. Saying "the fake news will tell you.." 5) Blaming shutdown & "crisis" on others while positioning himself as the only one who can fix it. (If you enter a debate about solutions, you have accepted there is a crisis.)
Of course, these things would also be said if there were a real crisis! So how to determine the difference? 1) Why now, & not during 2 years of GOP control? Can't blame Dem obstruction. 2) Emergency powers are for emergencies. Does he make a real case for desperate measures?
3) Is there an attempt to justify a wall or emergency action on expert recommendations with a track record (not last few weeks)? DHS? FBI? Anything? 4) Is there a big picture view for a deal & legislation? Asylum seekers, families, visa overstays?
5) Or will there just be a few selected anecdotes to scandalize and frighten people when the overall data & expert opinion is that there isn't a crisis at all?
I'm flying to Las Vegas for CES & will miss the speech. A pity! But I'm afraid I know what it's going to sound like. I remember Putin's speeches about "a new crisis management system" & "strengthening unity" that were pretexts for crackdowns & demonizing media & opposition.
Putin used the terrorist attacks of Nord-Ost & Beslan, both made much worse by the authorities, to blame "the weakness of the state" and crack down in ways unrelated to terror & security. Being "strong" is a tell.
