WASHINGTON — President Trump surprised critics and cheered Republicans with his first joint address to Congress on Tuesday night. Here's why, what pitfalls still remain for the president, and what to look for as he tries to build off the most well-received moment yet in his presidency.
A new tone, and a new reaction
For the first time since taking the oath, Trump offered optimism. He talked of hope and light and a "renewal of the American spirit." He said unity can create strength. He declared that "Everything that is broken in our country can be fixed."
He created a signature moment by turning attention away from himself and to Carryn Owens, the widow of the Navy SEAL, William "Ryan" Owens, killed in a raid in Yemen last month.
And in listing his goals on education, crime and taxes, he had a coherent, unifying theme: a promise to aid the middle class.
Maybe that's a low bar for a president. But coming from a man whose inaugural address painted a picture of "American carnage," it was, for many, fresh air — and perhaps a chance to win some breathing room. A CNN poll found that 7 in 10 viewers felt more optimistic after listening.
It certainly bought goodwill from Republicans who until now have gritted their teeth through a string of Trump controversies that have overshadowed their policy goals.
"Frankly, I thought in contrast to his inaugural address this was much more optimistic and hopeful and I think more likely to help unify the country," said Sen. Pat Toomey (R., Pa.). Added Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R., Pa.), "That is what absolutely, positively has to change for everybody — is the tone."
Even Democrats had words of praise (if sometimes grudging).
Rep. Bill Pascrell (D., N.J.), a fierce Trump critic, said the address was full of platitudes but "was one of his better speeches."
No love from the left
Not everyone was impressed — least of all Sen. Cory Booker.
The normally upbeat New Jersey Democrat watched the speech with an intense gaze, his brow furrowed nearly the entire time.
"This speech was more of the same fear and factual distortion that President Trump has made central to his campaign, transition, and first weeks in office," he said in a statement afterward.
That assertion was in contrast to what most analysts took away Tuesday night — but wasn't surprising.
Booker is widely seen as one of a number of Democrats jockeying for early position in the running for the 2020 presidential nomination, and the party's base is furious and demanding full-throated opposition.
Booker seems intent on giving it to them — along with many other Democrats. They gave Trump an icy reception from the moment he walked into the chamber, and seemed to be trying to clap as lightly as possible (when they clapped at all).
Sen. Bob Casey (D., Pa.), who will be up for reelection next year in a state Trump won, also found little to applaud. Even on an issue on which they might have common ground — infrastructure investments — Casey came out swinging.
He said Trump should have embraced Democrats' plan: "We don't need [a plan] that's cooked up in the House Republican caucus by a bunch of people that are worried about corporations."
Fighting hate
A president does much more than just endorse or oppose policies. They also set a tone for the country.
Vandalism and threats targeting Jewish groups and other hate-based crimes have reflected a sharply divided nation, and Trump has been criticized for being slow to speak up and perhaps emboldening racial and religious zealots with his nationalistic rhetoric.
He gave those concerns as prominent a placement as possible Tuesday night, making them the very first thing he mentioned after the traditional greeting to Congressional leaders. The mention, along with a nod to Black History Month, was greeted warmly even by Democrats (though some critics still contend it was too late).
"While we may be a nation divided on policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms," Trump said, including the slaying of two Indian men in Kansas in his condemnation.
Will this version of Trump last?
On Tuesday night Trump had a prepared text from which he rarely strayed. The question is whether he can deliver that same tone and message when speaking off-the-cuff, or if he returns to his combative instincts. (Just hours before the speech he had seemed to traffic in conspiracy theories about anti-Semitic incidents and deflect responsibility for Owens' death).
"If he stuck to a script like this, and began to add more constructive details about policy proposals, he could begin to get a head of steam in the direction of governing," said Sen. Chris Coons (D., Del.). "But all the positives he may have accomplished tonight with the American people in terms of tone can be undone in 10 minutes of unmeasured, unbalanced tweeting."
He advised the president to stay off of Twitter at 3 a.m. (probably a good idea even if you're not the leader the free world).
For a president who relishes praise — and is receiving a fair dose of it this morning — maybe this time the advice stays with him.
Details? Not quite.
Missing from the list of things Trump promised were the details of how exactly he'll accomplish his many big goals.
Democrats warned to watch what Trump now does — not what he said in one night when guided by a tele-prompter.
"This president's [speeches] matter a lot less than the speeches of just about any other president's because they're detached from his reality," the Senate's top Democrat, Chuck Schumer, told CNN Wednesday morning. "He talks one way and does another."
He predicted the speech would fade away as the impacts of GOP policies favor the wealthy, not middle class.
And while the way he delivered the message was new, Trump's policy agenda was not, aside from a nod to compromise on immigration reform.
Republicans are seeking details, too. Toomey lauded policy aims like reforming the tax code but said he needs more detail on issues such as immigration and infrastructure before he can evaluate those ideas.
Those specifics will ultimately count more for people's lives than an hour of oration.
You can follow Jonathan Tamari on Twitter or email him at jtamari@phillynews.com.