McConnell Says Trump Became ‘Presidential’ During Address To Congress

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., speaks to reporters as Republicans prepare to use their majority to confirm President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, despite calls from Democrats to delay until requested emails are released, at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, Feb. 17, 2017. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., speaks to reporters as Republicans prepare to use their majority to confirm President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, despite calls f... Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., speaks to reporters as Republicans prepare to use their majority to confirm President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, despite calls from Democrats to delay until requested emails are released, at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, Feb. 17, 2017. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) MORE LESS
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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said Tuesday that President Donald Trump became “presidential” during his address to a joint session of Congress.

“For people who are not Republicans and already committed to the President and his agenda, Donald Trump did indeed become presidential tonight,” McConnell said on CNN. “And I think we’ll see that reflected in a higher approval rating.”

McConnell praised the speech as “inspirational.”

“It really was widely applauded, as you can imagine, on our side, but greeted with a lot more applause and respect on the other side than I would have anticipated,” McConnell said. “I also rarely find my counterpart, Chuck Schumer, speechless. He was having a very, very difficult time finding a way to critique what the President said tonight.”

Despite McConnell’s crowing, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) managed to find some critical words for Trump in an appearance on MSNBC after the address.

“The speech and reality have never been more detached in a presidential speech,” Schumer said. “What the President says and what the President does are almost at opposite ends.”

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