The State of the Union address delivered by President Trump Tuesday night was like no other I’ve seen. Most of all, the messages it delivered were effective. The Democrats in attendance resorted to behavior indicating they now realize the future may not be so bright for them on Election Night 2020. Speaker Pelosi led them over the cliff.

One of President Trump’s best lines was this one: “We have rejected the downsizing of America’s destiny.” As Jazz and Ed have noted so far today, as I write this Wednesday morning, this speech was one long on patriotism, America First, and keeping America safe. Woven into the speech were several moments that will be remembered long after any sentences that the president read to the nation – not the least of which is the final moment when the Speaker of the House rose from her seat directly behind President Trump and began ripping up her copy of the multi-page document. That wasn’t any old copy of a speech, that was an official document that Trump handed to her before delivering the speech.

I wasn’t able to watch all of this year’s address. I taped it, though, and watched what I missed after tuning in to see about the last third of it in real-time. When Pelosi acted like a petulant teenager by ripping up those papers, it was a jaw-dropping moment. Ed has the video here from last night. Vice-President Mike Pence said during an interview Wednesday morning on Fox and Friends, “I wasn’t clear if she was ripping up the speech or ripping up the Constitution.”

Liberal Professor Jonathan Turley had a few things to say about Pelosi’s behavior throughout the address and posted his thoughts on Twitter. I followed along as he presented a lesson in etiquette for the Speaker. He explains there are traditions and decorum and we expect the Speaker of the House to behave as a grown-up, even if she doesn’t like what the president is saying. The continual head shaking and muttering to herself had me wondering if Pelosi was ok. Seriously. Even for her, she was a bit too over-the-top.

There has long been a revered SOTU tradition that the Speaker of the House does not exhibit opposition or ridicule for the remarks of a president (even if he is from the opposing party). Pelosi is shattering that tradition by nodding in the negative and shaking her head.

— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) February 5, 2020

As Speaker at the SOTU, Pelosi represents the entire House (Republicans and Democrats alike). She is not there as a member of the opposition, but as the representative of the institution of the House of Representatives. . . .

— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) February 5, 2020

The facial expressions and head shaking is a new low for the House. Moreover, the protests of members was incredibly inappropriate. A president speaks at the SOTU as a guest of both houses. . . .

— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) February 5, 2020

You do not have applaud or to stand, but to heckle, mock, and interrupt destroys both the decorum and traditions of the House. I can understand why the address was objectionable to the opposition but that is no excuse for this sad departure of history.

— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) February 5, 2020

According to Turley, by Pelosi ripping up the document, she was reduced to acting like a troll.

Trump was wrong not to shake the hand of the Speaker. Likewise, the Speaker was wrong in skipping the traditional words welcoming the President as a "distinct honor." The ripping up of the speech reduced the Speaker to the level of troll.

— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) February 5, 2020

Pelosi's act dishonored the institution and destroyed even the pretense of civility and decorum in the House. If this is the Speaker's "drop the mike" moment, it is a disgrace that should never be celebrated or repeated. In a single act, she obliterated decades of tradition.

— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) February 5, 2020

There was plenty of tit-for-tat going on but Speaker Pelosi sets the tone for her party and in that, she failed miserably. I noticed that she kept looking off to the side where the Democrats sat. She kept an eye on them all as applause broke out for the president’s words. She wanted to make sure they toed the line and didn’t give him any support. The Democrats sat stone-faced and didn’t clap for anything except for a couple of times that I noticed. They did clap when Trump mentioned the demise of Al-Baghdadi and Soleimani. They took a pass on applauding the successes of the economy, such as low unemployment, record employment of women and minorities, low-interest rates, rising homeownership and so on. They didn’t applaud when Trump announced a scholarship opportunity for a young black girl in a neighborhood with a failing public school. Her life will improve and her single mom will rest easier knowing her child is getting a better education. Democrats didn’t clap for less illegal immigration or increased security at the border. Democrats didn’t bother to clap for Rush Limbaugh as he was awarded the Medal of Freedom by Trump and when Melania placed it on him. Pelosi kept them all under control.

The Democrats were allowed to applaud when a family reunion occurred. As a military wife and mom to two young children was acknowledged, she received a surprise – her husband walked out and joined his family. It was an amazing moment that even the Democrats couldn’t ignore. Sadly, the lukewarm reception from them for the 100-year-old Tuskegee airman and his young great-grandson was also a part of the evening’s event. He had been promoted by the president and Trump presented him with the appropriate military decoration earlier on Tuesday. Never-Trumper Bill Kristol did the Democrats’ bidding on Twitter. Don’t forget the bad Orange Man is racist.

A friend emails:
“It was heartwarming: A Tuskegee airman…turns 100. But what if then-Col. McGee has been assigned in the early ‘70s to Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, and tried to rent at Trump Village? Wouldn’t young Donald have turned him away and written ‘C’ on his application?”

— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) February 5, 2020

Now Professor Turley is calling for Speaker Pelosi’s resignation.

Her drop the mic moment will have a lasting impact on the House. While many will celebrate her trolling of the president, she tore up something far more important than a speech. She shredded decades of tradition, decorum, and civility that we need now more than ever. The House speaker is more than a political partisan, particularly when carrying out functions such as the State of the Union address. A president appears in the House as a guest of both chambers of Congress. The House speaker represents not her party or herself but the entirety of the chamber. At that moment, she transcends her political ambitions and loyalties.

Tensions for this address were high. Democrats had the House impeachment managers sit as a group in front of the president as a reminder of the ongoing impeachment trial. That can be excused as a silent but pointed message from the House. Moreover, Trump hardly covered himself with glory by not shaking hands with Pelosi. I also strongly disliked elements of his address which bordered on “check under your seat” moments, or the awarding of conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the House gallery like a Mardi Gras bead toss. However, if Trump made the State of the Union look like Oprah, Pelosi made it look like Jerry Springer.

He goes on to mention some of the back and forth. For example, the president didn’t shake her hand (he also didn’t shake Pence’s hand) and Pelosi didn’t bother to announce Trump in the traditional way by saying it was her high privilege and distinct honor to do so. She simply introduced him by saying, “Members of Congress, the president of the United States.” He rightfully says it isn’t the first time that bad behavior has happened during a State of the Union address but his time was different in its magnitude and timing, coming during the president’s impeachment trial. He calls for her to resign since she has proven she is not up to the task in front of her when she ripped up her copy of the speech.

That act was more important to Pelosi than preserving the tradition of her office. In doing so, she forfeited the right to occupy that office. If Pelosi cannot maintain the dignity and neutrality of her office at the State of the Union, she should resign as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

It’s a nice thought to most of us, but no one should count on Pelosi resigning. War has broken out and there is no end in sight.