What We Learned From Trump's State Of The Union Address

What We Learned From Trump's State Of The Union Address Enlarge this image toggle caption Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images President Trump took full advantage of the large television audience for his State of the Union speech on Tuesday to make his case for reelection in November, touting the strong economy and delighting Republicans in the room with a series of made-for-TV moments. toggle caption Pool/Getty Images The address hit many of the same themes that are staples in Trump's arena rally speeches — celebrating his record on job creation and increased defense spending, and warnings about immigration — but without some of the vitriol that thrills his supporters. Enlarge this image toggle caption Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images Again and again in his speech, Trump talked about policies aimed at black Americans: his support for historically black colleges, school vouchers and "opportunity zone" tax breaks for investment in designated low-income neighborhoods. In the middle of his address, Trump gave the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to Rush Limbaugh, a conservative talk radio host whom many African Americans view with suspicion because of his past comments on race, including disparaging remarks about former President Barack Obama.