Crosstalk: March 3, 2017

On Tuesday evening, President Trump gave an address before a joint session of Congress. This was not a formal State of the Union message. The president was invited by Speaker Paul Ryan to give the address, which is a first-year-in-office tradition that began with President Ronald Reagan in 1981.

According to thenewamerican.com, the speech covered many of the same themes that the president often brought up on the campaign trail. Some of the topics included: rewriting global trade rules, halting illegal immigration, repealing Obamacare, reducing government regulation of private enterprise, defeating radical Islamic terrorism, rebuilding the military and supporting the police.

Some points that were brought up by Jim and through excerpts from the president's speech included:

--Chris Wallace of Fox News declared it one of the best speeches he had ever seen any president give to a joint session of Congress.

--President Trump pledged direct, robust and meaningful engagement with the world, even while signaling a more hands-off policy. In short, he feels his job is not to represent the world. His job is to represent the United States of America.

--He called on Congress to pass an education bill that funds school choice.

--He plans to reform the nation's immigration laws, look to a merit-based system and to protect the border.

--Promised to improve jobs and wages.

--Restore respect for our laws.

--Stood strongly behind the men and women of law enforcement.

--The creation of a new office that would serve U.S. citizens who are victims of immigration crime.

--Compliments on the speech by Democrat pundit Van Jones and West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin.

--A former Hillary Clinton volunteer drew swift condemnation and lost his job after mocking the widow of a fallen Navy Seal who was honored during the address.

--Nearly 70% of Americans tuned in to President Trump's speech.

--Markets soared after the speech.

--Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer believes President Trump's governing doesn't match his speeches.