I’ve heard a lot of State of the Union addresses over the years. And in all of those speeches, almost without exception, what I’ve heard is a healing message — one designed to bring the American people together, regardless of their political affiliation.

Last night, President Trump came before Congress to deliver his third State of the Union address.

If you were expecting a healing message from President Trump last night, you were sorely mistaken. In fact, President Trump’s message was quite the opposite. He wasn’t truthful, but we shouldn’t be surprised.

For one, the president promised to protect Americans living with preexisting conditions. That was particularly galling given that the Trump Administration is — at this very moment — fighting the Affordable Care Act in court, attempting to scrap the law in its entirety and jeopardizing the health care of millions living with preexisting conditions.

Last night, President Trump spent plenty of time boasting about the economic gains he’s made. But the fact is that he inherited the longest running economic expansion in the history of our country, thanks to the Obama-Biden Administration.

And then there was the president’s pledge to plant trees. We could plant 10 trees for every person in the world, but it wouldn't solve the climate crisis that‘s threatening the only planet we have to call home. What President Trump once again failed to mention last night is that climate change is real, and we have to act boldly. We need to take action now to reduce global warming pollution and move our country toward net-zero emissions.

The President’s State of the Union address last night was certainly not a healing one — but with your help, we can make it his last. It was hard to sit through those nearly 90 minutes last night, but it was also a reminder of the opportunity before us. We need to make sure that, next year, we have a Democratic president delivering a unifying speech that is based in fact and presents a hopeful vision for all Americans.

Let’s get to work.

Tom Carper