In N.J. delegation, GOP praises outreach, Dems want details

New Jersey Republicans praised President Donald Trump for being willing to describe problems and seek bipartisan solutions, but Democrats said the president's first speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night offered little substance, and in some cases rubbed partisan salt in long-festering wounds.

“Where are the jobs?" asked Rep. Donald Norcross, a Democrat from Camden County who previously served as a labor leader and said many union members voted for the president expecting a big public works program. "Trump only paid lip service to infrastructure investment without offering any details."

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Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-Atlantic County, said he heard "clear specificity" in the policies Trump wants to address, however.

While LoBiondo disagrees with Trump on such issues as school vouchers and rolling back environmental regulations, he was eager to work to rebuild the military and improve health care, trade agreements and support for veterans and law enforcement.

"He did not sugarcoat the immense challenges our nation faces," LoBiondo said. "I welcome the President’s collaborative tone."

Trump closed the speech with an aspirational note, urging both parties to give up "small thinking" and "trivial fights" in favor of dreaming "big, bold and daring things for our country."

Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-Paterson, said the speech had more positive notes than Trump's inauguration speech Jan. 20, which Pascrell described as a "death trap." But Pascrell said the president also offered mostly "platitudes," and did offer any hint, for example, how he would pay for a promised $1 trillion infrastructure program.

Pascrell was also irritated that Trump seemed to want Democrats to forget the past, but Trump himself dwelt on negative statistics, such as the number of people who are not in the job market and a one-year increase in the murder rate last year.

"He did not have one positive thing to say about our former president," Pascrell said. "It's easy to say forget the past, forget you tried to get President Obama disenfranchised, make him prove the place of his birth, forget you lied about that."

Pascrell said he did not think the speech would change anything about how Congress deals with issues this year, because there will still be conflicts between Trump and the far-right wing of his party, and Democrats will be skeptical about outreach.

Several Democrats in the state delegation – which has five Republicans and seven Democrats in the House and two Democratic senators – did not see any effort at positive outreach at all.

Rep. Albio Sires, D-West New York said, "Rather than using his first address to Congress to bridge divides, President Trump used tonight’s speech to dig them deeper and wider."

Rep. Donald Payne, D-Essex County, said, "He talked about bringing people together, but all we see is a constant division from this president."

Sen. Cory Booker, D-Newark, said, "This speech was more of the same fear and factual distortion that President Trump has made central to his campaign, transition, and first weeks in office."

Rep. Frank Pallone, D-Monmouth County, said, "I do not share his vision of an America consumed by darkness or for our country’s future."

Breaking with them was Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a freshman Democrat from Wyckoff who won a seat in a Republican-leaning district in November. He said he was pleased Trump talked about infrastructure and tax reform, two priorities where he believed Democrats and Republicans could work together.

“I’m also glad he applauded the work and profound sacrifices of our brave military, veterans, and first responders," he said. Gottheimer's guest at the speech was Officer Angel Padilla from Linden, who was injured during the capture of the man accused of planting bombs in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City and in Seaside Park.

“Going forward, I intend to continue calling balls and strikes," Gottheimer said, meaning he would support policies he believes will help the district and object to those that would "hurt the families and businesses of our region.”

Rep. Leonard Lance, a Republican from Hunterdon County, said Trump did what you would expect form someone who took office just 40 days ago.

"I thought it was a strong speech, based on broad general principles," Lance said. "The areas of importance were obviously reforming the tax code, the health care system and immigration, and building a strong military. ... Now it's the responsibility of Congress to enact legislation."

Rep. Thomas MacArthur, a Republican from Ocean County whose district includes part of the Joint McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst base that serves the Army, Air Force and Navy, said he was pleased with the commitment to military funding but hopes to see more for training and readiness. He also agreed with the need to "repair" the Affordable Care Act, a phrase he prefers to the calls for "repeal" favored by many of his GOP colleagues.

"Our goal should be improving access to care and quality of care for all Americans, while making insurance more affordable," MacArthur said.