New York Sen. Chuck Schumer (D), the new Senate minority leader, spoke Friday during President Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony in Washington, D.C. Schumer introduced Mike Pence, Trump’s vice president, before the former Indiana governor took the oath of office.

Here are two takeaways from Schumer’s speech.

Pointed remarks for Trump, Pence

Schumer subtly criticized the new president and vice president near the beginning of his speech.

“Whatever our race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity; whether we are immigrant or native-born; whether we live with disabilities or do not; in wealth or in poverty — we are all exceptional in our commonly held, yet fierce devotion to our country, and in our willingness to sacrifice our time, energy and even our lives to making it a more perfect union,” he said.

Trump came under fire throughout his campaign cycle for making derogatory and inflammatory comments about women, using harsh rhetoric, impersonating a disabled New York Times reporter and proposing a ban of Muslims entering the country, among other things.

Schumer’s speech, mentioning sexual orientation and gender identity, also pointedly addressed the vice president’s known stances against LGBTQ rights and marriage equality.

Schumer spoke about a divided America, but said he remains confident

Schumer began by recognizing a deeply split nation. He called it a “tumultuous” time in an increasingly interconnected world with “a rapidly changing economy that benefits too few, while leaving too many behind.”

He spent the rest of his speech urging optimism, however, saying he remains confident in the nation because of the American people.

The Senate minority leader read a portion of a letter from Major Sullivan Ballou, a Union officer from the 2nd Rhode Island Volunteers who fought during the American Civil War. Ballou wrote the letter to his wife Sarah shortly before dying in the Battle of Bull Run. Ballou spoke about his devotion to the United States.

“It is because Sullivan Ballou and countless others believed in something bigger than themselves and were willing to sacrifice for it that we stand today in the full blessings of liberty in the greatest country on Earth,” Schumer said. “And that spirit lives on in each of us, Americans whose families have been here for generations and those who have just arrived. And I know our best days are yet to come.”

Published on January 20, 2017 at 3:54 pm

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