Bay Area Republicans, Democrats react to State of the Union, Speaker Nancy Pelosi's actions

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- It was a steady stream of claps inside a restaurant room in Milpitas where the East Valley Congress of Republicans held a watch party for the State of the Union.

But the fieriest reaction came at the end, when Speaker Nancy Pelosi ripped up the pages of the President's speech.



"She completely disrespected every citizen of the United States," said Victor San Vicente, one of the organizers of the event who was inspired by the President's speech.

RELATED: State of the Union 2020: Nancy Pelosi rips up her paper copy of Trump's remarks

"The inclusiveness of the speech, it included everyone in the nation and the very uplifting vision for the next generation," he said.
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Bay Area Democrats held no watch party but ABC7 News spoke to the chair of the Santa Clara County Democrats.



"Maybe they didn't notice the beginning of the speech when Speaker Pelosi extended her hand to the President and he declined to shake her hand," said Bill James, chair of the Santa Clara County Democrats. He added that he believed Pelosi was intentional about the act and did it to make a point.
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In Milpitas, the crowd loved the President's enthusiasm and optimism.

RELATED: State of the Union 2020: Trump extols 'great American comeback' on his watch

"The inclusiveness of the speech, it included everyone in the nation and the very uplifting vision for the next generation," said San Vicente.

James is not convinced, "Politicals scientist will tell you that the use of words like inclusive and imagery such as an African American girl and a Tuskegee Airman during the speech is all very calculated not to appeal to any sense of diversity but instead designed to appeal to white voters who want to see the president as being less hateful and less of a white nationalist and a racist than he is."



Raw video of the reaction, here: