Even before speech, President Trump's State of the Union Address draws criticism
NEW YORK (WABC) -- President Donald Trump Monday offered a brief preview of his State of the Union address that will be delivered Tuesday night.
President Trump will talk about five issues: a booming economy, fair trade, the need for a national infrastructure push, national security and immigration.
The issue of immigration has flummoxed both political parties and the White House -- it even led to a three-day government shutdown last week.
Monday morning, the president sounded more conciliatory toward Democrats who want a bill to protect DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.
"It has to be a bipartisan (bill) but hopefully the Democrats will join us or enough of them will join us so we can really do something great for DACA and for immigration generally," President Trump said.
Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) mocked the president's pledge to strive toward bipartisanship.
"Now they say the president is going to get up and say I want a more bipartisan government, a more bipartisan approach. Really?!" Cuomo said Monday. "That's a dramatic 180-degree turn, isn't it?"
Democrat Rep. Tom Suozzi from Long Island's 3rd Congressional District that covers the North Shore has invited DACA recipient Nelson Melgar as his special guest for the State of the Union address.
Melgar came to this country with his mother as a child and he'll be seated in the Capitol gallery during the president's speech.
"I want you to know I believe in this young man, and I believe in people like him, who are working hard to make a great American story," Rep Suozzi said.
Melgar also spoke with reporters.
"I am an American," he said. "I may not be a citizen. I may not have a birth certificate from the U.S. but I'm as American as anybody else."
Several Democratic congressmen, as a sign of protest, will not be attending President Trump's first State of the Union address.
New Jersey Congressman Albio Sires, who represents New Jersey's 8th District, will not be attending.
"The congressman is not attending the State of the Union because many of his constituents are offended by the President's rhetoric and behavior," said Erica Daughtrey, a spokeswoman for Rep. Sires.
Also, Rep. Frederica Wilson, from Florida, is refusing to attend.
"I would rather skip this than listen to the rhetoric coming from a White House that has done away with decency," Rep. Wilson said.
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