President Donald Trump’s State of the Union was a master class in deploying conservative rhetoric, entertainment kitsch and Americana tropes before a televised audience.

Critics of the president frequently fail to understand his appeal to his supporters, but many times that comes down to the somewhat elusive question of taste. It might just depend on whether you prefer “Game of Thrones” or “The Big Bang Theory.”

For the latest Political Theater podcast, Alyssa Rosenberg of The Washington Post discusses Trump’s gifts as an entertainer and how he uses it to maximum effect in the political arena.

Show Notes: 

• Five made-for-TV moments from the State of the Union
• ‘Taking off the gloves’: Pelosi ripping SOTU draws parties into their corners
• Footraces, odysseys and waning decorum
• Photos of the day: State of the Union 2020
• Soldier reunited with family during State of the Union
• Strong, hateful and inspiring? — Lawmakers react to State of the Union in 3 words
• Trump’s speech rolled out Republicans’ blueprint for general election
• Trump State of the Union guests highlight reelection messaging
• State of the Union: Draft after draft
• For Trump, a State of the Union with nothing to say
• To write a State of the Union for Clinton, you had to do math