Analysis · Floor speech · beta

Jeff Merkley

Democrat on Unanimous Consent Request 2026-09-28

1455 words · 94 sentences · 118 clauses

Statement grade

Average 78 / 100

A score under 50 is red. Choose a measurement to see where it lost points and why; choose it again to clear.

The ask 5%Claims 45%Procedure 7%Anecdote 18%Positioning 15%Reasoning 10%

This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.

Mr. President, The ask · 42 wordsI would like to think that at least, as those in the Senate carried the oath of our office to defend the prerogatives of our Constitution and separation of powers, we could at least debate such a bill rather than block it.No reason given Mr. President, The ask · 16 wordsI have a second bill I would like to see us pass tonight by unanimous consent. Claims · 49 wordsTo be summed up in a sentence, a memorial to honor a President of the United States, designated by an act of Congress, may not be demolished unless authorized by an act of Congress. This has, of course, to do with the President planning to demolish the Kennedy Center. Procedure · 2 wordsKennedy said: ProcedureClaims · 43 wordsAnd those words have taken on special meaning this month. Following President Kennedy’s assassination, Congress renamed the National Cultural Center the John F.¹ Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as a ``living memorial’’ to our slain President--a ``living memorial’’ to our slain President. Anecdote · 19 wordsI was in second grade on the West Coast. The word came. Everything shut down immediately. The Nation wept.Anecdote Claims · 82 wordsAnd this is the way we honored President Kennedy. It was a fitting memorial to a President who reminded us: But now we are in a chapter where President Trump wants to demolish this memorial. He wants to demolish this enormously incredible building, which hosts operas and plays and ballets, concerts, the Kennedy Center’s Honors Program that is watched by millions of Americans every year celebrating our Nation’s most revered artists. But the doors have been locked shut at the Kennedy Center. Positioning · 4 wordsHow did that happen?Positioning Claims · 63 wordsLast year, when President Trump won election, took office, he filled the Board of the Kennedy Center with loyalists. He installed himself as chairman.⁴ He renamed the institution after himself, not because he asked for legislation to do so but because, with his imperial mindset, he can put his name on anything he wants because he is the imperial ruler of our country.Motive imputed Positioning · 25 wordsBut we are not a nation with an imperial ruler, a man sitting on a throne to whom people must genuflect. We are a Republic.Positioning Claims · 63 wordsAnd there is a stark difference in the ways that the two Presidents’ names were added to this building. In 1964, the U.S. Congress passed a law to remember President Kennedy’s commitment to the arts.² That was the legislation that made the Kennedy Center this living memorial. And then, in 2025, Donald Trump broke that law by renaming the Kennedy Center after himself.³ Positioning · 5 wordsIt is wrong--constitutionally, legislatively, morally.Positioning Claims · 34 wordsMorally, the Kennedy Center has been a place for generations where people of both parties go to celebrate the arts. They put aside their politics. They honor America’s artists. They revel in incredible performances. Anecdote · 246 wordsBack in 1977, I dropped out of college for a year to be here, to be here during the first year of the Carter administration to see how a new administration would shape a change of course for our Nation. And during that year, I worked all these different odd jobs and volunteered for different groups. And I was volunteering for an environmental nonprofit. They were working on the Law of the Sea, a treaty that never has come before this Chamber almost a half century later, Law of the Sea.¹³ In walks someone--they said: There is a concert tonight that pertains to the environment and the Law of the Sea. Would anybody like a free ticket? I said: Well, yes. Yes, I would. I would like to go. And I went that night. And I have never been in a venue like that. I was just kind of struck in awe. Lots of folks from Washington’s elite were there--Senators and House Members--and sitting up in the box was President Carter. And Rostropovich played a cello concert.¹⁴ It was stunning. I mean, I had never heard a cello played except for the kind of slow, droning sounds of my sister when she was learning the cello. I mean, this was just amazing. And I have been there when President Trump was in the Presidential box. Politics set aside; American people rejoicing in the arts in this living memorial to President Kennedy, our President who was slain.Anecdote Reasoning · 14 wordsConstitutionally, the separation of powers means no President can ignore laws passed by Congress, Claims · 108 wordswhich is exactly what a Federal judge ruled on May 29 of this year.⁵ He said that the President cannot rename the Kennedy Center unless Congress approves it because Congress, by law, made the Kennedy Center a living memorial to the President--by law. And you can’t undo the law unless you pass a new law. Immediately, Trump’s handpicked Board tried to get around the judge’s ruling by proposing to add the words: ``Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump’’ or by renaming the Kennedy Center’s plaza, the President Trump Plaza. And the Federal judge, citing the law, on September 15 said: ⁶In other words, done by law. Reasoning · 33 wordsSo it isn’t about President Trump; it is about the principle that would apply to any President who was proposing breaking the law, and the President’s court says you can’t break the law. Positioning · 62 wordsYou want to do what you do? Go get a law that says you can do it. Apparently, that infuriated President Trump. A judge--how dare he tell him that he had to follow the law. After all, he is our King.Mockery He is our imperial leader.Positioning He is the ``on high’’ who can do any damn thing he wants in this country.Mockery Claims · 28 wordsHe can start wars when the Constitution says he can’t start wars. He can spend money on projects where the Constitution says he can’t spend money on projects. Positioning · 26 wordsAnd, boy, did it infuriate him that a judge said he had to follow the law. How dare we have a judge stand in his way?Positioning Claims · 61 wordsSo he called into the Kennedy Center Board meeting to scream at a Board member, Congresswomen Joyce Beatty.¹¹ Beatty had filed the lawsuit defending the Kennedy Center.¹² Minutes later, the Board voted to shut down the Kennedy Center for 2 years because President Trump couldn’t have his name on it.⁷ Oh, they said: Well, we will shut it down for renovations. Positioning · 53 wordsYou are shutting down the beating heart of our arts world that reverberates across America because the President can’t put his name on it? What kind of children are serving on that Board? And what kind of childish tantrum was thrown by the President of the United States shutting down the Kennedy Center?Positioning Claims · 65 wordsShortly afterward, Trump implied on Truth Social that the Kennedy Center would not reopen until he had his name on it.⁸ Let’s be clear, this is an aging building. It needs maintenance. It needs to have old boilers replaced and electrical wiring updated and old seats modified and ceiling tiles, water damage fixed. There is a lot of work to do, standard types of maintenance. Reasoning · 29 wordsYou don’t shut down the building to do these types of maintenance. But he can’t have his name on it. So he is shutting it down for 2 years. Claims · 33 wordsBut the situation got a lot worse on September 16. Photojournalists captured images that show Trump looking at a large poster, talking about demolishing the Kennedy Center.⁹ The words said: ``Kennedy Center DEMOLISHED.’’¹⁰ Positioning · 44 wordsTrump believes that if he can’t take over and name it after himself and swipe Kennedy’s name off of it, no one can go to perform and no one can go to listen to someone perform. In fact, the building must not remain standing.Positioning Claims · 8 wordsSo my bill tonight--this very short bill--simply says: Procedure · 4 wordsIt is that simple.Procedure Reasoning · 50 wordsIt is that straightforward--us standing up for the rule of law, the separation of powers, and the fact we are a Republic; and standing up for the fact that our Nation wept at the assassination of John Kennedy, and this is the memorial that we go to to remember him. Procedure · 37 wordsSo I ask, on behalf of myself and Senator Murkowski--she asked me to carry her spirit into this conversation tonight. So on her behalf and myself, and Senators Van Hollen and Reed and Whitehouse, the bill says: ProcedureClaims · 18 wordsA memorial to honor a President designated by Congress may not be demolished unless the demolishment is authorized. Procedure · 3 wordsPresident Kennedy said: ProcedureReasoning · 21 wordsThat is why we made the Kennedy Center the memorial to Kennedy, because of his belief in elevating the human spirit. The ask · 8 wordsLet us not let it be torn down. Procedure · 57 wordsAs if in legislative session, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of the bill at the desk that would prohibit the demolition of the Presidential memorials; that the bill be considered read three times and passed, and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.Procedure

At a glance

Lost points for
Personal attackThis statement targeted a person rather than their actions or views: “After all, he is our King”.

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 48

51 of 55 deductions are Signal

Signal checks whether every part makes a point, gives a reason, or asks for action. A low score means the speaker filled time with fluff, pleasantries, or attacks.

Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “Kennedy said:”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “I was in second grade on the West Coast.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “The word came.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “Everything shut down immediately.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “The Nation wept.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “How did that happen?”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “But we are not a nation with an imperial ruler, a man sitting on a throne to whom people must genuflect.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “We are a Republic.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “It is wrong--constitutionally, legislatively, morally.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “Back in 1977, I dropped out of college for a year to be here, to be here during the first year of the Carter administration to see how a new administration would shape a change of course for our Nation.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “And during that year, I worked all these different odd jobs and volunteered for different groups.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “And I was volunteering for an environmental nonprofit.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “They were working on the Law of the Sea, a treaty that never has come before this Chamber almost a half century later, Law of the Sea.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “In walks someone--they said:”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “There is a concert tonight that pertains to the environment and the Law of the Sea.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “Would anybody like a free ticket?”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “I said:”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “Well, yes.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “Yes, I would.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “I would like to go.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “And I went that night.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “And I have never been in a venue like that.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “I was just kind of struck in awe.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “Lots of folks from Washington’s elite were there--Senators and House Members--and sitting up in the box was President Carter.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “And Rostropovich played a cello concert.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “It was stunning.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “I mean, I had never heard a cello played except for the kind of slow, droning sounds of my sister when she was learning the cello.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “I mean, this was just amazing.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “And I have been there when President Trump was in the Presidential box.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “Politics set aside;”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “American people rejoicing in the arts in this living memorial to President Kennedy, our President who was slain.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “You want to do what you do?”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Go get a law that says you can do it.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Apparently, that infuriated President Trump.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “A judge--how dare he tell him that he had to follow the law.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “He is our imperial leader.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “And, boy, did it infuriate him that a judge said he had to follow the law.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “How dare we have a judge stand in his way?”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “You are shutting down the beating heart of our arts world that reverberates across America because the President can’t put his name on it?”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “What kind of children are serving on that Board?”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “And what kind of childish tantrum was thrown by the President of the United States shutting down the Kennedy Center?”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Trump believes that if he can’t take over and name it after himself and swipe Kennedy’s name off of it, no one can go to perform and no one can go to listen to someone perform.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “In fact, the building must not remain standing.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “It is that simple.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “So I ask, on behalf of myself and Senator Murkowski--she asked me to carry her spirit into this conversation tonight.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “So on her behalf and myself,”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “and Senators Van Hollen and Reed and Whitehouse, the bill says:”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “President Kennedy said:”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “As if in legislative session, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of the bill at the desk that would prohibit the demolition of the Presidential memorials;”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “that the bill be considered read three times and passed,”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · no score

Not applicable: nothing to answer. Excluded from the average.

Relevance checks whether the speaker stays on topic and answers the question asked. A low score means the speaker dodged the issue.

Reasoning · 75

1 of 55 deductions are Reasoning

Reasoning checks for sound logic and solid support for any conclusion. A low score means the speaker made unsupported leaps or used weak arguments.

A conclusion stated with no reason given for it.What the tags mean “as those in the Senate carried the oath of our office to defend the prerogatives of our Constitution and separation of powers, we could at least debate such a bill rather than block it.”The oath is stated inside the conclusion itself and no other clause offers a ground for debating rather than blocking.

Conclusions found · 4

Conclusion“as those in the Senate carried the oath of our office to defend the prerogatives of our Constitution and separation of powers, we could at least debate such a bill rather than block it.”

BecauseNo reason given

No reason givenThe oath is stated inside the conclusion itself and no other clause offers a ground for debating rather than blocking.
Conclusion“And then, in 2025, Donald Trump broke that law by renaming the Kennedy Center after himself.”

Because“In 1964, the U.S. Congress passed a law to remember President Kennedy’s commitment to the arts.”

“That was the legislation that made the Kennedy Center this living memorial.”

“And you can’t undo the law unless you pass a new law.”

Reason given
Conclusion“It is wrong--constitutionally, legislatively, morally.”

Because“Morally, the Kennedy Center has been a place for generations where people of both parties go to celebrate the arts.”

“They put aside their politics.”

“They honor America’s artists.”

“They revel in incredible performances.”

“Constitutionally, the separation of powers means no President can ignore laws passed by Congress,”

“which is exactly what a Federal judge ruled on May 29 of this year.”

“He said that the President cannot rename the Kennedy Center unless Congress approves it because Congress, by law, made the Kennedy Center a living memorial to the President--by law.”

“And you can’t undo the law unless you pass a new law.”

“In 1964, the U.S. Congress passed a law to remember President Kennedy’s commitment to the arts.”

“That was the legislation that made the Kennedy Center this living memorial.”

Reason given
Conclusion“Let us not let it be torn down.”

Because“So my bill tonight--this very short bill--simply says:”

“A memorial to honor a President designated by Congress may not be demolished unless the demolishment is authorized.”

“Following President Kennedy’s assassination, Congress renamed the National Cultural Center the John F.”

“Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as a ``living memorial’’ to our slain President--a ``living memorial’’ to our slain President.”

“and standing up for the fact that our Nation wept at the assassination of John Kennedy,”

“and this is the memorial that we go to to remember him.”

Reason given

Respect · 90

3 of 55 deductions are Respect

Respect checks whether the speaker argued with people’s positions and records rather than attacking the people: insults, mockery, or bad motives assigned to them. Criticism of what someone did, however strong, is not marked.

Claiming to know a person’s bad motives.What the tags mean “with his imperial mindset, he can put his name on anything he wants because he is the imperial ruler of our country”Attributes a bad state of mind and a claim of personal rule to a named individual as fact.
Mocking a person instead of answering their argument.What the tags mean “After all, he is our King”Sarcasm ridiculing the person himself rather than any act or decision.
Mocking a person instead of answering their argument.What the tags mean “He is the ``on high’’ who can do any damn thing he wants in this country”Contemptuous sarcasm aimed at the person’s character rather than his conduct.

Clarity · 100

0 of 55 deductions are Clarity

Clarity checks for plain speaking, clear ownership of actions, and honest limits on certainty. A low score means vague promises or evasive language.

Nothing lost points.

Claims · 14

This list shows the factual statements you can check for yourself: the words as said, and the claim restated to stand on its own.

1“Following President Kennedy’s assassination, Congress renamed the National Cultural Center the John F.”After President Kennedy’s assassination, Congress renamed the National Cultural Center the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as a living memorial to him.search
2“In 1964, the U.S. Congress passed a law”In 1964, the U.S. Congress passed a law that made the Kennedy Center a living memorial to President Kennedy.search
3“in 2025, Donald Trump broke that law by renaming the Kennedy Center after himself”In 2025, Donald Trump renamed the Kennedy Center after himself, which the speaker contends violated the 1964 law.search
4“He installed himself as chairman”President Trump installed himself as chairman of the Kennedy Center Board after taking office.search
5“a Federal judge ruled on May 29 of this year”A Federal judge ruled on May 29, 2026 that the President cannot rename the Kennedy Center unless Congress approves it.search
6“the Federal judge, citing the law, on September 15 said”A Federal judge ruled on September 15, 2026, citing the law designating the Kennedy Center as a living memorial, against the President’s renaming steps.search
7“the Board voted to shut down the Kennedy Center for 2 years”The Kennedy Center Board voted to shut down the Kennedy Center for 2 years.search
8“Trump implied on Truth Social that the Kennedy Center would not reopen until he had his name on it”President Trump posted on Truth Social implying the Kennedy Center would not reopen until his name was on it.search
9“Photojournalists captured images that show Trump looking at a large poster, talking about demolishing the Kennedy Center”On September 16, 2026, photojournalists captured images showing Trump looking at a large poster about demolishing the Kennedy Center.search
10“``Kennedy Center DEMOLISHED.’’”The poster Trump was shown looking at on September 16, 2026 read ‘Kennedy Center DEMOLISHED.’search
11“he called into the Kennedy Center Board meeting to scream at a Board member, Congresswomen Joyce Beatty”President Trump called into a Kennedy Center Board meeting and confronted board member Joyce Beatty.search
12“Beatty had filed the lawsuit defending the Kennedy Center”Congresswoman Joyce Beatty filed a lawsuit defending the Kennedy Center against the renaming.search
13“the Law of the Sea, a treaty that never has come before this Chamber almost a half century later”The Law of the Sea treaty has never come before the Senate for consideration, nearly 50 years after the speaker volunteered on the issue in 1977.search
14“Rostropovich played a cello concert”Cellist Rostropovich performed a cello concert at the Kennedy Center at a 1977 concert attended by President Carter, which the speaker attended.search

Analyzed on 2026-10-20