FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO) — Indiana Senator Jim Banks participated in the State of the Union address on Tuesday night and shared his observations in an interview with Kayla Blakeslee on Fort Wayne’s morning news. Banks confirmed that the speech set a new record for length. “I didn’t realize th at it was indeed the longest State of the Union in U.S. history,” he said. He added that President Trump has historically delivered some of the longest addresses, noting that he has “like five of the seven longest State of the Union speeches ever.” During the interview, Banks described the atmosphere in the chamber prior to the president’s remarks. He said, “Over the years, they pulled these shenanigans before, but last night it felt like they were afraid. They didn’t know. They don’t know how to react.” He cited a specific moment when the president addressed immigration policy, stating that the applause from the Republican side “went on and on,” while Democrats largely remained seated. Banks characterized the scene as members “obviously taking orders from Pelosi and Schumer and their bosses that are telling them not to get up and stand for President Trump.” Banks also reflected on moments that were less visible on television. He highlighted the recognition of military personnel and other citizens featured in the address. “President Trump does such a good job of highlighting these American heroes, the 100-year-old fighter pilot, the National Guard soldier from West Virginia who was shot that has made an incredible recovery,” Banks said. He added that he observed attendees “wiping tears out of their eyes on the floor, especially on the Republican side.” In addition, Banks described interactions with the U.S. men’s hockey team, which appeared as special guests during the address. He said he was able to meet the players beforehand and briefly wear one of their gold medals. “I put it around my neck and wore it for a little bit,” he said, noting that the medal was “very heavy” and that the players “were so proud.” Banks said he was attending the event as a representative of Indiana and acknowledged the broader impact of the address on viewers at home. “President Trump connected with everyone in the room, but connected with people at home and talked about what makes this country great and how we’ve gotten this country back on its feet,” he said.​ The post WOWO EXCLUSIVE: Senator Jim Banks Joins Kayla Blakeslee on Fort Wayne’s Morning News appeared first on WOWO News/Talk 92.3 FM and 1190 AM. ...read more read less