California Gov. Jerry Brown Highlights Opposition To Trump In Address

California Gov. Jerry Brown delivered his annual State of the State address on Tuesday, where he highlighted the ways in which the nation's largest state plans to oppose the new Trump administration's initiatives.

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Four days after Donald Trump's inaugural address, another politician is laying out a very different agenda. California Governor Jerry Brown gave his State of the State address today, as Capital Public Radio's Ben Adler reports.

BEN ADLER, BYLINE: State of the States are usually like State of the Unions, filled with policy proposals and political agendas. This one wasn't. Instead, the 78-year-old four-term governor gave a pep talk to anxious Californians in a state Hillary Clinton won by 4 million votes.

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JERRY BROWN: This is a time which calls for courage and for perseverance, and I promise you both.

(APPLAUSE)

ADLER: Jerry Brown never mentioned Donald Trump by name, but the governor wasn't exactly subtle either. While acknowledging that the federal government sets immigration policy, Brown said he would oppose any Trump administration efforts to step up deportations of immigrants living in the state illegally.

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BROWN: And let me be clear. We will defend everybody, every man, woman and child who's come here for a better life and has contributed to the well-being of our state.

ADLER: And Brown vowed to do everything possible to preserve Obamacare and fight climate change, two areas where California has staked out aggressive policies. Brown also said he wants to work with the president on infrastructure projects. After the speech, the top Republican in the assembly, Chad Mayes, said he hopes the tone at the state capitol doesn't endanger federal funding.

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CHAD MAYES: I do fear that some of the caustic and abrasive rhetoric that is being used to try to incite folks against the administration could be harmful to that.

ADLER: Brown ended by quoting Woody Guthrie's progressive folk anthem, "This Land Is Your Land."

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BROWN: Nobody living can ever make me turn back. This land was made for you and me. California's not turning back. Not now, not ever.

ADLER: A defiant, albeit poetic tone from a state that plans to lead the fight against President Trump. For NPR News, I'm Ben Adler in Sacramento.

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