Here's my thought on the speech. I think he realizes it takes people time and repetition to get used to an idea and get behind it. So, he mentions declaring a national emergency, it gets some air time, people are first exposed to the thought, then he lets it rest a bit (like baking real bread, letting it rise for a while).

In the meantime, the misguided normies now have that in the back of their minds, but they see Trump isn't going for that (in their minds=he is not trying to be a dictator). So, this low energy was to assure the public he could be presidential and could actually use the bully pulpit wisely and not do all the "insane" stuff the MSM claims he'll do.

I still think he'll probably end up doing it, but maybe this low energy, calm demeanor was to put more pressure on Chuck and Nancy from their constituents and to try to dissipate the MSM narrative that he's a power-hungry, crazed wannabe dictator.

Personally, though, I wish he'd have torn them a new one.