For political junkies, it’s the tweetable event equal to the Super Bowl. It hardly ever has earthshaking news, never succeeds in convincing the out of power party and is found by many TV watchers the most boring night of primetime each year.
But the State of the Union is irresistible as political theater, just for the details — the candy colored Easter-time ties by Joe Biden and John Boehner in the background (though the event was held on Fat Tuesday); the McKayla Maroney sneers of tea party regulars, the unusual civilians invited to attend — from Desiline Victor, the 102 year old woman who waited six hours to vote, to Ted Nugent.
Plus you can see where lawmakers literally stand on the issues. When President Obama says early int he speech “People expect us to put the nation’s interests before party,” the Democrats stand and clap, and the Republicans sit (clearly they have different marching orders).
Biden is eager to stand and applaud many of the speeches point; it is only when Obama introduces women in the audience (Michelle Obama, Gabby Giffords) that Boehner stands, out of a kind of Southern courtesy. But he won’t stand for improved health care for veterans or improving ways to vote.
Obama reaches an emotional high point when it comes to gun violence, eliciting tears from those in the chamber. How effective will it be in moving along a legislative vote?
For all of its drama, the Republican Response is always good for some amateurish response, to a speech, it seems, that Obama never gave. But the wonderful moment of Marco Rubio’s address was his increasing panic at dry mouth. He’d lick his lips like L.L. Cool J; touch his mouth, as if that would help; and eventually, in one of the great moments of the night, after furtively telegraphing the move with his eyes, actually lunging out of the frame for a teensy bottle of Polar Springs to put himself temporarily out of misery. Fantastic!