Ruth Bader Ginsburg: I Wasn't 100% Sober At The State Of The Union Address

Via Talking Points Memo:

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's rabid Internet following is sure to go nuts over the admission that she dozed off at the President's State of the Union address after drinking a fine wine. Ginsburg was asked about her SOTU catnap Thursday at George Washington University, where she and her colleague Justice Antonin Scalia were interviewed by NPR. "The audience for the most part is awake because they're bobbing up and down all the time. And we sit there, stone faced, the sober judges," Ginsburg said. "But we're not, at least I was not, 100 percent sober." She explained that the justices have dinner together before the annual speech, which she said Scalia hadn't attended in several years, and that Justice Anthony Kennedy brought along a bottle of California wine that was just too good to resist.

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ANALYSIS: Obama's State Of The Union Address Was Written At 10th Grade Level

An interesting analysis from Vocativ:

President Obama’s 2015 State of the Union address was written for a tenth-grader, which makes it the most high-minded of all his SOTU speeches, a data analysis by Vocativ reveals. Generally, in order for Obama to make himself understood to the broadest possible swath of the population, he tailors his speeches to the intellect of a 14-year-old. But over the last few years the grade level of the president’s speeches has edged up. Vocativ analyzed all of Obama’s SOTU addresses using the Flesch-Kincaid readability test—the most widely recognized reading comprehension algorithm—and gave each speech a numerical grade. Roughly speaking, the spectrum begins at first grade and goes up from there, corresponding to elementary, middle and high school, and then to college and graduate school.

Hit the link for an infographic on SOTU addresses going back to Woodrow Wilson.

LBT's Get First SOTU Mention

Here Is The Tea Party's SOTU Response

Via The Hill:

Rep. Curt Clawson (R-Fla.) offered a sunny take on conservative values during the Tea Party State of the Union response, focusing more on the positives than some of his predecessors while taking fewer shots at President Obama. Clawson, a businessman and former college basketball star who won a special election last year, framed the Tea Party as an inclusive movement. "The Tea Party Express and I see an America where solutions rest not in big government but in personal liberties, in free enterprise and in the opportunity for all to pursue their own American dream regardless of race, creed or conditions of birth," he said in the speech. The Tea Party has faced a rough few elections — Democrats defeated many in 2012 of those who identify with the Tea Party and establishment Republicans blocked out others during the 2014 cycle — and Clawson is not as high-profile a speaker as the Tea Party Express has landed in earlier years.

No mention of marriage or abortion. Interesting.

Here Is Rand Paul's SOTU Response

Via USA Today:

Sen. Rand Paul, a likely GOP presidential candidate, took on the duties of a one-man rapid-response team and pounced on President Obama’s State of the Union Address on multiple platforms. The Kentucky senator posted his own response to Obama’s speech on his YouTube channel — offering a separate view from the official Republican rebuttal being delivered by Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa and the Tea Party’s view from Rep. Curt Clawson of Florida. In his 12-minute video, Paul calls for “new leadership” and “new blood” in Washington and leveled broadsides at Obama on issues such as the budget, taxes, health care and foreign policy. Paul pointedly criticized Obama for contributing to income inequality in America and said the president’s policies “have allowed the poor to get poorer and the rich to get richer.” “The president is intent to redistribute the pie, but not growing it,” Paul said in his video. “He misunderstands that the bulk of America wants a bigger pie.

Suh-NAP!

That was the only time the president deviated from his prepared remarks. Men On Film are giving that piece of delicious shade two snaps up with a gay marriage twist.

Obama after his State of the Union address. pic.twitter.com/weHXJukaL4
— You had one job (@_youhadonejob) January 21, 2015

LIVE: State Of The Union Address

President Obama's address begins at 9PM Eastern.

TONIGHT: Married Florida Couple To Attend State Of The Union Address

Via Equality Florida:

Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) has invited newlyweds Todd and Jeff Delmay to accompany her to Washington, D.C. for President Obama’s State of the Union Address on Tuesday, January 20. Residents of Hollywood, Florida, Todd and Jeff were the second couple in Florida to marry on January 5th when Judge Sarah Zabel lifted her stay on same-sex marriage; the first in Broward County to be married. They were plaintiffs, along with Equality Florida Institute and five other same-sex couples, in Pareto v. Ruvin, which successfully challenged Florida’s ban on marriage equality.

It will be a teasplosion. Whee!

RELATED: The Delmays were represented by the National Center for Lesbian Rights and the Equality Florida Foundation in their winning lawsuit against Miami-Dade County.  NCLR head Kate Kendell: "The true heroes in the march to win the freedom to marry have been the couples, who sacrificed  their privacy and risked ridicule in standing up to demand that we live up to our ideals of equality and justice for all. It is fitting that our clients—and truly all same-sex couples—will be acknowledged and honored with this invitation of a lifetime. We all share in this thrilling moment. Once again, history is made."

Wut?

TMZ: "Camera-Whoring" Pols Kept Jason Collins From Meeting Willie Robertson

TMZ talked to Jason Collins about his experience at the State Of The Union address.

"Duck Dynasty" star Willie Robertson was less than 20 feet away from Jason Collins during the State of the Union, and Jason says he might have reached across the aisle to him ... if not for all the camera-whoring Congressmen. Jason -- the first NBA player to come out -- was First Lady Michelle Obama's guest in D.C. ... and says, "They were moving [Robertson] from one Republican to another Republican" all night. And Jason says the seemingly impossible -- the guy whose family patriarch said gays are gonna burn in Hell meeting America's new gay icon -- could have happened if not for all the photos and glad-handing Robertson had to do. "We passed each other in the hall, and that was about it." So, how did Jason see a conversation between himself and Willie going down? Watch the clip. We think he's very ... optimistic.

Hit the link for the video.

Rachel Maddow Vs. Rep. Tim Huelskamp

If you didn't catch this craziness last night:

A question over the inclusion of Army Sgt. 1st Class Cory Remsburg at Tuesday’s State of the Union address spiraled into a policy-spanning battle between MSNBC host Rachel Maddow and Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-KS), who accused her of hiding from what his party calls the truth about the Benghazi attack. “This administration promised to be the most transparent in history, Rachel,” an animated Huelskamp told Maddow. “And if you would stop being a cheerleader and be a journalist, you’d recognize that we’re not getting those answers.” “Did you just call me a cheerleader?” Maddow asked. “I don’t know, maybe you have that history,” Huelskamp scoffed, before saying, “If it was [George W.] Bush, you would be jumping and screaming.” “You’re amazing,” a visibly perturbed Maddow said.

Things get going around the 5:00 mark. If case you're unaware, Huelskamp is among the most virulently anti-gay teabaggers in the House.

RNC: SOTU Was Just Another Rerun

GOP Rep. Michael Grimm (NY) Threatens Reporter: I Could Break You In Half

Earlier today Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY made positive news when he became the sixth Republican member of the House to co-sponsor ENDA. Grimm's move won him accolades from openly gay Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO), the bill's author. But tonight Grimm dominated the post-SOTU Twitterverse for threatening to assault a NY1 reporter who dared to ask him about his burgeoning campaign finance scandal back home, which so far has resulted in the arrest of one of his fundraisers.

The Daily Beast recaps tonight's scene:

Congressman Michael Grimm threatened Michael Scotto, a reporter with NY1, a local New York television news station, after the State of the Union Tuesday night saying "you're not a man. I could break you in half." Scotto, was finishing an interview with Staten Island Republican Michael Grimm about the State of the Union when he decided to ask one more question. What that question was is unclear because Grimm immediately cut him off saying "I'm not speaking about anything that is off-topic. This is only about the President's speech." The reporter then spoke to the camera saying that he hoped to ask Grimm about the ongoing campaign finance investigation around his 2010 campaign. Grimm has been linked to an allegedly corrupt Israeli rabbi and his ex-girlfriend has been indicted on charges of being a straw donor among other controversies.

According to a NY1 producer, Grimm also said this: "Let me be clear to you, you ever do that to me again - I'll throw you off this fucking balcony." The poor kid looks really startled.

UPDATE: Grimm is not apologizing.

State Of The Union: Open Thread

President Obama's State Of The Union address begins at 9pm Eastern. Watch live here and give us your reactions.

UPDATE: The address has concluded. Jason Collins appeared onscreen seconds before the president delivered these lines: "We do these things because they help promote our long-term security. And we do them because we believe in the inherent dignity and equality of every human being, regardless of race or religion, creed or sexual orientation. And next week, the world will see one expression of that commitment – when Team USA marches the red, white, and blue into the Olympic Stadium – and brings home the gold." That was some good directing.

The only other mention of a gay-related issue came early in the address: "Across the country, we’re partnering with mayors, governors, and state legislatures on issues from homelessness to marriage equality." Despite the hopes of some activists, there was no mention of ENDA or of a related executive order regarding companies that do business with the federal government. The fact sheet sent by the White House during the speech contained this paragraph under the heading "Continuing To Work With Congress":

Workplace Equality for LGBT Workers. Today, federal law prohibits employment discrimination based on race, sex, religion, and disability. It’s time to add sexual orientation and gender identity to that list, so that no American worker can lose his or her job simply because of who they are or who they love. The Employment Non-Discrimination Act would provide strong federal protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender workers. Last year, a bipartisan majority of the Senate passed ENDA, and the President renews his call for the House to do the same.

UPDATE: The Human Rights Campaign didn't like absence of an ENDA mention.

“The President’s message tonight failed to address the needs of LGBT workers looking for a fair shake in this economy. Not only was there no call for the House to pass a federal law to protect LGBT workers nationwide, President Obama also sidestepped his commitment to take action where Congress has left off, leaving out an order prohibiting discrimination by federal contractors. Unfortunately, President Obama missed a real opportunity to use the State of the Union to improve the lives of LGBT people by taking immediate executive action to address anti-LGBT discrimination for the millions of Americans employed by federal contractors. No federal contractor like ExxonMobil should be able to take billions in taxpayer dollars without safeguards in place to prevent discrimination. The President promised this action in 2007 and we will continue to work with him and Congress to ensure that all Americans can contribute to the economy without fear of anti-LGBT discrimination.”

UPDATE II: And here is the reaction from the Task Force.

"The President is right to urge congress to fix our broken immigration system this year, the creation of more jobs, equal pay for women, and the restoration of the Voting Rights Act. We are also pleased that the President is using his pen like he said he would to move things forward: in this instance by signing an executive order to increase the minimum wage for federal contract workers. However, he must go further and sign an executive order that bans discrimination against the same contract workers who are LGBT. The irony is that some LGBT federal contract workers will get a pay raise but they could still be fired for who they are and who they love. The longer the President waits the more damage LGBT people will face; discrimination is a painful reality that is too often the lived experience of LGBT people. The President has to act when Congress won't."

Jason Collins: I'm Ready For The SOTU

Much to the impotent rage of the haters, Collins is an invited guest of honor and will sit with the First Lady tonight.

NOM Has The SOTU Sadz

Posted today at NOM's blog:

Well, the President is singling out an athlete for special recognition at the State of the Union address this evening. We might have expected the President would invite one of the following, but shockingly it is none of these who will be so honored - despite their impressive roster of good deeds: [JMG - long list of athletes involved in charities] No, instead of any of these, the President has chosen to bestow such honor and admiration on Jason Collins - and presumably solely for his coming out last year as the first openly gay player in the NBA. For what it’s worth, in today’s gay-affirming culture - where being gay or lesbian is celebrated constantly in the entertainment world and highlighted seemingly daily in the news - we don’t think that “coming out” is particularly heroic. We assume that Jason Collins has done some fine things as a person to better society and help those in need. We’d be more interested in learning of those efforts than in having his sexuality shoved at us by the man that Newsweek dubbed, “the first gay President."

"Shoving his sexuality." Snork!

RNC: Don't Watch The SOTU Address

Jason Collins To Sit With First Lady At State Of The Union Address

The White House this morning released a partial list of the guests who will sit with the First Lady during President Obama's State Of The Union address. Included among the guests is recently out pro basketball player Jason Collins. Here's how the press release reads:

While at Stanford, Jason Collins was selected as an All American, named the NCAA’s “Big Man of the Year,” and earned an appearance in the Final Four. After graduating in 2001, Collins was drafted into the NBA and has since played for six teams including the Celtics, whose then coach Doc Rivers said of Collins: “He’s the best. He literally is one of the best guys I’ve ever had in the locker room, player or coach.” In his 12 years in the league, Collins’ teams earned 9 trips to the playoffs including 2 NBA Finals appearances. In April 2013, Collins became the first male player in major American team sports to come out openly as gay. The President expressed his gratitude to Collins for his courageous announcement through an article Collins penned himself. The President said he “couldn’t be prouder” of Collins, recognizing this as a point of progress for the LGBT community, and one more step in America’s goal to treat everyone fairly and with respect. Collins is 35 and lives in Los Angeles, California.

Also on a list are a firefighter, a teacher and two survivors of the Boston marathon bombing.

Mitt Romney Slow Jams The News