Jon Stewart's Response to the State of the Union. . .Response

Brilliant and funny, per usual.

The Daily Show
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,The Daily Show on Facebook

Rachel Maddow's Bizarre Interview with Rep. Tim Huelskamp, Post-SOTU

Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-Kansas) was interviewed by Rachel Maddow after the State of the Union address on Tuesday night. At issue was a tweet by the Congressman criticizing President Obama's recognition of a wounded serviceman. Huelskamp puts the tweet in context as a tit-for-tat with the White House. . .and then wanders all over the place, from talking point to talking point. While being insulting to Maddow, confusing in general, and just. . .well, watch for yourself.
 

Marco Rubio's Choke on the Water (Rocky Mountain Mike Song Parody)

Perfect!

Meanwhile on Facebook: Charlie McCarthy and Marco Rubio

Part of the fun of following a Twitter feed during a national event like the State of the Union address, is being really in the moment, while other people are too. I know it sounds odd that hovering over your computer can feel so social, but it's really a fun experience. And the bonus is watching memes be born. After Marco Rubio's now infamous "God, I'm so thirsty!" moment, the jokes were flying instantly, and the meme making only shortly after. My favorite--by far--was this one from Kenny Pick, already famous from The Stephanie Miller Show.

 

Ted Nugent Manages Not to Disrupt SOTU

Keep it classy, Ted. Image from source, BuzzFeed.

While Republicans often decry the cult of celebrity, and belittle "Hollywood liberals," they have their own stars, such as they are. It's a much smaller group, and much less. . .um. . .stellar, to say the least. Moreover, it is often difficult to discern why they're elevated to such lofty positions. Ted Nugent is only the most recent example.

Nugent is a musician whose heyday has long passed, who bills himself as an uber-patriotic activist, even though he was once a draft-dodger (with a decidedly unsavory story to go with it). But, he loves weapons, particularly guns, and he likes to shoot his mouth off. He also is very vocal in his opposition to President Obama and to Democrats in general. Because of this, he is granted wide latitude, with even his most extreme utterances not just tolerated, but applauded by the rabble and by the punditry such as Sean Hannity.

Back during the Bush administration, a country band called The Dixie Chicks made a mild disparaging comment about President Bush, and they were all but deported for it. But pseudo-celebrities like Nugent can say anything they want--no matter how vile--about President Obama or Hillary Clinton, and they barely raise an eyebrow on the right. Nugent was even investigated by the Secret Service for his perceived threatening comments. All's fair, I guess, as the right is still acting all back-slappy about The Nuge, and calling him "Uncle Ted." It should be pointed out that if any celebrity  guest of a Democrat attended the State of the Union in jeans, boots, a frumpy jacket, scraggly hair and a goofy soul patch, the likes of Sean Hannity wouldn't stop talking about it, ever.

[Excerpt]

Bored Ted Nugent Slams Obama's Gun Control Plans

Aging rocker Ted Nugent may have avoided making a spectacle during President Barack Obama's State of the Union address much to the chagrin in the scores of reporters on hand, but he had harsh words for the administration's gun control plans after the speech. . .

Read more at: BuzzFeed

Marco! Rubio! Great GOP Hope Bombs on SOTU Night

The thing everyone will always remember about Bobby Jindal's big State of the Union rebuttal was that he sauntered out looking like a cross between Kenneth the page from 30 Rock, and an Indian Mr. Rogers. What he had to say is utterly lost. Well, it just happened again.


Marco Rubio is one of the first efforts by the post-2012 GOP to put a new face on the party. On substance, there was no change in message, only a slight tweak to the delivery. Rubio came off just as earnest (oh, so earnest) as Jindal, and almost as amateurish. He was on an overly decorated, fakey-looking set, and beyond his dressed up pre-2012 election message, Rubio had a problem. He was simultaneously sweating, and parched. Dry mouth, they call it, and it became harder and harder for him to disguise, ultimately leading to a weird mouth-wipe, and then a lunge (oddly enough, to the left!) for a glass of water.

So, the fact that much of Rubio's patter could have come straight from Mitt Romney's stump speech, and that it was equally fact-challenged in parts, is now lost to that unscripted moment. It may not be enough to shut down Rubio as badly as it did Jindal. And if he's smart, he'll turn it into a self-deprecating gag in the future. But there is no question that the 2014 rebuttal is going to be a job that nobody will want to take, outside of, say, John McCain or Lindsey Graham.

One interesting fact: the lunge revealed that Rubio has tamed his combover hairdo just a bit. Prior to his "moment," his hair was largely hidden in shadow. The lunge showed us his no 'do, and it's a marked improvement.


[Excerpt]

The soon-to-be-infamous Marco Rubio water bottle moment

Courtesy of National Journal a wonderful moment captured in time from Marco Rubio’s “Republican response” to the President’s State of the Union. Marco Rubio and the water bottle, a moment in American history captured in time forever. . .

Read more at: AmericaBlog

State of the Union: Obama Delivers Powerful Address

State of the Union Addresses always tend to bog in parts, and President Obama's was no exception. Tuesday night's address wasn't his most powerful speech. Neither was it the sleepy first debate performance, don't get me wrong. And it picked up about midway through, building to an emotional crescendo over the issue of gun control. But I'm glad I watched while reading my Twitter feed, because it made things much more entertaining (poor Marco Rubio, more on that in a bit).

[Excerpt]

Obama challenges GOP, presses big agenda at State of the Union

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

President Barack Obama challenged Republicans on major tax and entitlement proposals in Tuesday's State of the Union address, unveiling sweeping new initiatives to boost the middle class while taking aim at GOP recalcitrance. . .

Read more at: NBCNews