Griper Blade: NEWSFLASH: Republicans Aren't on Your Side

The State of the Union is always a big deal in politics. Unless there's a presidential election, it's generally the event of the year. And this one went pretty well (Read the transcript here or view the video here). Whether it's a good speech or a bad speech, it's always the most important speech ever, picked apart by pundits and encoded into spin by opponents and other pundits

Initial reactions in the chamber itself are usually limited to displays of disapproval through withholding applause, not rising to your feet when the other party does, slow claps, head shaking, slouching, etc. Rep. Joe Wilson was apparently locked in a steamer trunk like Houdini, since he managed to refrain from voicing his opinion this time around.

For their part, Republicans favored the "don't stand up, don't applaud" approach. At the time, I wondered if maybe the GOP weren't such sourpusses about everything just because they're too lazy; "Stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down... Who needs it? I'm going to be against everything! That way I can relax."... [CLICK TO READ FULL POST]