STATE OF THE UNION
I had just started reading David Plouffe's email entitled,"You've Never Seen a State of the Union Address Like This," when my cellphone beeped. Text message from the White House reminding me to watch the State of the Union address tonight at 9pm ET, either on TV or at http://wh.gov/live and participate in a live discussion on Facebook afterwards.
Not only is this type of technological participation a first, so is the suggestion by Colorado Senator Mark Udall that party lines be crossed in the people's house while the President speaks. I love this idea. I think it will add up to much more than the sum of its parts for Democrats and Republicans to sit side-by-side instead of separated by party on either side of the aisle - a house divided.
I don't know whether staying glued to the TV and my laptop, participating in history as it unfolds increases social isolation or helps us break out of it, but I do know how much I love it. And the symbolic significance of "Date Night on the Hill" should not be underestimated. Maybe it's because we're at such a dire point in our national politics that a small gesture could mean so much. Maybe that's all we have left. I can only hope that this spirit of harmony is as contagious as the constant spewage of hatred that has poisoned our airwaves and our national dialogue for much too long.
Yes, I am looking forward to hearing My President, whom I still support whole-heartedly, describe his vision for the way forward. But I'm even more excited about being part of it.
Not only is this type of technological participation a first, so is the suggestion by Colorado Senator Mark Udall that party lines be crossed in the people's house while the President speaks. I love this idea. I think it will add up to much more than the sum of its parts for Democrats and Republicans to sit side-by-side instead of separated by party on either side of the aisle - a house divided.
I don't know whether staying glued to the TV and my laptop, participating in history as it unfolds increases social isolation or helps us break out of it, but I do know how much I love it. And the symbolic significance of "Date Night on the Hill" should not be underestimated. Maybe it's because we're at such a dire point in our national politics that a small gesture could mean so much. Maybe that's all we have left. I can only hope that this spirit of harmony is as contagious as the constant spewage of hatred that has poisoned our airwaves and our national dialogue for much too long.
Yes, I am looking forward to hearing My President, whom I still support whole-heartedly, describe his vision for the way forward. But I'm even more excited about being part of it.
posted by Cynthia Johnston at 12:07 PM
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