State of The Union Address - Opposition Response

Opposition Response

Since 1966, the speech has been followed on television by a response or rebuttal by a member of the political party opposing the President's party. The response is typically broadcast from a studio with no audience. In 1970, the Democratic Party put together a TV program with their speech to reply to President Nixon, as well as a televised response to Nixon's written speech in 1973. The same thing was done by Democrats for President Reagan's speeches in 1982 and 1985. In 1997, Oklahoma congressman J. C. Watts delivered the Republican response to that year's speech in front of high school students sponsored by the Close Up Foundation. In 2004, the Democrats also delivered their response in Spanish, delivered by New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. After President George W. Bush's 2006 State of the Union address, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine delivered the Democratic Party's response in English while Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa gave a response in Spanish. Virginia Senator Jim Webb made the 2007 response and Rep. Xavier Becerra of California delivered the Spanish version. In 2008, Democrats tapped Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius to give a response in English; Texas state Senator Leticia Van de Putte did the same in Spanish. In 2010, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell gave the Republican response from the floor of the Virginia House of Delegates. In 2011, Wisconsin Congressman and House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan gave the English Republican response from the House Budget Committee hearing room, while Florida Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen delivered the Spanish response. Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann also gave a response to the address for the Tea Party Express, a first for the political movement. Mitch Daniels, Governor of Indiana, gave the Republican response to the 2012 State of the Union address .