by Bill Chappell
The idea that members of Congress would tout their commitment to bipartisanship by sitting together Tuesday night struck some as inspired — and others as insipid. But the gesture may have helped President Obama more than anyone.
Based on appearances alone, viewers of Obama's State of the Union speech could be forgiven for thinking that the president's words were hitting home more than usual inside the hall.
That's because, instead of the standard partisan sight of half the chamber standing to applaud while the other half sat on their hands and looked like they were chewing on Sour Balls, on Tuesday night the ovations looked less one-sided.
The audience for the State of the Union is usually self-segregated, with Democrats on one side of the aisle and Republicans on the other. But not this year. The shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords prompted lawmakers to call for mixed seating, and the idea quickly gained traction.
With more than 50 bipartisan pairs — and even trios, quartets and whole softball teams — sitting together, this wasn't a night to nod off and simply copy your neighbor's reaction.
