The seven most bizarre SOTU moments over the years

state of the Union One of the most choreographed events in American politics. We all know the drill: The president walks down the floor of the House chamber, shakes hands profusely, takes his seat before the Vice President and Speaker of the House, and delivers a carefully prepared speech. Overall, this is a fairly stable case.

But some moments have stood out. Every once in a while (or more often in the Trump years), something happens that is so outlandish, unwritten, or simply inconvenient, that it manages to break the tedium and become memorable. Below, starting with the most recent, are some of those moments.

2022: Lauren Boebert hooting after Afghanistan blast

Colorado Republican Lauren Bobert was prodded during President Joe Biden’s 2022 State of the Union about service members killed during America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021.

Mr Biden was speaking about veterans struggling after the appearance of “toxic burn pits” which can cause cancer would “put them in a flag-draped coffin”.

It has been widely reported that Mr Biden believes Burn Pitts contributed to his son Beau’s brain cancer, which led to his death in 2015 at the age of 46 after serving in Iraq.

Ms. Boebert stood in the House chamber, yelling at the president that “you put 13 of them in,” in reference to service members killed in an explosion at the airport in Kabul.

Ms. Boebert, along with Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, also attempted to start a “build the wall” chant when Mr. Biden talked about border security and immigration reform.

2020: Trump gives Medal of Freedom to Rush Limbaugh

Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, like much of his presidency, was typically filled with unusual moments. But his 2020 speech was special. again and again, former apprentice star introduced special guests and elaborate stunts – at one point orchestrating a surprise reunion Between a soldier and his family – that seems more fitting for a reality show than a stoic political ritual.

The pinnacle of this theater-of-the-absurd approach was when the president was in the middle of a speech. spontaneously rewarded Right-wing shock jock Rush Limbaugh awarded the nation’s highest civilian honor.

Mr Limbaugh was to die of lung cancer in 2021 not a clear choice For the Medal of Freedom. The award was established by President John F. Kennedy in 1963 for citizens who “made a particularly meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other important public or private endeavors”.

Mr. Limbaugh, on the other hand, was a radio pundit best known for coining the term “feminazi” who spread right-wing conspiracy theories, calling President Obama “more African in his roots than American” after slavery. “had the merits of,” mocking Michael J. Fox’s jerkiness, and calling chelsea clinton a dog,

And yet he stood in the House of Representatives, receiving thunderous applause from members of Congress as Melania Trump strapped the medal around his neck.

Mr. Limbaugh looked as perplexed as anyone else – but, most likely, he was astounded as well. Journalists were given copies of Mr Trump’s speech ahead of time, meaning the radio host almost certainly knew he would receive the award.

Republicans were pleased, but the moment was not well received by Democrats – which brings us to the next moment on our list.

2020 too: Nancy Pelosi tears up Trump’s speech

Perhaps the most shocking moment that has happened in any state of the union in recent memory is the Speaker of the House Nancy PelosiStanding behind President Trump to show what she thought of his speech Tearing it to pieces

By that time the president had already rebuked Ms. Pelosi by refusing to shake her hand at the start of the event, and he seemed to be glowing with self-praise for pulling off awkward stunts like presenting the award to Mr. Limbaugh. Finally, Mr Trump handed her a copy of his address. Ms. Pelosi tore it up page by page.

On the way out, a reporter asked the speaker what she thought of the speech.

“I tore it,” he replied simply.

He later elaborated on Twitter.

“The declaration of no confidence presented in page after page of the address tonight should be a call to action for all who expect truth from the President and his office and policies worthy of the American people,” she wrote, “The American people expect and deserve a president with integrity and respect for the aspirations of their children.”

Conservatives criticized the gesture as petty and inappropriate, but it appeared to have the intended effect. For all the reality show pageantry loaded into Mr. Trump’s speech, talk people talked The next day Ms. Pelosi was fixing it.

2010: Justice Alito said ‘not true’

after citizens united case in 2010, President Barack Obama Spent a chunk of his State of the Union scolding the Supreme Court.

Obama said, “Last week, the Supreme Court overturned a century of law to open the floodgates for special interests — including foreign corporations — to spend without limits in our elections.” “Well, I don’t think American elections should be controlled by America’s most powerful interests, or worse, foreign entities. They should be decided by the American people, and that’s why I’m calling on Democrats and Republicans to pass a bill I am requesting someone who can help in righting this wrong.

As he said this, the people sitting around the Supreme Court Justice rose to their feet and applauded. However, the judges sat like a stone. justice Samuel Alito frowned, shook his head, and clearly mouthed the words “not true”.

Some saw the reaction as a breach of decorum. Then again, Mr. Obama had seen worse in his final State of the Union speech.

2009: Joe Wilson yelled ‘You lie!’ on obama

There are many subtle ways to signal one’s disapproval in a joint session of Congress. Shouting “You lie!” is not one of them.

but that’s it joe wilson South Carolina did, as President Obama was defending the health care bill that would eventually become Obamacare.

This was Mr. Obama’s first speech before the joint session, but it did not qualify as an official State of the Union speech because he had only been in office for a few months when the speech was delivered on September 9, 2009.

“There are those who claim that our reform efforts will insure illegal immigrants,” Obama told a joint session of Congress. “That’s also a lie.”

At this point, Republicans in the chamber groaned audibly. Mr. Obama persists.

“The reforms I’m proposing will not apply to people who are here illegally,” he continued.

“You lie!” mr wilson ScreamedLoud enough that everyone including the President could hear it.

Others in the room started gasping and booing. House Speaker Pelosi, seated behind Obama, looked stunned. Vice President Biden gave Mr. Wilson an icy look.

“That’s not true,” Mr. Obama said and continued his speech.

Republicans and Democrats alike criticized the outburst, and Mr. Wilson later personally apologized to the president.

“I let my emotions get the best of me when I heard the President’s remarks regarding coverage of undocumented immigrants in the health care bill this evening,” the congressman said in a statement. “While I disagree with the President’s statement, my comments were inappropriate and regrettable. I apologize to the President for this lack of civility.”

The phrase eventually came back to haunt him. In 2017, a full town hall full of people Shouted “You lie!” on Mr. Wilson.

1975: Gerald Ford says the State of the Union is ‘no good’

The purpose of the State of the Union is, ostensibly, to tell the American people how the country is doing—literally, to report the state of the union. Presidents usually use superlatives such as “strong,” “good,” or “stronger than ever” to describe that state.

But in 1975, President Gerald Ford Another phrase used: “not good.”

“Today … I must tell you that the state of the union is not good,” Mr. Ford told Congress, “Millions of Americans are out of work. Recession and inflation are destroying lakhs of money. The prices are too high, and sales are too slow.”

At the time, the United States was dealing with an economic recession and its humiliating consequences. watergate the scandal that toppled the president richard nixon, So Mr. Ford’s assessment may have been accurate, but it was a startling departure from the upbeat tone of most of the union’s speeches.

“Now, I want to speak very clearly,” the president said. “I’ve got bad news, and I don’t expect much, if any, applause.”

He described his proposals for solving those problems and repeatedly said that progress was possible. But the most memorable part of the speech was its opening.

A few years later, President jimmy carter followed Mr. Ford’s blunt approach with his infamous “ill feeling” speech, but the address was so badly received that some see it as a factor in his re-election defeat. Since then, some presidents have followed this bad-news-first model.

1974: Nixon lapses in the middle of the Watergate scandal

President Richard Nixon took the podium for his 1974 State of the Union speech with an approval rating of 26 percent because he was affected by the Watergate scandal. The House was already watching impeachment proceedings, and the President’s voice trembled.

At one point in his speech, Mr. Nixon was planning to say “we must replace the discredited welfare system,” but instead said, “we must replace the discredited president”.

“I believe the time has come to end that investigation and other investigations into this matter. One year of Watergate is enough,” he added during his January 30 speech.

“I want you to know that I have no intention of walking away from the work the people have elected me to do for the American people,” he said. He resigned on 9 August the same year.

President Joe Biden is set to deliver his next State of the Union speech on February 7.