BET Wire: A Weekly Political Roundup — State of the Union
Obama's presidential address takes center stage.
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In Case You Missed It - President Obama's first State of the Union address of his second term led the news this week. Sen. Marco Rubio had an awkward moment while delivering the GOP response, setting liberals a-Twitter, but as former White House adviser Van Jones cautions, sometimes "he who laughs last, laughs best." – Joyce Jones
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State of the Union - America is making progress but has a lot of work to do, Obama declared in his State of the Union address. He outlined a series of economic policies but hit the emotional high notes of the night when he discussed gun control and voting rights. A day later, he took the first of a series of trips around the country to pressure Congress into action on key issues. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)
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Salute! - Desiline Victor, a 102-year-old woman who stood for hours under the hot Florida sun to vote last fall, received a standing ovation during the State of the Union address. The president praised her as an example for all Americans to follow. (Photo: AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
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Guests of Honor - Nathaniel and Cleopatra Pendleton, parents of slain Chicago teen Hadiya, were among First Lady Michelle Obama's honored guests at the State of the Union event. The couple spent much of the day calling on lawmakers to strengthen gun control measures. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
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Objection - As Obama road tested his call to increase the federal minimum wage, House Speaker John Boehner opposed the idea. "When you raise the price of employment, guess what happens? You get less of it,” Boehner told reporters at his weekly press conference. The Ohio Republican believes increasing the rate would make it more difficult for small businesses to hire workers. (Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
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Awkward - Florida Sen. Marco Rubio had the honor of delivering the GOP response to Obama's State of the Union address. But it's the moment when he lunged forward to take a sip of water that's getting most of the attention. "I needed water, what am I going to do?" he joked on ABC's Good Morning America Wednesday. "God has a funny way of reminding us we’re human." (Photo: Huffington Post)
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Be Afraid - Democrats and others may be laughing at Rubio and his Poland Spring moment now, but could be crying later, warns former White House adviser Van Jones. Republicans have high hopes for Rubio, young, savvy and Latino, to help reshape the party's image. "He is to the heart what Paul Ryan is to the head," said Jones, adding that he could be "dangerous" for Democrats. (Photo: CNN)
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The Clyburn Connection - Jaime Harrison, a former aide to House Assistant Democratic Leader James Clyburn, is aiming high. Currently first vice chair of South Carolina's Democratic Party, Harrison is vying to become its first African-American chairman when it votes in May. (Photo: Courtesy Politico)
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Double Trouble - Nevada assemblyman Steven Brooks is having a very bad year. He was arrested on Feb. 10 for allegedly attacking a relative and then trying to grab a police officer's gun. The Las Vegas Democrat, currently on a three-week leave, was also arrested in January for allegedly threatening Assembly Speaker Marilyn Kirkpatrick. (Photo: AP Photo/Cathleen Allison)
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One Step Forward - The U.S. Senate overwhelmingly voted to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, adding provisions for immigrants, gays and lesbians, Native Americans and to speed up analysis of DNA rape kits. Now the question is whether it will stall in the House. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
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Seriously? - Former GOP Rep. Joe Walsh must like bad press. He's making headlines for being a deadbeat dad. As if that weren't bad enough, the ex-Illinois lawmaker criticized Michelle Obama for attending the funeral of slain teen Hadiya Pendleton to make a "political point." (Photo: AP Photo/Harry Hamburg, File)