Politics

Barbara Boxer: Prom night atmosphere made chamber feel ‘more grown-up’

Jeff Poor Media Reporter
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Who would have thought something seemingly as juvenile as having a so-called prom date would give an aura of maturity? At Tuesday’s State of the Union address, according to California Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer, it did.

Boxer appeared on MSNBC’s special State of the Union night edition of “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell.” O’Donnell asked Boxer and her “date,” Rep. John Mica, Florida Republican, if this seating arrangement made a difference.

“I think so,” Boxer said. “And, you know, I’ve been in that chamber for five different presidents and every one of those speeches is so fascinating and most of the time very inspiring. I don’t know whether John felt it but I felt in the audience those of us who were sitting in a different configuration, I think it was less of a kind of a cheering squad for the president, or a booing squad if you will.”

And that was the difference in changing the mood of the room, Boxer explained.

“We just, I think it was kind of more grown up,” Boxer said. “I don’t know – it just seemed more appropriate the way we were responding to the president. By the way, I just have to say, I don’t know that, how he agrees but I found his speech for me it was visionary and inspiring.”

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