Barack Obama skips tradition of singling out guests
A Syrian refugee was among about two dozen guests invited to sit with first lady Michelle Obama.
Washington: President Barack Obama skipped the State of the Union tradition of singling out special guests invited to watch the address from the House gallery.
The White House invites guests each year whose background or work illustrates a theme the president hopes to promote. This year was no exception. A Syrian refugee was among about two dozen guests invited to sit with first lady Michelle Obama.
Other guests included a plaintiff in the Supreme Court's gay marriage case, a formerly homeless veteran and an aspiring teacher. Obama also left a seat empty to honor gun violence victims.
During the televised address, cameras occasionally panned to the guests when Obama mentioned issues related to their life stories. But in a departure from usual practice, Obama didn't call out any of them by name.