Who attends the SOTU? Is it mandatory attendance? In theory, should

both the House and the Senate members be in the audience?

Louis Stokes refused to attend any of Reagan's when he represented the east side of Cleveland. It is pretty much expected that a Congressperson attends.

He's not gonna be there.

He will have Joe Momentum give all the hugs and kisses for him

up at these SOTU fiascos. Now I know, thanks.

If the worst happens, hopefully it'll be the token smart one.

"Ros-Lehtinen isn’t the only one who will be arriving fashionably early—and it’s a bipartisan group.

Other aisle seat stalkers include Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tex.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), Eliot L. Engel (D-N.Y.), Todd R. Platts (R-Pa.), Jean Schmidt ( R-Ohio), Mary Bono (R-Calif.), Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) and a handful of others.

Bachmann, you may recall, drew headlines last year after she kept her hand on Bush’s shoulder for a record 30 seconds and then reached in for a smooch.

And two years ago, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) also became a target of late-night punch lines when he and Bush had a similar lovey-dovey moment."

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0108/8136.html

Batshit Crazy Michelle Bachmann will probably try to hump his leg this year.

Therefore, there is no constitutional requirement for members of Congress to be present.

It is constitutionally required for the President to present their SOTU to Congress. But it is not required for it to be yearly.

To meet the requirement for the SOTU being presented to Congress it can be written, in person or taped.

be there?

A point for both of them.

Good for them. They needed to be there. That is their job after all.

The Constitution requires the President to inform the Congress from time to time of the state of the Union. The in person speech is a fair recent tradition, not a law. Congress can tell the POTUS to fax it a post it note. It's a courtesy that both houses attend an address by a president or head of state or visiting fireman. And presidents are invited to the Congress.