State of the Union Shuffle: The Powerful go to Prom

Sen. Tom Coburn,R-Okla., left, talks with Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2011, prior to the start of President Barack Obama's State of the Union address.

/ AP/Charles Dharapak

For one night, anyway, Congress looked like the friendliest school dance you could imagine - albeit with a few more wrinkles.

In the wake of the Tucson tragedy, lawmakers took up Democratic Sen. Mark Udall's call to abandon the tradition of sitting on separate sides of the aisle at the president's State of the Union speech. And quite a tradition it was: The separate seating arrangement began back in 1845, when the Democrats and the Whigs first decided that they didn't want to have to share an armrest.

CBSNews.com Special Coverage: State of the Union 2011

Yet this year lawmakers strained to prove that they were eager to cross the aisle - physically, at least. In truth, the mixed seating arrangement was little more than a symbolic gesture - a temporary reprieve from the acrimony that has become the default setting in Washington.

But as symbolic gestures go, Congress could have (and certainly has) done worse. The rush for dates in the run-up to the speech - who was going to sit with whom? - prompted countless comparisons to a high school prom. Speaker Nancy Pelosi's decision not to accept House Majority Leader Eric Cantor offer to sit with him - she said she already had a date - prompted jokes around Washington that Cantor was going to have to settle for that weird girl who just transferred last semester. (He ended up finding a date in Democratic Rep. Robert C. Scott of Virginia.)

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., right, and Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass. are seen on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2011, prior to the start of President Barack Obama's State of the Union address in . (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

/ AP Photo/Evan Vucci

By 5:00 p.m. Eastern this afternoon, two-thirds of the Senate had confirmed to CBS News they had a bipartisan date, along with a number of members of the House. Some sat with their state delegations, while others sought out their ideological opposites, most notably New York Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer and Oklahoma Republican Sen. Tom Coburn. Perhaps the king and queen of the bipartisan prom were South Dakota Republican Sen. John Thune and New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who are universally recognized as having perhaps the best hair in the Senate.

And as the members milled about on the floor before Mr. Obama arrived to deliver the speech, you could feel the love in the air. Perhaps most striking was the scene of two vanquished presidential nominees - Sens. John McCain and John Kerry - standing together as though all of the rancor between their parties, the anger and recriminations and accusations, were water under the bridge.

They aren't, of course. Even as Mr. Obama was delivering the speech, House Speaker John Boehner's office was emailing reporters emails claiming the president's "claims" didn't hold up to scrutiny. Tomorrow, House Republicans will hold the first of many planned hearings to investigate the Obama administration, and few expect the GOP to hold back simply because they spent an hour sitting next to someone from the other side.

The reality is this: Republicans and Democrats have divergent ideologies and different supporters, and so long as ours remains a lobbyist-infected system in which getting elected means keeping your side's deep-pocketed donors and special interests happy, one night of relative comity won't change a thing.

But on Tuesday night, they got to pretend otherwise. Mr. Obama opened his speech with a call for civility in the wake of the Tucson tragedy - and, in fitting with the atmosphere, optimism that it's not just a pipe dream.

"What comes of this moment is up to us," he said. "What comes of this moment will be determined not by whether we can sit together tonight, but whether we can work together tomorrow. I believe we can. I believe we must."

It's hard to imagine that many in the room, including Mr. Obama, would be so starry eyed in the clear light of day. But for one night, lawmakers got to see themselves as they want to see themselves: Not as ideological warriors or compromised strivers but as serious men and women ready to roll up their sleeves, unencumbered by the baggage they had to bring with them to get into office.

It's a fantasy, of course. But isn't that what prom is all about?

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9 Photos

Bipartisan "Prom Dates"

[mamapat8512]

In our state of Nevada the Republican candidate Brian Sandoval never once offered a plan thru out the campaign. He gave limited interviews.He was called out on it by the press and constituents. The Opponent offered his plan and gave interviews. Now here is the DIFFERENCE: Brian is good looking, handsome. If you asked folks who they were voting for, the response was "Brian, he is handsome". So much for having faith in my fellow peers to take the time to study the issues and the candidates. We have become a nation of sheep, followers. Hail to the Prom King and Queen. I am just saying study the issues, your candidates views, vote for candidates with substance, and candidates who are not beholding to the lobbyist (they run the show).

[soap-suds]

As Representatives of the People they should continue this seating arrangement; seeking comfort and support as a group working for the benefit of the country.

As Politicians they will probably migrate back to the comfort of like-minded folks working for their own benefit.

[Ilikelunch]

Yes, it was a noticable change for the better. nonetheless. I didn't see one set of drooling fangs, did you?

Kudos to Udall!

[Red_feather]

We need term limits.

[bankersvox]

During the health care committee meetings, the Republicans were literally locked out of the conference rooms, and the doors were shut to the public. Rules were trampled. Let's all get together and reversed that terrible bill that nobody wants.

[tsigili]

Silly and childish, at best.

[kcinnj]

I agree with Jaylah54, I think the media has told us for years that Thune is photogenic, but I really don't see it either. Here, to speak of "best hair" is silly. Without even thinking hard, I can think of one Senator with far better hair - although I assume that Senator Kerry would prefer being known for his exceptional handling of the New Start treaty and his work in the Senate.

I find this whole talk of "dates" and looks to be rather disturbing - the Senate as the worst elements of high school.

[realist51]

the problem is everybody is to stubborn to work things out. Look i'm for cutting spending and reducing the size of goverment however thats not the only recourse to resolving the problems of the national debt and deficit increasing taxes has to be on the table also we've tried the trickle down and it hasn't worked. corperate america had record profits this last year and the last time the market was near 12,000 unemployment was at 6% so what gives corperate america? the stimulas was blamed by the republicans as being ineffectual and yet 280 billion of it was in taxcuts? where are the jobs from the private sector? who's bagging who, bachman blamed president obama for T.A.R.P. yet this was incorperated by bush. the president said this is our sputnick moment. so what are we going to do? if a new CEO was to take over a indebt company the first thing he would do would be to increase sale and revenue and then make cuts at the same time. all to often all we see is making cuts and people eventually going out of business. so instead of kicking the can down the road like was done with the bush taxcuts and dumping on our children when are we going to bite the bullet and kill the debt now. obama made the gesture to freeze spending for 5 years will the repulicans do the same to increase taxes and pass a balanced budget amendment? once we do at a rate that the deficit actually goes down. then the rate can be reduced.President George bush senior raised taxes and it cost him a second term but he did what was right for america. I wonder if there are any republicans left that would do the same thing?

[tallturtle]

ONE CAN ALWAYS HOPE FOR THE BEST BUT OBTAIN IT THROUGH TOAL COOPERATION THE TYPE I HAVE NEVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.OBAMA WAS LONG ON WOOL AND SHORT ON BLINDERS.

[gig76]

the media is addicted to blood, guts and more. Media mocks good will as something unattainable and too civilized. Grow up media. thankfully not everything news worthy story is sensationalized like Esquire, Star, Inside Edition, Access, ET, and other gossip news outlets. Stop wanting blood in the streets or Palin cross hairs on human lives in America especially in politics. don't like this type of civility, go to Somolia and see what kind of media gigs you get there and live to show and tell. Not far.

[Jaylah54]

"Perhaps the king and queen of the bipartisan prom were South Dakota Republican Sen. John Thune and New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who are universally recognized as having perhaps the best hair in the Senate. "

They zoomed in on these two during the speech. Katie said they were nominated for prom king and queen because they were "the best looking." I didn't think he was much of a prize-catch.