What could go wrong? Bloopers from past State of the Union addresses
Sleeping Woman Underscores Obama's Point?
Credit: Getty Images
During President Obama's second State of the Union address, he introduced an initiative called "Race to the Top," which encouraged schools to develop innovative programs by allowing them to compete for funding. Before announcing the new project, the president described how he hoped American children could benefit from it. "We need to teach them that success is not a function of fame or P.R., but of hard work and discipline," President Obama said. The line came right after an applause-drawing moment, so it fell on a quiet crowd. But worse than that, as Obama said the words "hard work and discipline," a woman seen on camera, behind then-Rep. Anthony Weiner and Rep. Peter King, appeared to slump to the side, asleep. Was this woman truly snoozing, only a third of the way through the president's address? Was her head down so she could follow along on a copy of his speech? Or was she merely attempting a theatrical representation to better mark the point of what children need to learn today? Whatever the case, it was a funny moment for the folks at home.
