and now for something completely different: The Republican Response to the SOTU (Live Blog)

Let’s start with the first one of many!

When it comes to rebutting President Obama’s national address Tuesday night, Republicans have four different approaches from four different corners of the party’s ideological wings.

This four-vs.-one approach, to some, is the result of the expanding media universe that allows many different views to be heard, reaching so many different voters. Yet others see the various responses as a sign of a divided Republican Party that cannot unite around the single idea or a single voice to respond to Obama’s State of the Union address.

This Is Why People Say the SOTU Rebuttal Is Cursed

After President Obama delivers hisState of the Union address tonight, all eyes will turn to Washington state Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, the highest ranking Republican woman in Congress, who will deliver the GOP’s rebuttal.

While giving the rebuttal address is a major opportunity to shine in prime time, the Republican response to the State of the Union during Obama’s presidency has seemed more like a curse.

Those who have come before McMorris Rodgers have made embarrassing fumbles, have left politics all together, lost a national race or now face federal charges.

Susie Madrak ‏@SusieMadrak  8s

She reminds me of the reanimated dead people from American Horror Story. #GOPresponse

Melissa McEwan ‏@Shakestweetz  37s

This is all I’m hearing: “Who’s got the cutest feetsies? I’m going to eat those toes! Yes I am!” That’s what every GOP rebuttal sounds like.

Mahjabeen ‏@mahjabeenkarim  3m

@robertloerzel@Karoli I used to teach little kids that complained about how teachers use “baby talk.” She is definitely using “baby talk.”

Donna Brazile ‏@donnabrazile  1m

Rep McMorris voted against raising the minimum wage and extending employment insurance.

Nerdy Negress ‏@NerdyNegress  4m

It’s Miss Whatever from Romper Room…..#republicansoturesponse

Top Conservative Cat ‏@TeaPartyCat  8s

Well, Cathy McMorris Rodgers said God more times in 4 minutes than Obama did in 75 minutes, so the GOP wins! GAME OVER!

CBS News Politics ‏@CBSPolitics  2m

McMorris Rodgers: GOP has “plans to close [income] gap, plans that focus on jobs first w/out more spending, government bailouts”

countrymarxist ‏@countrymarxist  1m

“GOD GOD GOD GOD GOD”- the Republican “response.”

Planned Parenthood ‏@PPact  4s

Just amazing. GOP response focuses on economy and “trusting people”—but spent the day voting to restrict abortion access. #StopHR7#SOTU

Ana Marie Cox ‏@anamariecox  1m

McMorris-Rodgers’ dogwhistle abortion reference: parallel to how some would like us to return to keeping women’s health care a dirty secret.

Nadine Finigan-Carr ‏@doctornayaka  6m

After that rebuttal, I would take the trolley to visit Mrs Rodgers’ Neighborhood but I wouldn’t want to live there. #SOTU #Rebuttal

Okay, and for the off brand responses:

Tea Party Response To 2014 State Of The Union Delivered By Mike Lee

Excerpts of his speech show Lee will pin the widening wealth gap on the president’s policies and tout the ideas of a new generation of leaders including himself and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.

“Americans know in their hearts that something is wrong. Much of what is wrong relates to the sense that the ‘American Dream’ is falling out of reach for far too many of us,” Lee plans to say. “We are facing an inequality crisis — one to which the president has paid lip-service, but seems uninterested in truly confronting or correcting.”

Obama plans to use the State of the Union to announce executive actions to raise the minimum wage for new federal contracts, help the long-term unemployed find work and expand job-training programs.

Lee, an attorney who is halfway through his first term, was chosen by Tea Party Express because he is a recognized leader who is popular among the GOP base because of the message he delivers about improving the economy and reducing the size, cost and intrusiveness of the federal government, said Sal Russo, co-founder of the organization. Tea Party Express is a national group representing the movement.

“People who have been willing to stand up and say, ‘Stop,’ like Mike Lee, have drawn a great deal of support,” Russo said.

huhn?

Suzy Khimm ‏@SuzyKhimm  3m

OK, Mike Lee gets the line of the night: “Obamacare is an inequality Godzilla” http://static.teapartyexpress.org/ 

and then there’s Rand Paul who is just speaking as the egotistical, opportunistic, self aggrandizing asshole that is Rand Paul.

“What I’ve been proposing is that we not shy away from the president on the debate about lowering taxes,” Paul said, speaking in his office. “I think the way to get to more jobs is to bring less money to Washington, leave more money with the businesses that create the jobs.”

Paul recently joined Snapchat and is a frequent presence on Facebook and Twitter. He noted that his response to the State of the Union will be easily disseminated through his online channels.

and there’s a fourth one …

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) announced Monday she will deliver her own State of the Union response in Spanish that will be televised by CNN, Telemundo Univision and other channels.

and I’m still trying to figure this out.  I admit to being flummoxed.

Charles P. Pierce ‏@ESQPolitics  10m

Does anyone know what frequency my fillings need to be set at to hear Rand Paul and Mike Lee?