Alexandria Democrats Gather at Ramparts for State of the Union

The Alexandria Democratic Committee assembled Tuesday evening to watch President Obama’s first State of the Union address of his second term at Ramparts Tavern on Fern Street, a regular hangout of Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner. 

The expressions of the Ohio congressman and other elected officials that popped on the restaurant's TV screens seemed to spark the biggest reactions from the crowd of 30 or so, but the Alexandria Democrats also warmly voiced their approval of the president’s remarks on clean energy, early education, immigration reform and gun control. 

“I thought it was really moving,” said Old Town resident Jean Orr. “What he said at the end about gun violence that’s really affecting our country really made a lot of difference.”    

Obama asked Congress to vote on “commonsense reform” that has the backing of “overwhelming majorities of Americans—Americans who believe in the Second Amendment” two months after the shooting massacre in Newtown, Conn.

The president mentioned legislation mandating background checks and laws that would prevent anyone from buying guns for resale to criminals.

“Each of these proposals deserves a vote in Congress,” he said.

The bulk of Obama’s speech largely focused on reviving the economy and strengthening the middle class. He proposed creating more jobs by investing in clean energy and spending more public money on education and improving the nation’s infrastructure, according to the Washington Post.

“It was a strong and compelling argument for action for the president,” said ADC chair Dak Hardwick. “He clearly hit all the points that voters overwhelmingly have said they care about. It’s now incumbent on Congress to follow through with them. And on guns, the president is right.”

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) delivered a response to Obama’s address later Tuesday evening.

The Alexandria Republican City Committee did not hold a watch party for either speech.

What did you think of either address? Tell us in the comments.

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