Were you as upset trying to listen to Obama's State of the Union Speech as much as I was?

The applause wreaked havoc with my concentration and I found it hard to follow. Like Macbeth with sleep, Congress murdered the speech. Almost after every sentence, Congress jumped up like clapping seals hooting and hollering and slapping their hands for and at the president. Sadly the applause was aimed at the American people and in my humbled view, distracted all our ability to follow the speech. I felt like I was watching a re-run of and old Saturday Night Live show. The applause reminded me of canned laughter on a TV comedy show, insincere, not real, and equally distracting. Do the Congress folks really think the American people will raise their opinion of them if they shout and stomp at every other sentence of the president's speech?

Next year the Speaker ought to consider handcuffing the Congress’ hand' behind their backs and place tape across their mouths. This will do much to cut down the applauding and the incessant shouting and yelling. The White House should have offered the American people a televised copy of the speech with all the applause and shouting cut out. But we have become so used to the distraction of Congressional shenanigans it would become an new medium in an unfamiliar ground.

I don't think things will improve in the State of the Union speeches. Next year, I will wait to read the speech from print in a quiet room somewhere shut off from Congressional hurly burly and their sound and the fury.