Stars of the State of the Union

During President Bush's seventh and final State of the Union address, the message was less captivating (as we suppose is often the case) than the audience to whom the message was being delivered: Hillary Clinton was frustrated (because she couldn't cut the President off in the non-debate format), Barack Obama was hunkered down next to Teddy Kennedy (who was reading, not sleeping all those times his eyes looked closed), Jenna and Barbara Bush were relieved (that they never have to sit through one of these affairs again), and—perhaps the most intriguing of all—Dick Cheney was smiling. Not sneering, snarling, or maniacally snickering, but peacefully, warmly, and dare we say even kindly grinning at times, looking on over the President's shoulder.