Pre-SOTU Open Thread

The annual State of the Union address is tonight. Early previews say that Obama will discuss both investment in infrastructure and budget issues. Budget peacock Paul Ryan is giving the official Republican rebuttal and Michele Bachmann is giving the unofficial Tea Party rebuttal. CNN is carrying Obama’s, Cantor’s and Bachmann’s speeches, which is causing some consternation to Republicans.

GOP aides are unhappy with the decision, because it risks making the opposition look conflicted — as if the two are trying to upstage one another — muddling GOP efforts to offer a unified response.

“CNN is basically inventing a conflict that doesn’t really exist,” a GOP aide emails. “It’s not responsible journalism.”

…

But Republicans, too, have reason to be annoyed about this. Granting such a high profile to Bachmann’s Messianic Tea Party air won’t help the GOP manage the already difficult task of offering a response that has a chance of competing with Obama’s speech.
The President already has a big built-in advantage during State of the Union speeches, and the designated opponent already faces an uphill climb when trying to rise to his stature. Elevating Bachmann, of all people, will likely complicate this dynamic even further.

Is it wrong that I’m most anticipating Michele Bachmann’s crazy? I hope she doesn’t disappoint.