Televised Opposition Responses to the President's Annual Message
Blog Post
The practice began in 1966 when the television networks provided the Republican party with a half-hour slot. Senator Everett Dirksen (Republican, Illinois) and Representative Gerald R. Ford (Republican, Michigan) delivered the first opposition response. By 1976 the television networks were providing a slot for the opposition party almost immediately after the State of the Union address.
| Year | Response |
|---|---|
| 1966 | Senator Everett Dirksen (R-IL) and Representative Gerald Ford (R-MI) responded to President Lyndon Johnson’s Annual Message, which was delivered on January 12, 1966. The Republican response was the first organized, televised response to the Annual Message. |
1967 | Senator Everett Dirksen (R-IL) and Representative Gerald Ford (R-MI) responded to President Johnson’s Annual Message on January 10, 1967. |
1968 | Republican Members of Congress participated in a televised rebuttal to President Johnson’s Annual Message delivered on January 17, 1968. The program included comments from Representative William Steiger (R-WI), Senator Thomas Kuchel (R-CA), Representative Gerald Ford (R-MI), Senator Charles Percy (R-IL), Representative Richard Poff (R-VA), Representative George Bush (R-TX), Representative Robert Mathias (R-CA), Senator Howard Baker (R-TN), Senator Hugh Scott (R-PA), Senator John Tower (R-TX), Representative Charlotte Reid (R-IL), Senator Peter Dominick (R-CO), Rep. Albert Quie (R-MN), Representative Melvin Laird (R-WI), Senator Robert P. Griffin (R-MI), and Senator George Murphy (R-CA). |
1969 | No response. President Johnson’s Annual Message was delivered on January 14, 1969. President Richard Nixon’s inauguration was held on January 20, 1969. |
1970 | Democrats responded to President Nixon’s Annual Message on January 22, 1970, with a 45-minute televised program that included comments from Senator William Proxmire (D-WI), Representative Donald Fraser (D-MN), Senator Mike Mansfield (D-MT), Senator Henry “Scoop” Jackson (D-WA), Senator Edmund Muskie (D-ME), Representative Patsy Mink (D-HI), and Representative John McCormack (D-MA). |
1971 | Senator Mike Mansfield (D-MT) offered the Democratic response to President Nixon’s Annual Message, which was delivered on January 22, 1971. |
1972 | Democrats responded to President Nixon’s Annual Message on January 20, 1972: Senator William Proxmire (D-WI), Senator Frank Church (D-ID), Senator Thomas Eagleton (D-MO), Senator Lloyd Bentsen (D-TX), Representative Leonor Sullivan (D-MO), Representative John Melcher (D-MT), Representative John Brademas (D-IN), Representative Martha Griffiths (D-MI), Representative Ralph Metcalfe (D-IL), Representative Carl Albert (D-OK), and Representative Hale Boggs (D-LA). |
1973 | No Annual Message. Second inauguration of President Nixon. |
1974 | Senator Mike Mansfield (D-MT) offered the Democratic response to President Nixon's Annual Message, which was delivered on January 20, 1974. |
1975 | Senator Hubert Humphrey (D-MN) and Representative Carl Albert (D-OK) provided the Democratic response to President Gerald R. Ford’s Annual Message, which was delivered on January 15, 1975. |
1976 | Senator Edmund Muskie (D-ME) provided the Democratic response to President Ford’s Annual Message, which was delivered on January 19, 1976. |
1977 | No response to President Ford’s final Annual Message delivered on January 12, 1977. |
1978 | Senator Howard Baker Jr. (R-TN) and Representative John Rhodes (R-AZ) offered the Republican response to President Jimmy Carter’s Annual Message, which was delivered on January 19, 1978. |
1979 | Senator Howard Baker Jr. (R-TN) and Representative John Rhodes (R-AZ) provided the Republican response to President Carter’s Annual Message, which was delivered on January 23, 1979. |
1980 | Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) and Representative John Rhodes (R-AZ) provided the Republican response to President Carter’s Annual Message, which was delivered on January 23, 1980. |
1981 | No Annual Message. President Ronald Reagan delivered a speech on economic recovery on February 18, 1981. No opposition response was offered. |
1982 | Democrats responded to President Reagan’s speech delivered on January 26, 1982, with a prerecorded program televised on major networks: Senator Donald Riegle (D-MI), Senator James Sasser (D-TN), Representative Albert Gore, Jr. (D-TN), Senator Robert Byrd (D-W.Va), Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA), House Speaker Thomas P. O’Neill (D-MA), Senator Gary Hart (D-CO), Senator Paul Sarbanes (D-MD), Senator J. Bennett Johnston (D-LA), and Senator Alan Cranston (D-CA). |
1983 | Democrats responded to President Reagan’s Annual Message delivered on January 25, 1983, with a 28-minute prerecorded program. Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV), Senator Paul Tsongas (D-MA), Senator Bill Bradley (D-NJ), Senator Joe Biden (D-DE), Representative Tom Daschle (D-SD), Representative Barbara Kennelly (D-CT), House Speaker Thomas P. O’Neill (D-MA), Representative George Miller (D-CA), Representative Les AuCoin (D-OR), Representative Paul Simon (D-IL), Representative Timothy Wirth (D-CO), and Representative W.G. “Bill” Hefner (D-NC). |
1984 | Democrats responded to President Reagan’s Annual Message on January 25, 1984. Senator Joe Biden (D-DE), Senator David Boren (D-OK), Senator Carl M. Levin (D-MI), Senator Max S. Baucus (D-MT), Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV), Senator Clairborne Pell (D-RI), Senator Walter Huddleston (D-KY), Representative Dante B. Fascell (D-FL), Representative Tom Harkin (D-IA), Representative William Gray (D-PA), House Speaker Thomas O’Neill (D-MA), and Representative Barbara Boxer (D-CA). |
1985 | In response to President Reagan’s Annual Message on February 6, 1985, the Democratic Party provided a televised discussion among randomly selected Democratic voters. Governor Bill Clinton (D-AR), Governor Bob Graham (D-FL), House Speaker Thomas P. O’Neill (D-MA). |
1986 | Senator George Mitchell (D-ME), Lt. Governor Harriett Woods (D-MO), Governor Charles Robb (D-VA), Representative Thomas Daschle (D-SD), Representative William Gray (D-PA) responded to President Reagan’s Annual Message on February 4, 1986. |
1987 | Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV) and House Speaker Jim Wright (D-TX) responded to President Reagan’s Annual Message on January 27, 1987. |
1988 | Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV) and House Speaker Jim Wright (D-TX) responded to President Reagan’s Annual Message on January 25, 1988. |
1989 | House Speaker Jim Wright (D-TX) and Senator Lloyd Bentsen (D-TX) responded to President George H.W. Bush’s Annual Message. |
1990 | House Speaker Tom Foley (D-WA) offered the Democratic response to President Bush’s Annual Message on January 31, 1990. |
1991 | Senator George Mitchell (D-ME) offered the Democratic response to President Bush’s Annual Message delivered on January 29, 1991. |
1992 | House Speaker Tom Foley (D-WA) responded to President Bush’s Annual Message delivered on January 28, 1992. |
1993 | No Annual Message. President Bill Clinton delivered an Economic Address on February 17, 1993. Rep. Bob Michel (R-IL) delivered the Republican response. |
1994 | Senator Robert Dole (R-KS) responded to President Clinton’s Annual Message, which was delivered on January 25, 1994. |
1995 | Governor Christine Todd Whitman (R-NJ) responded to President Clinton’s Annual Message which was delivered on January 24, 1995. |
1996 | Senator Robert Dole (R-KS) offered the Republican response to President Clinton’s Annual Message, which was delivered on January 23, 1996. |
1997 | Representative J.C. Watts (R-OK) offered the Republican response to President Clinton’s Annual Message, which was delivered on February 4, 1997. |
1998 | Senator Trent Lott (R-MS) offered the Republican response to President Clinton’s Annual Message delivered on January 27, 1998. |
1999 | Representative Jennifer Dunn (R-WA) and Representative Steven Largent (R-OK) offered the Republican response to President Clinton’s Annual Message which was delivered on January 19, 1999. |
2000 | Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and Senator William Frist (R-TN) offered the Republican response to President Clinton’s final Annual Message on January 27, 2000. |
2001 | No Annual Message. President George W. Bush delivered the annual Budget Message on February 27, 2001. No opposition response was offered. |
2002 | Representative Richard Gephardt (D-MO) offered the Democratic response to President Bush’s first Annual Message delivered on January 29, 2002. |
2003 | Governor Gary Lock (D-WA) offered the Democratic response to President George W. Bush’s Annual Message delivered on January 28, 2003. |
2004 | Senator Tom Daschle (D-SD) and Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) offered the Democratic response to President Bush’s Annual Message delivered on January 23, 2004. |
2005 | Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) offered the Democratic response to President Bush’s Annual Message delivered on February 2, 2005. |
2006 | Governor Timothy Kaine (D-VA) offered the Democratic response to President Bush’s Annual Message delivered on January 31, 2006. |
2007 | Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) offered the Democratic response to President Bush’s Annual Message delivered on January 23, 2007. |
2008 | Governor Kathleen Sebelius (D-KS) offered the Democratic response to President Bush’s Annual Message delivered on January 28, 2008. |
2009 | No Annual Message. President Barack H. Obama delivered a message on the economic crisis on February 24, 2009. Governor Bobby Jindal (R-LA) offered the Republican response. |
2010 | Governor Bob McDonnell (R-VA) offered the Republican response to President Obama’s Annual Message delivered on January 27, 2010. |
2011 | Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI) offered the Republican response to President Obama’s Annual Message delivered on January 25, 2011. |
2012 | Governor Mitch Daniels (R-IN) offered the Republican response to President Obama’s Annual Message delivered on January 24, 2012. |
| 2013 | Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) offered the Republican response to President Obama’s Annual Message delivered on February 12, 2013. |
| 2014 | Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) offered the Republican response to President Obama's Annual Message delivered on January 28, 2014. |
| 2015 | Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) offered the Republican response to President Obama's Annual Message delivered on January 20, 2015. |
| 2016 | Governor Nikki Haley (R-SC) offered the Republican response to President Obama's Annual Message delivered on January 12, 2016. |
| 2017 | No Annual Message. President Donald J. Trump delivered an economic address on February 28, 2017. Former Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear delivered the Democratic response. |
| 2018 | Representative Joseph P. Kennedy, III (D-MA) offered the Democratic response to President Donald J. Trump's Annual Message, delivered on January 30, 2018. |
| 2019 | Former Georgia state general assembly minority leader, Stacey Abrams offered the Democratic response to President Donald J. Trump's Annual Message, delivered on February 5, 2019. |
| 2020 | Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) offered the Democratic response to President Donald J. Trump's Annual Message, delivered on February 4, 2020. |
| 2021 | No Annual Message. President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. delivered a speech on his Build Back Better plan on April 28, 2021. Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina delivered the Republican response. |
| 2022 | Governor Kim Reynolds (R-IA) offered the Republican response to President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.'s Annual Message, delivered on March 1, 2022. |
| 2023 | Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R-AR) offered the Republican response to President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.'s Annual Message, delivered on February 7, 2023. |
| 2024 | Senator Katie Boyd Britt of (R-AL) offered the Republican response to President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.'s Annual Message, delivered on March 7, 2024. |