Local Congress Members Make Statements With State Of The Union Guest Selections
(CBS) -- Local Congress members seem to be trying to make statements in their selections of guests for President Barack Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday evening. In many cases, they are saying "Thank you"….and more, reports WBBM Political Editor Craig Dellimore.
Democratic Congressman Michael Quigley has invited Syrian-American activist Ala'a Basatneh as a guest for her work against Syrian President Assad's regime.
Fellow Democratic Luis Gutierrez is hosting Illinois Planned Parenthood president Carole Brite, and she's elated.
"Congressmen Gutierrez trusts women to make the decisions that are right for them without government interference," Brite said.
Republican Congressman Randy Hultgren's guest will be Kendall County Sheriff's Deputy Tyler Johnson who rescued a motorist from a submerged vehicle.
Senator Mark Kirk, also a Republican, is honoring the work of Mark Filler, who created a foundation to help prevent other young people from falling prey to heroin as his late son did. He'll be at the Capitol too.
Democratic Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth who's running for Kirk's senate seat has invited Loretta Coleman, manager of a VA food Pantry as her guest. And fellow Democrat, Congressman Danny Davis is hosting Andrea Zopp, who's vying with Duckworth for the Senate nomination.
Republican Congressman Peter Roskam isn't making a political statement. He's bringing his wife, Elizabeth, to the speech.
You can watch the State of the Union address live at 8 p.m, Tuesday on CBS 2 and CBSChicago.com or listen to it on Newsradio 780 AM and 105.9 FM.