WASHINGTON--The annual tradition in which the president speaks to the nation about where we are as a country, and where we're going in the future brings hundreds to the country's Capitol.
On Tuesday, President Barack Obama presented his final State of the Union address of his presidency, and several Connecticut residents were in attendance, including Gov. Dan Malloy, who was the only governor in the country invited to the speech.
And while it wasn't on display during the SOTU address, Malloy's work to create the country's strictest gun laws was part of why he was invited to the event, especially in light of the president's recent push for stronger gun control.
Malloy spoke to FOX 61 before the address:
After the speech, Malloy released a statement on his thoughts about what the president had to say:
Tonight, President Obama delivered a powerful message — we are at our strongest when we work together. When we put common sense and the best interests of people first, we thrive.
I am proud to stand with the president tonight because our state has an amazing story to tell over the past several years. The things happening in Connecticut — our efforts to prevent gun violence, to raise the minimum wage, to be the first state to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 and pass paid sick days, to sweeping criminal justice reforms — are being recognized. We are acting when other states are not, and we are on the cutting edge of emerging policy trends. We have embraced much of President Obama’s agenda — and we have been successful as a result.
The president showed tonight that we have accomplished much as a nation over the past seven years, and that the future looks even brighter as a result.
It was an honor to be with the first lady and president this evening. It was extraordinarily humbling, and I cannot thank them enough for the honor.
Each of the seven congressional delegates from the state--Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Sen. Chris Murphy, Rep. Elizabeth Esty, Rep. John Larson, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, Rep. Joe Courtney and Rep. Jim Himes--was able to invite a guest to share in the celebration. Also, Gov. Dan Malloy was the only governor in the country invited to the event, and he was given the opportunity to sit with the first lady.
Murphy brought Mark Barden, the co-founder of Sandy Hook Promise and the father of Sandy Hook victim Daniel Barden. It was an appropriate choice given the president's recent push for greater gun control laws, including the "tear seen 'round the world" that the president shed while talking about what he called "one of the worst days of my presidency."
Blumenthal invited Lt. Col. Michael J. Zacchea, a Brookfield resident and veteran who won two Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart for his service for the U.S. Marine Corps. Blumenthal is the ranking member on the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Larson brought James Tillman, a man who was wrongfully convicted and incarcerated for 18 years before DNA cleared his name. This invitation was timely after Larson, along with Texas Rep. Sam Johnson, helped pass the Wrongful Convictions Tax Relief Act in December, which aims to eliminate any taxes on restitution money.
Meanwhile, Esty brought along New Britain Police Chief James Wardwell to honor the work he's done in his 22-year career to combat opiate addiction.
"He's the perfect person to bring, because he is the consummate public servant," Esty said.
Courtney invited Dr. Mohammed Qureshi, a primary care physician and the president of a Meriden mosque that was shot at in the hours following the Paris attacks.
DeLauro invited Marcia LaFemina, president of the Pennsylvania Globe Gaslight Co., who has elected to provide both healthcare and paid sick leave for her employees, a topic important to the president and something that Connecticut has been a leader on.
Himes brought Don Carlson, a longtime personal friend. The two met at Harvard and Carlson was the head of the congressman’s transition team when he was elected to Congress.
