Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S. will sit with first lady Jill Biden for Tuesday’s State of the Union address, the White House announced.
The invite for Ukrainian ambassador Oksana Markarova comes as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last week galvanized the world and forced Mr. Biden to refashion his speech from a domestic-focused affair to an address to a nation wary of war but eager to help Ukraine.
Also sitting in the first lady’s box will be a steelworker active in his labor union, a 7th grader from Virginia who suffers from diabetes, and a New Jersey woman who was able to get child care thanks to Democrats’ coronavirus relief package last year.
Intel’s chief executive officer and a former Facebook employee who worked on combatting misinformation will also be in attendance.
“Each of these individuals, with their resilience, innovation, service, and courage, were chosen by the White House because they represent policies or themes to be addressed by the president in his speech,” the White House said in announcing the guests.
Pioneered by President Reagan, the use of guests to punctuate parts of major speeches to Congress has become an art form. Former President Trump took it to new heights, hosting a North Korean defector, a Tuskegee airman and veterans of the D-Day invasion during some of his addresses.
Tuesday will mark President Biden’s first crack at a guest list. His address last year came amid severe coronavirus restrictions, and no guests were present.
The list that the White House released Tuesday afternoon was less flashy than Mr. Trump’s performances, which saw him dole out a scholarship to an underprivileged schoolgirl from Philadelphia, award the Medal of Freedom to Rush Limbaugh and salute D-Day veterans.
Mr. Trump also packed the box with family of American troops killed in action.
Mr. Biden’s guest list Tuesday afternoon included Danielle Robinson, a widow whose husband was in the Ohio National Guard and who died of lung cancer contracted because of his military service.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.