Past Responses to the Annual Presidential Address to Congress

Tradition calls for a member of Congress to respond to the president's annual address before a joint session of Congress, most commonly the State of the Union address, on behalf of the opposition party. Below are a collection of responses and corresponding State of the Union speeches, dating back to 1997.

2008 Democratic Response Kathleen Sebelius Governor of Kansas		Sebelius's Remarks: Transcript Video	SOTU: President Bush
2007 Democratic Response Jim Webb U.S. Senator from Virginia		Webb's Remarks: Transcript Video	SOTU: President Bush
2006 Democratic Response Tim Kaine Governor of Virginia		Kaine's Remarks: Transcript Video	SOTU: President Bush
2005 Democratic Response Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi Senate, House Minority Leaders		Reid/Pelosi Remarks: Transcript Video	SOTU: President Bush
2004 Democratic Response Tom Daschle, Nancy Pelosi Senate, House Minority Leaders		Daschle/Pelosi Remarks: Transcript Video	SOTU: President Bush
2003 Democratic Response Gary Locke Governor of Washington State		Locke's Remarks: Transcript (PBS)	SOTU: President Bush (PBS)
2002 Democratic Response Richard Gephardt House Minority Leader		Gephardt's Remarks: Transcript (PBS)	SOTU: President Bush
2001 Democratic Response Tom Daschle, Richard Gephardt Senate, House Minority Leaders		Daschle/Gephardt Remarks: Transcript (PBS)	Address: President Bush
2000 Republican Response Bill Frist, Susan Collins Sens. from Tennessee and Maine		Frist/Collins Remarks: Transcript	SOTU: President Clinton
1999 Republican Response Jennifer Dunn, Steve Largent Reps. from Washington and Oklahoma		Dunn/Largent Remarks: Transcript	SOTU: President Clinton
1998 Republican Response Trent Lott Senate Majority Leader		Lott's Remarks: Transcript	SOTU: President Clinton
1997 Republican Response J.C. Watts Congressman from Oklahoma		Watts's Remarks: Transcript (C-SPAN)	SOTU: President Clinton

Producers: Alex Byers, Sarah Lovenheim