The constitution says the president is supposed to report to the congress once a year on the state of the union. As much as he dislikes President Obama he should still show up for the speech. Once he is there he doesn’t have to clap, cheer, or agree with anything the President says, But he should show up because that is his job. I personally think that none of the Republicans should clap during the State of the Union Address at all. Even if they agree with him. It just prolongs the speech and gives the President more face time. When they introduce the President they should sit on their hands until the President leaves the room when the speech is over.
The Constitution doesn’t require the report to be delivered as a speech, and I think the first ones were just letters delivered to the Capitol. Maybe Lamborn should’ve just said he’d read the transcript. :-)
Actually, the Constitution does not say the President is to report annually on “the state of the union,” but is say from “time to time.” I wonder why some officeholder has not started having them quarterly to generate public attention and sympathy.