Posted on 01/29/2025 11:20:51 PM PST by 11th_VA
At some point during tonight’s State of the Union, President Barack Obama will likely glance up and to the left of his podium, gesture toward the gallery, and mention one of the unknown Americans seated in the first lady’s box. This year their names include Edith Childs and Earl Smith, but insiders have a different name for them: “Skutniks,” in reference to the first everyday American invited by a president to embellish the State of the Union.
Lenny Skutnik was a local hero, a Congressional Budget Office employee who plunged into the frigid Potomac after an Air Florida plane crash and saved the life of Priscilla Tirado, who was struggling to hold on to a helicopter lifeline. The act was captured on television, and President Ronald Reagan capitalized on Skutnik’s heroism by inviting him to sit next to the first lady. When Reagan recognized him during the speech, it set off a decades-long tradition of presidents using ordinary citizens as talking points.
Over the years, “Skutniks” have included a widow of a 9/11 victim and Daniel Hernandez, who saved Gabby Giffords’ life, in addition to some non-ordinary folks such as Afghan president Hamid Karzai and baseball player Sammy Sosa.
But what about the original?
We tracked Lenny Skutnik down at River Ridge, a senior community in Woodbridge, Virginia, where he moved after retiring from the Congressional Budget Office in 2010. Referred to by the CBO as its “most famous employee,” Skutnik now spends his days fishing and watching Chris Matthews and Bill O’Reilly, and—as it turns out—despairing about the state of the union…
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
I nominate Daniel Penny for this year’s SOTU.
When my wife read the early news she said it was a small plane that crashed. It reminded me of Flight 90 and I told my daughter about it, and the heroic rescues. Then looked it up online - iirc 74 dead.
Then reading FR and going back and telling my wife and daughter it wasn’t a “small plane”. I also didn’t realize that this plane also ended up in the river until now.
And Laken’s mom and dad
I was stuck in the snow that day in DC - probably 3 hours listening to rescue efforts.
I second that nomination!
one of the worst cases of pilot error ever. Cant believe all the things that crew did wrong that day.
I would like to see the families of every American that has been killed by illegal immigrants be invited.
I was stuck in traffic on the bridge that day, too.
Add the family of the firefighter Corey Comperatore who died in Butler.
Politico just can't help themselves.
Absolutely… although I get impression that invitation has already been extended.
The story is from 2016...
I was at home that day because of the snow. The plane had been de-iced prior to take off, but there was a delay in the take off, and more ice had accumulated on the wings. The plane crashed because they did not de-ice the wings a second time. At least, that’s what I remember -
Yeah, caught that.
Right on.
Yes, and it happened during one of the rare D.C. snowstorms.
Yes, and it happened during one of the rare D.C. snowstorms. Wasn’t there also a hero who drowned by helping others out of the icy waters?
Lenny Skutnick - the person this old article s about
My bad, “who drowned” … don’t recall
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