[Moose4]

camera focused on an Air Force Lt. Col (female) in the gallery, she appeared somewhat uncomfortable (figeted) as the camera focused in on her, my thought was... "who is this ?" never found out, perhaps this was the subject person in question ?

That's got to be her. LTC Martha McSally, I think.

Now I'm extremely curious as to why she was invited. You wouldn't think filing a lawsuit against your employer (the US military) would exactly be grounds for getting a VIP pass to the State of the Union address. I'm guessing it's W taking a very subtle swipe at the House of Saud--something like "OK, guys, you are not going to make our women run around like second-class citizens while they're over there protecting you from Crazy Saddam, capiche?" That's the only reason I can think of that she'd be there, unless she was just being shown off as the oft-mentioned "highest-ranking female pilot in the Air Force."

}:-)4

[freepersup]

good catch and summation, until now I hadn't given much thought to the meaning of her presence in the gallery, not sure what the POTUS was discussing when the camera sought out this female Lt.Col., now wondering if it was related to Saudi demands on same

[Southern Federalist]

I'm convinced that there is more going on with McSally than we know. There are people jumping to conclude that she is a typical feminazi, but there are things that just don't add up with that picture:

She's being represented by a religious right, extremely socially conservative public interest legal foundation. Far more ideological than, say, Klayman. And you know that there are thousands of feminist law communes that would love to be handling this case.

A big part of her case is that the regulation is a violation of religious freedom. Many on the Left are worried about that, because it would strengthen the "free exercise" clause and provide precedents for religious groups that don't want to be forced to hire gay staff under equal employment laws, etc.

Immediately after she filed suit, five Republican Senators including Jesse Helms petitioned the DOD to drop the regulation.

I'm not entirely convinced that her employer is too upset with this lawsuit.

[Spyder]

Now I'm extremely curious as to why she was invited. You wouldn't think filing a lawsuit against your employer (the US military) would exactly be grounds for getting a VIP pass to the State of the Union address

I read somewhere she was the guest of some Democrat congressman from NJ.