This is rapidly approaching the level of bad parody. Apparently, some Republicans are upset that the Democrats actually had the gall to express their disagreement with the President during the State of the Union. Now, it would be almost too easy to demonstrate that this concern for the SOTU address is almost embarrassingly hypocritical.

So let’s do just that:

1999: Republicans Booed Clinton’s Entrance
Many Republican lawmakers gave him a cool, though not impolite, reception.
There were a smattering of boos when Clinton first entered the House
chamber, but they were quickly drowned out by applause. Some Republicans
barely applauded, or refused at all to clap. House Majority Leader Dick
Armey (R-Texas) and U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas) were conspicuously silent.
[Boston Herald, 1/20/99]

1998: Republicans Booed Clinton’s Medicare Proposal
Clinton’s health-care initiatives, chiefly in the form of a medical bill of
rights, found support on both sides, especially his attack on managed-care
health-care plans. … Clinton’s proposal to expand Medicare to allow
Americans as young as 55 to buy into the system drew shouts of “no” and some
boos from Republicans during his speech. [Chicago Tribune, 1/28/98]

1997: Republican’s Booed Clinton’s Opposition to the Balanced Budget
Amendment
The Republican response was far warmer than perhaps any of Clinton’s
previous four State of the Union speeches. Time after time, Republicans
jumped to their feet to join Democrats in applauding the president. Only
once did they unmistakably and collectively show their disapproval–when
Clinton spoke disparagingly of a GOP-sponsored constitutional amendment to
balance the budget. Many Republicans hissed and some booed. [LA Times,
2/5/97]

1995: Republicans Booed Clinton and Walked Out During Speech
The upheaval wrought by the Republican election landslide was visible
throughout the president’s State of the Union address - from the moment
Speaker Newt Gingrich took the gavel to the striking silence that often
greeted Clinton from the GOP. At one point, Republicans even booed. About 20
of them left as Clinton went on and on for an hour and 20 minutes. [AP,
1/24/95]

When did the Republican party turn into such a group of cry-babies? Bush explodes during the debates when faced with a question about his mistake (She thinks I’m not perfect! Waaa!), they cried racism when someone dared to point out that Rice made mistakes and tried to cover them up (Nominating a Black person wasn’t enough to shut the Democrats up — they actually did their jobs! Waaa! Waaa!), and now they throw a hissy-fit when the Democrats dare to openly express their disdain for the Great Leader (Democrats wont shut up and do whatever we want! Waaa! Waaa! Waaa!).

Dear God is it tiresome. This is a democracy — that means people are supposed to let you know that they think you are full of crap. That’s sorta the whole point. If Bush chooses to make the SOTU into a commercial for his policies, then he should just suck it up and deal with the fact that the opposition is going to, quite appropriately, let the world know that his plans are not universally adored. That is the whole point of having an opposition party in the first place.

I swear, by kids whine less than the Republican party. So, please, GOP, do us all a favor , grow up, and at least pretend that you understand how a democracy is supposed to work.

And stop whining, or I will have to send you all to your rooms.