[1] As the first female Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi is also the first woman in American history to stand on the podium during a State of the Union address.

[2]Attorney General Alberto Gonzales was not present because traditionally a member of the President's cabinet, a designated survivor, does not attend in order to ensure presidential succession in the event of an emergency.

Bush supported "laws that are fair and borders that are secure" in regards to immigration, suggesting a temporary worker program, stating that, "[a]s a result, they won't have to try to sneak in".

Bush asked Congress to work to reduce gasoline usage in the United States by 20 percent over the next ten years, and recommended research into alternative fuels.

Bush specifically named plug-in hybrid vehicles as part of his "advanced energy initiative" to help end the United States "addiction to oil."

Bush asked Congress to give future federal court nominees a "fair hearing", and a "prompt up-or-down vote on the Senate floor."

He spoke of developing a volunteer Civilian Reserve Corps which could help ease the burden on military personnel: "It would give people across America who do not wear the uniform a chance to serve in the defining struggle of our time.

Then, he introduced Wesley Autrey who, three weeks prior, saved a man with epilepsy from being run down by a New York City Subway train.

He emphasized that corporate profits are not being fairly shared, stating that chief executive officers make over 400 times that of workers, on average.

[4] Steve Kubby, a California politician and declared candidate for the 2008 presidential election, delivered an unofficial response to the address for the Libertarian Party.