Who Gets to Sit With the First Lady at the State of the Union?

In 2012, Michelle Obama invited several well-known people:

• Mark Kelly, US astronaut, husband of US Rep. Gabby Giffords, and gun control advocate
• Laurene Powell Jobs, a philanthropist and the widow of Steve Jobs
• Mike Krieger, the cofounder of Instagram
• Debbie Bosanek, Warren Buffett's secretary who paid 35.8 percent in taxes compared to Buffett's 17.4 percent
• Julian Castro, mayor of San Antonio, TX
• Navy Adm. William McRaven, United States Special Operations Command
• Air Force Col. Ginger Wallace, an openly gay service member

The guest list reflected priorities including immigration, gun control, innovation, income inequality, and gay rights.