The Scene at the State of the Union WASHINGTON - There is no protocol to announce a member of the House as she enters the House chamber on the night of the State of the Union address, so Representative Gabrielle Giffords slid in quietly, flanked by two other Arizonans, Representative Jeff Flake, a Republican, and Representative Raúl M. Grijalva, a Democrat, who led her gingerly to her front-row seat on the Democratic side. Ms. Giffords clutched the hands of both lawmakers as applause thundered. Ms. Giffords, wearing an apricot-colored jacket, black pants and sneakers, smiled and shook her left hand, tightened into a small fist, at well-wishers. Representative Louie Gohmert, Republican of Texas, approached Ms. Giffords with candy: one large bag each of almond M & M's and Hershey's chocolates with toffee in the center, two Giffords favorites. She took them cheerfully as her friend Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand, Democrat of New York, standing in the row behind her, gently steadied her by placing her hand on her back. Ms. Giffords, who was badly injured when she was shot in an assassination attempt last January and who is resigning this week for health reasons, also spent some time talking with Representative Jim Langevin, Democrat of Rhode Island, who uses a wheelchair. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton also made a beeline for Ms. Giffords after she entered the chamber, as did Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., who placed his hands on Ms. Giffords's face and kissed her. Her final visitor at her seat was President Obama, whom she clung to, eyes shut, swaying a little, before he kissed her cheek and made his way to the lectern. After the speech, members crowded around Ms. Giffords, and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg stopped by to give her a small pat and a hug. Ms. Giffords received many words of good wishes and appeared to largely respond simply with a "thank you" and a little shake of her fist. Few Second Dates Like so many first dates, some of last year's Congressional matchups - at least on the House side - appear to have ended in tears. Last year, after Ms. Giffords was shot at a constituent event in her home district in Arizona, members were encouraged to find a buddy from the other side of the aisle to sit with during the president's address to Congress. This year, the custom seemed to appeal more to senators than to members of the House. Sure, Representative Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic leader, sat with Representative Roscoe G. Bartlett, Republican of Maryland, and a smattering of other House members sat in bipartisan fashion, often with other members of their state delegation. But otherwise, after a year of partisan rancor, that side of the rotunda was not feeling cozy. "Nobody asked me this time, frankly," said Representative Bill Cassidy, Republican of Louisiana. No one loves me. However, the Senate was full of bipartisan ardor. Senator Lisa Murkowski, Republican of Alaska, sat with Senator Mark Udall, Democrat of Colorado. Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky, sat next to Senator Mary L. Landrieu, Democrat of Louisiana, who sat next to Senator Richard C. Shelby, Republican of Alabama, who sat next to Senator Mark Begich, Democrat of Alaska, who seemed cozy next to Senator Olympia J. Snowe of Maine, a Republican. The seating arrangement was most noticeable when President Obama trotted out lines that Democrats loved, like "nation-building here at home," and they parted from their Republican brethren to stand up and cheer. An "all of the above" energy policy line got them all on their feet. Red, Gray and Blue The State of the Union is a time to show off many things - partisanship, air-kissing skill, policy knowledge - but not, alas, fashion. The male members were generally a sea of blue, dotted by a few spots of gray. Ties were generally of the solid variety, though Representative William Lacy Clay, Democrat of Missouri, broke out with two-tone electric blue and black number. The female members, as ever, stuck to the skirt suit, often in bright red and hitting lower on the calf than those belonging to women in most American cities these days. Shades of melon and burnt sienna had their day in the chamber: Ms. Snowe wore a cantaloupe-colored knit suit; Senator Barbara A. Mikulski, Democrat of Maryland, wore a melon-toned blazer; and Representative Shelley Moore Capito, Republican of West Virginia, wore a tangerine jacket. The fashion star was probably the first lady, Michelle Obama, who wore a royal blue cap-sleeve gown with a sparkling neckline by the designer Barbara Tfank.