Whenever the President gives the State of the Union Address, there is one cabinet member who is dubbed the “Designated Survivor” and does not attend. This is done so that, should some disaster (God forbid) befall the Capitol, there will still be someone in the line of succession to assume the Presidency. So that person stays at home and watches the speech on TV (or does something else).
Very often, at weddings, I’m made the “Designated Survivor” and given the kibbud of staying at home.
The Wolf