State Of The Union 2009: Obama's First Address To Congress Tuesday

Barack Obama struck a note of optimism Tuesday evening, declaring that America's best days are ahead even if, at this moment, the future looks bleak.

Watch:

But while our economy may be weakened and our confidence shaken; though we are living through difficult and uncertain times, tonight I want every American to know this: We will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before.

The weight of this crisis will not determine the destiny of this nation. The answers to our problems don't lie beyond our reach. They exist in our laboratories and universities; in our fields and our factories; in the imaginations of our entrepreneurs and the pride of the hardest-working people on Earth. Those qualities that have made America the greatest force of progress and prosperity in human history we still possess in ample measure. What is required now is for this country to pull together, confront boldly the challenges we face, and take responsibility for our future once more.

The resilient tone stands in some contrast to the largely realist message that Obama struck during his inaugural address.

In addition to providing Obama a forum to strike a commanding and assuring note with the American public, Tuesday night's address also represents a chance for the president to set the legislative agenda for the weeks ahead. The Republican response, as delivered by Gov. Bobby Jindal, will actually criticize Obama for pessimism - in what seems to be a direct contrast to what Obama actually plans to say.

"A few weeks ago," reads an excerpt of Jindal's speech, "the President warned that our nation is facing a crisis that he said 'we may not be able to reverse.' Our troubles are real, to be sure. But don't let anyone tell you that we cannot recover - or that America's best days are behind her."

The guest list for First Lady Michelle Obama's box:

Mrs. Michelle Obama

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Dr. Jill Biden

Leonard Abess Jr., CEO, City National Bank of Florida (Miami, FL)

Ty'Sheoma Bethea, Student (Dillon, SC)

Elizabeth Carballo, Student (Washington, DC)

Richard G. DeCoatsworth, Police Officer (Philadelphia, PA)

Earl Devaney, Chair, Recovery Act Transparency and Accountability Board

Mayor Bob Dixson (Greensburg, KS)

Governor Jim Douglas (Montpelier, VT)

Mary Henley (Richmond, VA)

SPC Jonathon N. James, US Army (Mountain View, AR)

Valerie B. Jarrett, Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Liaison

Blake Jones, Co-Founder and President, Namaste Solar (Boulder, CO)

Shannon Kendall (Georgetown, TX)

Victoria Kirby, Student (Washington, DC)

Geneva Lawson, Safe-Deposit Custodian, City National Bank of Florida (Miami, FL)

Lilly Ledbetter (Jacksonville, AL)

General Alfonso E. Lenhardt, US Army (Washington, DC)

Roxanna Garcia Marcus, Development Manager, Year Up (Washington, DC)

Abbey Meacham, Firefighter (Forest, VA)

Akrem Muzemil, Student (Washington, DC)

Sergeant John E. Rice, USMC (Bethesda, MD)

Juan Francisco Rodriguez, Student, Bell Multicultural High School (Washington, DC)

Phil Schiliro, Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs

Alvaro Simmons, Chief Operating Officer, Mary's Center (Washington, DC)

Governor Ted Strickland (Columbus, OH)

The video will be live here:

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs previewed President Obama's address on "Good Morning America" Tuesday. Asked about Bill Clinton's advice to be more optimistic about the economy, Gibbs responded, "You'll hear the president tell Americans that ... better days are ahead." Watch:

President Obama is delivering his first State of the Union-like address on Tuesday. McClatchy says there are three key questions facing the nation's leader:

First, will he reach out to the Republicans who have felt free to scorn him, or match his popularity against theirs and try to slap them back?

Second, how specific will he be about his plans for the coming days? Will he propose nationalizing troubled banks or lay the groundwork for such a dramatic action? Will he use his first proposed budget this week to advance a campaign to overhaul the nation's health-care system?

Third, will he continue the warnings he's used so far to prod Congress to follow his lead on rescuing the economy, or will he employ a more upbeat voice and say help is on the way?

AP adds some context on what Obama plans to discuss:

The president is expected to show Americans how all the pieces fit together to make the economy sound again. There's the $787 billion just-signed stimulus bill, plus an even more expensive mix of rescues for the financial industry, auto companies and troubled mortgage holders.

He will touch on other priorities he says fit into the bigger picture. Potentially eye-popping expensive plans to broaden health care coverage to eventually insure everyone. Moving the country toward greener energy sources. Expanding education opportunities. Overhauling financial industry regulation.

And, he is all but certain to talk about the national debt and budget woes, stressing the need to get what he calls "exploding deficits" under control by controlling spending. His upcoming budget request will include his goal to slice the estimated $1.3 trillion annual deficit in half by the end of his first term.

The speech is not formally called a State of the Union, AP reports, because Obama is not considered to have had enough time in the White House yet to deliver a full status report. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi formally invited President Obama to address Congress. The full letter:

President Barack Obama The White House Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

We greatly appreciate your support for the legislation we have sent you to guarantee fair pay for women and expanded health care for children, and for your leadership as we work to finalize an economic recovery bill, which we will send you shortly.

This Congress and your Administration have truly hit the ground running, but our hard work has just begun. We would like to invite you to address a Joint Session of the Congress on Tuesday, February 24 to share your vision for addressing the many critical challenges our country faces at home and abroad.

Thank you for considering this invitation to speak to the Congress and the nation. We look forward to your reply.

Sincerely,

NANCY PELOSI HARRY REID
Speaker of the House Majority Leader of the Senate

Comments

[jadeba]

I'm so tired of pundits criticizing POTUS for not being "positive"enough. No one ever mentions how the party of "no" is affecting the whole debate. They're the prophets of doom and gloom. They don't have to be happy about the stim but they could tone it down a notch or two. They want the stim to fail because they couldn't care less about any of us.

[IRememberClifford]

One cannot be sure whether Obama’s plan is going to have it’s intended effects or not (probably won’t) but one things undeniable - it’s going to cause the national debt to just soar to such dangerous levels. The prognosis is not for the faint hearted. Unless of course you’re of the good-hearted variety (like me) that is waiting with baited breath for the day when The USA can no longer AFFORD TO drop bombs on rural areas from robot planes (drones) that may or may not have men defending their villages and way of life (otherwise known as “militants” in US-speak), killing 2-3 of these men, along with 15 women and children in the process. If the collapse of the US economy helps bring those human rights violations to an end (and many dozens of others currently happening as we speak) then it should be a good thing for the other 96%, eh?

New Third World
www.thirdworldnation.wordpress.com

[Truth4Voters]

Thank you President Obama. Thank you for putting Americans first.

PS. Please don't forget to throw Bush, Cheney and Rove in the clink.

[Shashi0224]

Better days arrived on January 20th, 2009 when intelligence and compassion re-entered the White House.
Thank you President Obama!!

[Hovey1127]

Obama:
My fellow Americans, I am here today to clarify the situation we are in today and in coming years. The party is over, everybody Out Of The Pool! Last call was two months ago, now pay your tabs and be on your way. Don't drink and drive, but you may want to drink in the next year, alot.

[Lionsden]

Better days ahead with the Robert Mugabe wannabe, Barack Obama!!

Whoopie! Central planning, more wars, and the destruction of a once prosperous nation.

[Hovey1127]

What? Are you even living on this planet?

[skmbho]

Don't honor these tro!!s by giving them reason to put down their negative rhetoric. They are trying to perpetuate fear and negativism in the misguided belief that it is only a matter of time until they are back in charge. Sad really.

[rhettisha]

Please explain how Obama is a Mugabe wannabe? The destruction of our prosperous nation began with Ronald Reagan; Obama is just trying to fix things. Give him some time, he's only been President for a month.

[Irmanator]

If anyone can steer the world out of the Bush Depression, Barack Obama can.

[solid]

Wow, talk about a nervous tic motion of the head to the left. Get some help dude!

[PATina]

Please.... that's an insult to the people of Zimbabwe and what they have and are going through. You would be DEAD or in JAIL if Obama were like Mugabe because in that country it is ILLEGAL to speak out against the President. Do you even know how many women have lost husbands... and have been raped by the ZANU-PF (Mugabe's party) because they dared to oppose Mugabe???

it's one thing to criticize Obama.... which you are more than entitled to do... but to compare our situations to what those people over there are going through is WRONG !!!!!!

[dadw5boys]

At ;east we know there will be no lies about WMD'S, treason, or fear mongering about "The Terrorist are comming The Terrorist are comming".

Heck HEART DISEASE kills more Americans each year than Terrorist ever have.

Yet we have no " WAR ON HEART DISEASE " !

[SeanGardner]

Obama's speech will score big ratings. I can't wait.

[mergina]

What good is a speech when it is being pre-billed as b.s.?

[Eyeswideopen1]

Turn off Fox Noise and change your diapers. Problem solved.

[solid]

C'mon be nice. Grown up bedwetters called them "Depends".

[DrPneumann]

I wonder if he will address why he campaigned so hard and promised America he would look into the Bush administration's practice of "state secrets", rendition, torture, human rights, etc., etc, etc...

Wouldn't get my HOPEs up though....

[Osmona]

Because right now the "economy" is top priority. People are losing their homes, 401k, jobs, etc. He has to explain how this stimulus package is going to work. The Bush/Cheney mob has to wait until his "official" State of the Union. Which usually takes place after the 1st year. This President is doing everything he can to get us back on balance. Give him a year or two and then pass judgement. But I guess some people have to criticize.

[Independent voter]

American soldiers are still dying in the desert while Obama fiddles. This is apparently not important to you, but in the not too distant past it was important to Obama:

From a videotape, October 27, 2007

PRES. OBAMA: I will promise you this, that if we have not gotten our troops out by the time I am president, it is the first thing I will do. I will get our troops home, we will bring an end to this war. You can take that to the bank.

[DrJohnnySkeptic]

Let's hope so. I voted for the man, but I want to see him fulfill the promises he made to this country. We all want to see justice and if he's not going to charge Bush with war crimes - as well as other promises - he's approving the actions of the Bush administration. If he does this, Obama himself should be charged with war crimes.

If I had known that this BS was going to go on, I would've voted for Hilary.

[Shashi0224]

He's been in office for one month. The economy is in the toilet. Can we give the guy a minute?? Come on people, let's get real here.

[simplify]

You can always tell when people are being disingenuos about voting for Obama and only month in office and they are ready to bail...

[Shashi0224]

First things first. We HAVE to get the economy under control or else nothing else will matter.

[chocolatecity]

Eric Holder is looking at these policies. He just got to Gitmo YESTERDAY. He just got confirmed a few weeks ago. Obama signed an executive order to start closing Gitmo, and restricts extraordinary renditions. But what exactly should we do with folks who we can't charge, and who's country either doesn't want them or will surely torture them? I'm willing to admit that I don't know what we should do with these folks. Any suggestions?

[mtc75]

Congress Must Improve Oversight of Government Programs. Congress has a fundamental duty to conduct meaningful oversight on the effectiveness of government programs, not use every hearing as an opportunity for political grandstand­ing.Earmar­king must end. To eliminate these wasteful projects and pay-offs to special interests,there should be an immediate moratorium on the earmarking system and reform the appropriations process through full transparency. Tax dollars must be distributed on the basis of clear nationwide priorities, not on a politician’s seniority or party position.An adoption of a Balanced Budget Amendment to require a balanced federal budget every year.

[mtc75]

The Constitution assigns the federal government no role in local education, but Washington’s authority over the nation’s schools has increased dramatically. In less than a decade, annual federal funding has shot up 41 percent to almost $25 billion, while the regulatory burden on our state and local governments has risen by about 6.7 million hours – and added $141 million in costs – during that time. I call for a review of Department of Education programs and administration to identify and eliminate ineffective programs to better meet state and our local governmental needs.
To get our schools back to the basics of learning, I will support initiatives with requirements for effective standards, assessments, and public reporting to ensure transparency. Local educators must be free to end ineffective programs and reallocate resources where they are most needed.

[Mike4Obama]

Yeah and the constitution doesn't mention funding an Air Force either so by your logic we should get rid of them ASAP!

[postman606]

The Constitution is a framework from over two-hundred years ago. It was comprised of the S.O.S, Sec. of Treasury, Sec. of War, Attorney General. I know some of you nimrods would like to get in a Way Back machine and ride a horse through the 13 colonies, but I don't.

[pewty]

You bring an interesting point. I believe the Right To Bear Arms was written in a time when people neede to fear being eaten by a bear, scalped by Indians, or invaded by the Brits....etc It was necessary for survival. In case we havent noticed , thing have changed. I dont understand why anyone woulld need an AK47 , let alone 20-30 guns. If you need an m16 to kill a rabbit maybe you should take up a new sport. I believe the 10 Comandment could use a revision also. I work with severly emotionall disturbed and abused children. I do not put a lot of credence in th Honor Thy Mother and Father comandment. Half the kids in this facility would not need to be here if their parents would not try to have sex with them , force them to do drugs and drink, and beat them for no other reason but pleasure. Yes we need to update these founding principals. But the Religious zealots would skin me for this herecy

[PATina]

I agree w/ Mike. Things are so different from when the Contstitution was first written. Some things should only be changed by amendment (i.e. Presidential term limits)... other things, like an Air Force and Education, are just common sense things that can and should be changed by the normal legislative process. We need to have the Federal gov't. involved in education to create a more equal opportunity for all of our students.

[highflag]

What an odd sensation! Actually looking forward to our President speaking to the country.

Sean Penn called him "elegant" in his Oscar speech. I like that...

[logic63]

I agree with you, I have avoided previous adminstraion speeches for many years.

[Shashi0224]

Today is my birthday and listening to President Obama speak to the nation will be the icing on my cake. Having an intelligent President once again - it's just amazingly great!!

[pewty]

Happy birthday Shashi!!!!

[mtc75]

Neither the Democrats or the Republicans can handle the truth, we are on the road to nowhere.
government is not the answer to our problems; the people are.President obama are you listening, no one should ever pretend or insist that government is a substitute for family or community.
Short-term politics overshadow the long-term interests of our country.
Conservation does not mean deprivation; it means efficiency and achieving more with less. Today we endeavor to conserve fossil fuels, whether in their cars or in their home heating, but we can do better. We can construct better buildings, use smarter thermostats and transmission grids, increase recycling, and make energy-efficient consumer purchases. Wireless communications, for example, can increase telecommuting options and cut back on business travel. My goal is to ensure that all citizens have more conservation options that will enable them to make the best choices for their families.

[Osmona]

Provisions for those items are in the stim package.

[mgray34]

Sounds like Obama's platform...what's the beef. Ween yourself off of Fox noise.

[pewty]

mtc75....jeez what a prophet of gloom. Bet your a real hoot at a party.

[Ged2012]

What makes Obama such an exceptional politician is that he keeps everyone guessing, including the Democratic Party. The more he becomes too obvious with what he wants, the more that he would feed fodder to the GOP to attack him.

He was able to beat Hillary Clinton. The entire GOP is no match to what he had been through with his Secretary of State. They want him to lose his cool to expose any weakness of his, but he never budges.

[Independent voter]

Unfortunately America needs an exceptional leader and not an exceptional politician. Obama may become that leader, but it takes more than talk.

[Hovey1127]

There is no doubt he is leading and leading well. Say all you want about whether you agree or not with his direction. He is taking a direction putting plans into action and showing leadership.

[mgray34]

Well at least he's doing something. You never got that sense from the last 8 years. At least we don't have a president where the puppet master behind him is pulling his strings.