What to Look for Tonight
First Read: "Many of the themes that President Obama is expected to discuss tonight in his State of the Union address -- the future and competitiveness, job creation, deficit reduction, investments in infrastructure, civility in politics -- aren't new. In fact, they were parts of the State of the Union speech he delivered a year ago. (One example: 'What the American people hope -- what they deserve -- is for all of us, Democrats and Republicans, to work through our differences...') But while tonight's words might not change much, the political environment certainly has. For starters, Republicans now control the House (so it will be John Boehner, not Nancy Pelosi, standing behind Obama tonight), and they've gained additional seats in the Senate, which makes it all but impossible for Democrats to enjoy the same legislative successes they had in '09 and '10.
"The Note: "The White House has also indicated that the president will continue to defend the health care reform law, which Republicans have been seeking to dismantle. The speech will clearly focus on domestic policy, but expect a mention of the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan as well as other looming international and national security issues."See more...
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