“We leave one seat empty in the First Lady’s State of the Union Guest Box for the victims of gun violence who no longer have a voice”, a White House statement read, “because they need the rest of us to speak for them”.
Advertisement
Two college students will be guests of First Lady Michelle Obama for President Obama’s final State of the Union address Tuesday. “That’s what makes America great”.
So here are five things to watch for.
In recent years, the White House has offered a live stream on both its website and its YouTube channel, including “enhanced” versions of the speech that includes statistics, pie charts and other supplemental material. Instead of the usual laundry list of legislative proposals, the speech will be thematic and future-oriented.
“It’s hard to describe what it means to have the ability to influence people to better their lives, but if I can just convince another kid to pursue education, to stay in school and stay out of trouble, what more can I ask for, right?”, Vazquez said.
While Obama’s previous addresses have included calls for Congress to enact legislation on raising the minimum wage, increasing infrastructure spending and ending certain corporate tax breaks, the president is opting for a broader approach as his tenure comes to an end. Senior administration officials said Obama plans to devote part of the speech to his vow to protect the American home front and put the nation on a path to destroying ISIS, a mission aides concede likely won’t be accomplished on his watch. He’ll talk about the dramatic recovery of the auto industry, the improving employment situation and the initiatives he’s taken on his own to combat climate change, enact tougher gun background checks and reopen relations with Cuba. As services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon continue to grow in popularity, the White House believes the stream could reach viewers that may not watch otherwise.
Edith Childs, of Greenwood, South Carolina, was serving on the Greenwood County Council when she and then-Illinois Sen.
As for the content of the speech Obama has signalled that he intends to reflect on some of the most momentous decisions of his presidency.
Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States. Expect to hear more about that on Tuesday night.
The president is expected to cover such topics as gun control, criminal justice reform and immigration as he begins to look forward to his post-presidential legacy.
In an effort to engage viewers during the speech, the White House is planning on amping up this year’s social media efforts. “That’s been on my mind while I’m writing my final State of the Union Address”, he said. But a well-received SOTU can deliver a political boost.
Advertisement
For a president who has leaned heavily – critics say too heavily – on dazzling rhetorical skills to push his agenda, it will be one of the last chances to define his presidency before a national audience.
