USA: U.S. President Barack Obama prepares for his first formal State of the Union address

Record ID: 858211

  • Title: USA: U.S. President Barack Obama prepares for his first formal State of the Union address
  • Date: 26th January 2010
  • Summary: CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, UNITED STATES JANUARY 25, 2010) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) RICHARD PARKER OF HARVARD UNIVERSITY SAYING: "His challenge is to explain why his administration is not stalling, a year into his four year presidency."
  • Embargoed: 10th February 2010 12:00
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  • Location: Usa
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  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVACA9T9QSQTTJ7UR4AA0SB255ME
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  • Story Text: Just a year into his presidency and already in need of a political comeback, U.S. President Barack Obama prepares for his first formal State of the Union address Wednesday (January 27) night when he is expected to deliver a message of economic renewal and job creation in a time of double-digit U.S. unemployment.
    In a State of the Union-like address last year, Obama spoke of high hopes for what could be accomplished with a Democrats in the White House and party control of both houses of Congress.
    "If we put our people back to work and restart the engine of our prosperity; if we confront without fear the challenges of our time and summon that enduring spirit of an America that does not quit, then someday years from now our children can tell their children that this was the time when we performed, in the words that are carved into this very chamber, "something worthy to be remembered," Obama said.
    But a year into his presidency, with his major program on healthcare now on life support, Obama has a very fundamental challenge says Richard Parker of Harvard University. "His challenge is to explain why his Administration is not stalling, a year into his four year presidency," Parker said.
    Obama, who had pledged to work with Republicans, held a town rally in Florida last February with Florida's Republican governor Charlie Crist. "Creating jobs and turning this economy around is a mission that transcends party. When the town is burning, we don't check party labels. Everyone needs to grab a hose," he said.
    But when it came down to voting for an economic stimulus plan, it was passed solely by Democrats.
    Something similar played out on healthcare. While Obama warned that the current healthcare system was straining families, businesses and the government alike, once a plan was crafted it won no republican support.
    Last week, after Obama's Democrats suffered a stunning loss of a Senate seat in Massachusetts -- losing the 60 vote majority needed to pass healthcare, and making it very difficult for the measure already passed by the House and the Senate to find its way into law.
    Republican Bradley Blakeman, who worked as a member of George W. Bush's senior staff says the time has come for Obama to scale down his program. "What you need to do is have small incremental achievements. Achievement will mean greater success down the road. Without it, you are sunk," he said.
    Last Friday, Obama was in Elyria, Ohio, where he vowed to continue to fight for his agenda.
    "And I am not going to walk away just because it's hard. We're going to keep on working to get this done with Democrats, Republicans - anyone who is willing to step up," he said.
    While many analysts agree that Obama will have to reframe his agenda, some analysts say he's unlikely to win much support in the new year from Republicans. "It is always worth trying to be bipartisan. But, we have got a year's history behind us, and I am hard-pressed as an analyst to see that a hand will be extended from the other side of the aisle," Parker said.
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