The State of the Union ; Obama Offers Plain Speech, Mostly About the Economy

Summary

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Speaking across a political landscape sharpened and scarred by a tumultuous year of partisan fighting, President Obama delivered his first State of the Union address Wednesday to mixed reactions: praise from one side of the aisle, criticism from the other.

That was to be expected. There was some blending, to be sure, but Democrats and Republicans alike are hoping for change this year -- Democrats for a change in political momentum, and Republicans for a change in the power balance in Congress at this fall's elections.

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The State of the Union ; Obama Offers Plain Speech, Mostly About the Economy

Obama's job on this night was to shift the focus to jobs and the economy -- and, beyond that, to provide clarity to a presidential agenda that has bogged down in...

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