Assessing Obama's 2011 State of the Union
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President Barack Obama went to the battleground state of Wisconsin today to emphasize last night's call for "investment" in clean energy. We hear about the State of the Union address and Republican reaction. On Reporter's Notebook, there was lots of smiling last night on Capitol Hill. We hear the latest research on smiles and how they're perceived by other people.
Banner image: A member of Congress wearing a ribbon in support of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), reads along as President Obama delivers the State of the Union address in the House Chamber on January 25, 2011. Official White House Photo: Pete Souza
Making News
Obama Takes His State of the Union Message on the Road ()
At the Orion Energy Systems plant in Wisconsin today, the President told cheering workers that they represent a major theme from last night's speech to a joint session of Congress. Reporter Michael Shear covered last night's address for the New York Times.
Guests:
- Michael Shear: Political Reporter, New York Times, @shearm
Main Topic
The State of the Union, the GOP and the 2012 Presidential Campaign ()
In his second speech on the State of the Union, Barack Obama told a divided Congress that "contentious" debates are a "good thing" that "robust democracy demands." He also called for a new era of cooperation. Today, at a clean-tech energy company in Wisconsin, Obama re-emphasized last night's theme that "innovation" will create the jobs of the future. But in the official response to his State of the Union address, Republicans said his call for "investment" was a recipe for more government spending. What else did the President tell a divided Congress and the American people? What are the prospects for new legislation and the political future?
President Obama delivers his State of the Union address
Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan delivers the Republican response
Guests:
- Jennifer Psaki: Deputy Press Secretary, White House
- Ari Berman: Contributing Writer, The Nation magazine, @AriBerman
- Rich Galen: Communications Strategist, then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich, @richgalen
- William Galston: Deputy Assistant for Domestic Policy, then-President Clinton
- Robert Schlesinger: Deputy Editor at US News and World Report
Links:
- Republican response by Rep. Paul Ryan (WI)
- Response by Rep. Michele Bachmann (MN)
- Gallup Poll on Americans' opposition to cuts in education, Social Security, defense
- Berman's 'Herding Donkeys: The Fight to Rebuild the Democratic Party and Reshape American Politics'
- Schlesinger's 'White House Ghosts: Presidents and Their Speechwriters'
- US News' assessment of Obama's SOTU
Reporter's Notebook
What's in a Smile? ()
Four years ago, a Russian reporter was interviewing Dr. Paula Niedenthal at her office in Blaise Pascal University in France. When he found out she was American, he said, "American smiles are all false, and French smiles are all true. " That provoked a new project for Niedenthal, who's Director of the National Center for Scientific Research in France.
Guests:
- Paula Niedenthal: Director of Research, National Center for Scientific Research
Links:
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