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What should Obama's State of the Union focus on?

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    Debate over what president needs to say

  • Duration 4:40
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President Obama is gearing up now for his State of the Union Address tomorrow night.

-- his approval ratings seemingly on the upswing with the latest poll numbers showing nearly half of those surveyed approve of the job the president's doing.

While 45%.

Disapprove.

This comes after mr.

Obama's reelection victory in November and recent showdowns over the debt and spending issues.

So does -- mean the president has some political momentum building here.

Let's talk about with Chris Wilson a GOP pollster and former executive director of the Texas Republican Party.

And -- -- is a democratic pollster and vice president of Greenburg Quinlan Rosner welcome to both of you.

Thanks happened all right so assume Chris would.

What about -- the president's approval ratings seem to be on the upswing they are higher.

Than the ratings for congress is does that suggest that he has.

The ability maybe your the license to just blast.

The congress and Republicans in particular.

Well I think everybody has rated higher than congress right now I'm not sure that's -- great compare that but.

I do think this is probably the most important speech of the Obama presidency and the question is does he continue to talk about the far left.

-- -- -- he addressed during the inauguration.

Speech or does he pivot to the issues people care about which the economy.

And that's what polls show the voters wanna hear about what is in view of the economy.

And the evidence is not that great you know Nancy plus -- over the weekend saying that the fact we have a spending and bad debt.

Problem is a false argument.

You got -- just bought disbanding the jobs council.

-- I'm -- optimistic but it does appear from what the White House is saying that he's gonna pivot to the economy now but -- evidence so much at this point stern look like a ballet dancer and I hope that he makes right decision.

And -- do you agree that the economy is the number one issue.

It's definitely the -- ownership there's no doubt about that I do disagree that this idea that -- talked about inauguration -- of liberal left wing issues since almost all of them are supported by a majority of Americans.

But I definitely think the economy is a number one for the public and that's where the president's gonna focus tomorrow night.

Well.

The if if the economy is the number one thing and -- he did get reelected essentially.

You know on.

Well I mean Mitt Romney hammered -- on the economy and and President Obama still got reelected.

But he did I don't know they did a great job pointing out jobs becoming we -- the economy start to rebound a half Americans still believe.

We are in recession and so.

This -- got to be the Nixon goes to China have bought time for Obama.

If you were to reach out Republicans he's got the credibility in his own party if we're -- -- large majority his popularity comes from.

It's from -- own base there's nothing wrong that's where should come -- So does your job Republicans does -- try to solve the issue of the -- does he tried.

To create changes in the way in which we -- spending today they can stimulate the economy create jobs and he's going to can do that we'll find out was approaches.

It was more these poll tested platitudes like he did.

In the inauguration we talk a gay rights global war call global warming.

Immigration the thing that mattered a lot of voters -- not everyone what people concerned about the economy does he reach on this busy trying cut spending doesn't trying to cut the deficit.

And -- so -- I think they'll be successful space form.

Andrew the the president got what he wanted in terms of higher tax rates on you know people -- calls millionaires and billionaires.

And congress turned around and spent all of that money on one bill the sandy relief bill so does he then push form.

Higher taxes more more -- you know attack higher taxes on.

On the wealthy in this country.

Well in the last two years we've seen about 2.4 trillion dollars deficit reduction one point seven of that coming from set spending cuts and point seven coming from tax increases on the wealthy.

So I think there's still a lot of need for more revenue from upper income earners and the public agrees with that they.

They wanna see higher taxes still on on the wealthy and they want to see spending cuts to and that's that the president Democrats have put forward.

I think they'll keep talking about taking that balanced approach.

And -- if Republicans keep rejecting that and insisting that there can be no more revenues they're not on the side of the public.

-- wait wait wait quickly where have they put forward spending cuts.

That the president and and and senate Democrats have put forward a balanced plan to move the sequester back.

By a year that split evenly between spending cuts and new revenue.

And Republicans are rejecting that -- it would accept any revenue so the Republican position right now is basically.

They would rather have the sequester happen they would rather have it tanked the economy and undermine our national security than agree to any more revenue increases and a compromise.

And I think -- you know the -- gonna see through that sort of in yet extremist position.

Well the the president I mean in the sequester proposal came from the White House so if if it goes into effect the president is essentially taking his own medicine.

And it was supported by 75% of the Republican House caucus parent -- -- -- Chris Wilson thank you -- Thank you thank you.

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