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Expected themes in Obama's State of the Union

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    Can president move nation forward?

  • Duration 4:07
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Politics now is -- feet.

President Obama's State of the Union Address tonight we are seeing just how much the president's approval ratings have shifted since he first addressed the nation.

According to a new Fox News poll today only about half of all US voters approve of the president's job performance.

That's an improvement from around this time the time of last year's State of the Union Address but a decline.

From when the president first addressed congress back in 2009 which by the way was not.

A State of the Union Address because incoming presidents are not required to delivered.

A status report so soon after taking office.

Doug Brinkley is here now he's a presidential historian and professor of history at Rice University good to see you.

Thanks for having me so let's talk about this.

When a -- don't -- -- -- if there's any State of the Union Address -- from recent history that perhaps President Obama will want to channel.

In terms of layout and message and that said what are you expecting the president to -- -- -- go over his to do list and set the tone for his second term.

What they do with the White House is read go a lot of other a state of the union addresses for some in history that have been very Connecticut important.

Going back to you James Munro an 1823 with the Holman road doctor.

Protection of the Western Hemisphere was from state of the union Lyndon Johnson.

Launched its war on poverty and -- state of the union and George W.

Bush famously with the axis of evil pointing out Iraq Iran.

And now North Korea's being our girl -- seminal in the main enemies.

-- there moments when the states of the union matter but this one is gonna have to be focused on jobs.

Unemployment how to get the economy going again.

President Obama did not touch on that -- during his inaugural address so everybody's expecting.

We'll try to make this a major economic statement and also deal with new town and gun control this key components of this address.

In -- in the president did is believed to expected to rally the troops get the Americans involved in a democratic process so.

How does he rally congress and get them engaged in the process of law making.

We you know state of being civic unions have changed -- Thomas Jefferson would just write them.

And never deliver them but when television came starting with Harry Truman these have become TV spectacles we're all watching who's sitting in the peanut gallery.

Who's standing who's not who's clapping who isn't.

It's theatrics tonight.

He's having a hard time doing business with congress so in many ways this really isn't talking to congress he's talking the American people in their living room.

It needs to move them forward on his vision of of how to create jobs in America.

Clean energy jobs infrastructure.

On that's also an opportunity for him to thank the troops in Afghanistan in.

Our and our troops all over the world that's usually the one crowd pleaser where everybody stands and applause when you.

They take you to the troops but we've got a big crisis coming in March looming over economy with the sequestration.

And this will be seen in history as how Obama was trying to make his sale.

Arm for his economic program and what we need to do with the depth right now -- what will have to see whether or tracks or not.

And -- with that said how much do you think.

The president's legacy will be on his mind tonight.

Well I don't know but so much this why I think the second inaugural assault legacy was about you know sell months Stonewall and you know senate cub falls putting him in the social justice movement I think this one is down to business I mean he's got to deal with these economic crisis at hand.

So it's really about what do we do to jumpstart the economy more right now so I think it's a less of a legacy speech that I.

A way to motivate the American public can really -- indicator we're gonna have.

Is what kind of rise he gets in.

Beyond in the polls and also Marco Rubio denied making -- response many people think he's a potential front runner for the Republican nomination.

In 2016.

So I'm I think -- listening to rubio will be of great interest also okay well we will be watching Douglas Brinkley thank you very much for your.

Your time this morning.

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