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| State of the Union: Obama to focus on economy | State of the Union: Obama to focus on economy |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| President Barack Obama's annual State of the Union speech later will focus on his plans for reviving the sluggish US economy, say White House officials. | President Barack Obama's annual State of the Union speech later will focus on his plans for reviving the sluggish US economy, say White House officials. |
| Before a television audience of millions, the Democratic president is also expected to address thorny issues such as immigration and gun control. | |
| Correspondents say he will lay out the agenda for his final four years, with an eye on his second-term legacy. | Correspondents say he will lay out the agenda for his final four years, with an eye on his second-term legacy. |
| Florida Senator Marco Rubio will deliver the Republican party response. | Florida Senator Marco Rubio will deliver the Republican party response. |
| Mr Obama will speak in the House of Representatives at 21:00 on Tuesday (02:00 GMT Wednesday). | Mr Obama will speak in the House of Representatives at 21:00 on Tuesday (02:00 GMT Wednesday). |
| Correspondents say the president has only about a year before Washington's focus switches to the 2014 mid-term elections, when the party in the White House usually loses congressional seats. | Correspondents say the president has only about a year before Washington's focus switches to the 2014 mid-term elections, when the party in the White House usually loses congressional seats. |
| Gallery guests | Gallery guests |
| With millions of Americans still out of work, Mr Obama's prescriptions for the lethargic US economy are expected to dominate his speech. | With millions of Americans still out of work, Mr Obama's prescriptions for the lethargic US economy are expected to dominate his speech. |
| The White House sees this speech as the second act in a single play - the curtain-raiser was the inaugural address. | The White House sees this speech as the second act in a single play - the curtain-raiser was the inaugural address. |
| President Obama used that speech to passionately argue his liberal agenda springs from America's highest values. He demanded action on a whole range of issues, including climate change, gay rights and gun control. Tonight, his focus will be on the economy - and his belief that growth comes from the middle-class instead of trickling down from the top. | President Obama used that speech to passionately argue his liberal agenda springs from America's highest values. He demanded action on a whole range of issues, including climate change, gay rights and gun control. Tonight, his focus will be on the economy - and his belief that growth comes from the middle-class instead of trickling down from the top. |
| I expect him to be just as confrontational, probably telling Congress they cannot risk wrecking the recovery with severe cuts. The White House has already said he'll talk about bringing troops home from Afghanistan, but that's to get a headline now, so it doesn't dominate later coverage. But the world has a nasty way of intruding on president's plans, and I will be watching to see how much he says about North Korea's provocative nuclear test. | I expect him to be just as confrontational, probably telling Congress they cannot risk wrecking the recovery with severe cuts. The White House has already said he'll talk about bringing troops home from Afghanistan, but that's to get a headline now, so it doesn't dominate later coverage. But the world has a nasty way of intruding on president's plans, and I will be watching to see how much he says about North Korea's provocative nuclear test. |
| White House press secretary Jay Carney said on Monday the president would outline his plans to help working families. | White House press secretary Jay Carney said on Monday the president would outline his plans to help working families. |
| Mr Obama's economic blueprint is likely to have a familiar ring - he pledged during last year's election campaign to create a million manufacturing jobs during his second term. | Mr Obama's economic blueprint is likely to have a familiar ring - he pledged during last year's election campaign to create a million manufacturing jobs during his second term. |
| He will also call for federal investment in infrastructure, clean energy and education, the White House has signalled. | He will also call for federal investment in infrastructure, clean energy and education, the White House has signalled. |
| But Republicans are strongly opposed to increased government spending, amid a rancorous political divide over how to tame the US budget deficit. | But Republicans are strongly opposed to increased government spending, amid a rancorous political divide over how to tame the US budget deficit. |
| The gun control debate, which flared up again after December's school massacre in Connecticut, will play out on the balconies above the rostrum where the president will speak. | The gun control debate, which flared up again after December's school massacre in Connecticut, will play out on the balconies above the rostrum where the president will speak. |
| First Lady Michelle Obama will sit with the parents of a Chicago teenage band majorette shot and killed just days after performing at last month's presidential inauguration. | First Lady Michelle Obama will sit with the parents of a Chicago teenage band majorette shot and killed just days after performing at last month's presidential inauguration. |
| Republican Representative Steve Stockman of Texas says he has invited musician Ted Nugent, a staunch gun-control opponent who remarked last year he would be "dead or in jail" if Mr Obama were re-elected. | Republican Representative Steve Stockman of Texas says he has invited musician Ted Nugent, a staunch gun-control opponent who remarked last year he would be "dead or in jail" if Mr Obama were re-elected. |
| Conservative divisions | |
| The White House has proposed a ban on certain weapons and on high-capacity ammunition magazines, as well as universal background checks on gun buyers. But analysts say only the last of those measures stands much chance politically. | The White House has proposed a ban on certain weapons and on high-capacity ammunition magazines, as well as universal background checks on gun buyers. But analysts say only the last of those measures stands much chance politically. |
| In his State of the Union speech, Mr Obama will announce the withdrawal of 34,000 US troops from Afghanistan by next year, White House officials say. | In his State of the Union speech, Mr Obama will announce the withdrawal of 34,000 US troops from Afghanistan by next year, White House officials say. |
| Correspondents also expect him to address Tuesday's nuclear test by North Korea, which Mr Obama has already branded a "highly provocative act". | Correspondents also expect him to address Tuesday's nuclear test by North Korea, which Mr Obama has already branded a "highly provocative act". |
| Supporters of equality for gays and action to tackle climate change will be watching closely, after Mr Obama mentioned those issues in his inaugural address last month. | Supporters of equality for gays and action to tackle climate change will be watching closely, after Mr Obama mentioned those issues in his inaugural address last month. |
| Mr Obama will take to the road in the coming days to push his economic recovery proposals, stopping in the US states of North Carolina, Georgia and in his hometown of Chicago, Illinois. | Mr Obama will take to the road in the coming days to push his economic recovery proposals, stopping in the US states of North Carolina, Georgia and in his hometown of Chicago, Illinois. |
| Senator Rubio, a possible 2016 Republican presidential candidate, is expected to attack Mr Obama's economic policies, as he delivers his party's official riposte. | Senator Rubio, a possible 2016 Republican presidential candidate, is expected to attack Mr Obama's economic policies, as he delivers his party's official riposte. |
| The Cuban-American, who will make his address in English and Spanish, may find common ground with the president on immigration. Senator Rubio champions reform, albeit a more scaled-down version than the White House plan for a path to citizenship. | The Cuban-American, who will make his address in English and Spanish, may find common ground with the president on immigration. Senator Rubio champions reform, albeit a more scaled-down version than the White House plan for a path to citizenship. |
| Underscoring conservative divisions, immediately after the Rubio speech Kentucky Senator Rand Paul will deliver the Tea Party's rebuttal to Mr Obama's address. | Underscoring conservative divisions, immediately after the Rubio speech Kentucky Senator Rand Paul will deliver the Tea Party's rebuttal to Mr Obama's address. |