With all that's happened during the past year, it's hard to believe that Barack Obama has yet to deliver his first address on the State of the Union. One day before that address, Obama faces a grim outlook on the economy and the mid-term elections. Wall Street's not lending, and unemployment threatens the middle class. The benefits from the stimulus package get less attention than the deficit. The Republican upset in Massachusetts has healthcare reform on life support, and Democrats from other states are declining to stand for re-election. With his own approval ratings on the decline, can one of America's most gifted orators turn things around?
A Grim Backdrop Ahead of the State of the Union
Credits
Guests:
- John Mercurio - The Hotline
- Jonathan Cohn - Senior National Correspondent at Huffington Post, where he writes about health care politics and policy; author of “The Ten Year War: Obamacare and the Unfinished Crusade for Universal Coverage” - @CitizenCohn
- Philip Klein - Washington Examiner - @philipaklein
- Tom Schaller - professor of political science at University of Maryland, Baltimore County