The President’s State of the Union address is tonight. One North Texas professor and political author says it’ll be a campaign speech this year – listing past accomplishments and goals. But as KERA’s BJ Austin reports, it’s the “present” that’s on most peoples’ minds.
Dr. James Mueller is an associate professor of journalism at the University of North Texas and the author of books on George W. Bush and Bill and Hillary Clinton. He says those who tune into the speech tonight will hear part State of the Union, part campaign stump speech.
Mueller: I think the main thing he’s going to do is contrast himself with the Republicans.
Dr. Mueller says he doesn’t expect a majority of voters in Texas, a RED state, will give the speech very high marks. Mueller says the economy trumps everything else, and how the President addresses jobs will be key to any “State of the Union” bounce in the polls.
Mueller: You know when the economy is bad, it doesn’t matter how well the President delivers a message. People vote and they react based on what they see in their own lives and their own communities.
Following the speech, the White House website is hosting a panel discussion that will take questions via Twitter, Facebook or GooglePlus.
