President Obama Delivers the State of the Union Address
Obama kicked off his State of the Union address with a nod to Gabrielle Giffords, a call for unity, and good economic news. Watch the speech live here.
Carolyn Kaster / AP Photo,Carolyn Kaster
Watch Obama's State of the Union speech live here. Plus, read the transcript and join The Daily Beast’s live State of the Union chat.
Obama's State of the Union address has been a call to new to a new level of greatness. Sporting a purple tie, speaking to a chamber of legislators in a politically mixed seating arrangement, the president made a push for innovation and education, saying, "What we can do—what America does better than anyone—is spark the creativity and imagination of our people. We are the nation that put cars in driveways and computers in offices; the nation of Edison and the Wright brothers; of Google and Facebook." Despite the evening's conciliatory tone, the president didn't shy away from a bit of confrontation. Calling for an end to federal subsidies for oil companies, he said, "Instead of subsidizing yesterday's energy, let's invest in tomorrow's," adding, "I don't know if you've noticed, but they're doing just fine on their own."
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