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Questions on the State of the Union

 

Watch the President’s address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, Jan. 27 at 9:00.  It will be broadcast on the networks, PBS, and cable news stations as well as C-Span.  There will be a Republican response after the President’s address.  You are not required to watch the Republican response, but it would be helpful.  If you can’t watch the SOTU, you should tape it and watch it later.  You probably can also find webcasts later in the evening on C-Span and other news sites.  It will also be at the White House website.  http://www.whitehouse.gov/

 

Be your own instant pundit by answering the following questions on the President’s State of the Union.

 

1. How does the President juxtapose the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as the fight against terrorism with his domestic agenda?  Is the speech evenly balanced between the two or does one predominate?

 

 

 

 

 

2. How does the President characterize the general condition of the country?

 

 

 

 

3. Which comment or comments draw the most positive response from the audience (Congress)? Do you think the public would be accord with the Congress’s reaction?  Why or why not?

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Which comment or comments could be the most controversial?  Why or why not?

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Is there any aspect of the President’s speaking style and rhetoric that is particularly effective or ineffective?  Does he make use of individuals in the audience or in anecdotes?  Is this effective?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(over)

6.  How does the President recognize setbacks that his agenda has faced in the past year?  Is he effective in doing so?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. What do you think will be the most memorable quote from the speech?  What points will the pundits be making in the days to come about the president’s speech?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. The President will probably talk about his initiatives for the coming year.  Keep a running list as you listen.  Put a star by the ones that you think he has the most probability of putting into action?  Put an X by the ones that you think have not the slightest hope of being enacted. Be prepared to justify your answers.