Newswise — President Obama will use his State of the Union address in February to remind Americans that he inherited a collapsing economy, two wars and a broken intelligence system that was never fixed after 9-11 from the Republicans -- specifically President Bush and Vice President Cheney. So says an Iowa State University political scientist.
"He [Obama] will lament the Republican blockade of most of his legislative initiatives especially health reform and call them 'The Party of NO,' said Steffen Schmidt, a University Professor of political science at Iowa State who also serves as a political commentator for CNN en Español, Iowa Public Radio and The Des Moines Register.
"He will then outline how he saved the economy from a second great depression, how he’s winding down the 'optional' war in Iraq -- with US casualties drastically down -- and why the U.S. is returning to the 'necessary' war in Afghanistan to stabilize that country and Pakistan," he continued. "He will explain why health care reform was urgently necessary to stem the financial bleeding of the nation in skyrocketing health costs in order to bring health care to the millions who are not covered."
Schmidt also sees Obama inviting some guests in a “feel good show and tell” to the State of the Union address.
"They will be sitting with Michelle Obama and are folks who will now receive health care -- a soldier who has shown exceptional heroism in Afghanistan, a child in a school that is now showing impressive gains in test scores and learning thanks to new funding," Schmidt said.
A key emphasis of Obama's State of the Union, according to Schmidt, will be his administration's rapid and decisive response to the threat of terrorism -- a topic that he says worked very well for eight years for the previous administration. By February, Schmidt forecasts even greater alarm about Al Qaeda and other terrorist cells -- including domestic and European recruits -- so it will become crucial for Obama to one-up the previous administration on this issue.
"He may even criticize Bush for releasing Guantanamo detainees who have now become terrorist leaders in Yemen and other places," he said. "He will no doubt also outline what options remain to discourage Iran from completing its nuclear development program and he will outline why this poses a threat to the Middle East and could even trigger a Latin American nuclear arms race in Venezuela, Brazil, and perhaps Argentina."
Schmidt believes the president will close with an outline of his plans for strengthening the economy and how he will work with banks and business to jump-start job creation. "That's the biggest problem facing Americans at home and facing Democrats in November of 2010 when all members of the House and a third of the Senate are up for re-election." he said.
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