Obama Takes This Year’s State of Union to YouTube, Snapchat

White House spokesman Josh Earnest acknowledged economic and security challenges, but said the willingness of Republicans “to exploit people’s fears and insecurities and anxieties has infected the political debate”. This year, the guests are a myriad of both the representation of Americans and the issues we have faced in recent months – issues the president, who the New York Times notes will focus on broader ideas rather than specific policies, has aligned himself with to propel awareness. However, the goal is also twofold: via the service, the Obama Administration wants to give users a behind-the-scenes look at preparations for the State of the Union address.

But the Obamas’ guests will also reflect what is likely to be left undone or incomplete when the president leaves office.

In a new partnership, the SOTU will be streamed through Amazon Video.

Noting that President Barack Obama consistently bypasses Congress with executive orders, as seen in last week’s announced gun control measures, Wallace asked McDonough about the legislative branch of government being tasked with creating laws.

But the empty chair could just as easily represent the absence of collegiality or even of a basic working relationship between the President and Congress.

As always, the White House’s YouTube channel is a reliable way to watch Obama’s addresses.

The acrimony was so bitter in 2009 that Joe Wilson, a Republican from SC, yelled, “You lie!” at the President during the 2009 State of the Union, a breach of protocol previously unthinkable in the modern era.

The president, for example, is intent on delivering a plan to Congress that would permanently close the Guantanamo Bay prison.

Mr Obama was blunt enough to flag this strategy in his 2014 State of the Union.

“I think a president can have some impact but not as much as whatever Donald Trump says that day”, he said.

The White House has already released its first official Story, and its actually kind of weird. “The fact is, the United States is better positioned than any other nation in the world to capitalize on the opportunities that lie ahead for us”, the White House spokesman told reporters recently.

In an election year when vitriolic campaigns push policies at odds with the president’s, Obama will also be keen to use this primetime address to influence voters to pick a like-minded successor to complete his wish-list of policies. The invitation of Hamo signals an effort on the president’s part to highlight his support for refugees amid rhetoric from some GOP presidential candidates cautioning against admitting Syrians given the increased threat of terrorism from the Islamic State.