Obama aims for bipartisanship in State of the Union Address

President Barack Obama delivered his second official State of the Union Address to a joint session of Congress tonight in a much different climate than last year, coming off of a midterm election that saw the Republican Party take control of the House and make gains in the Senate.

After beginning his speech with a congratulation to the new Congress as well as a mention of recovering Rep. Gabrielle Giffords that elicited a standing ovation, Obama proceeded to outline a general plan for an America he sees as “poised for progress,” without delineating many particulars, as is the case in most State of the Union addresses.

Obama attempted to reassure the public that the nation is emerging from the struggles of the past several years. He painted a vivid picture of a future with a greater commitment to clean energy and innovation, and motivated America’s young to become the next generation of leaders.

The president’s speech succeeded in evoking a mostly bipartisan attitude while still challenging the GOP on certain topics, including the Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and the need for immigration reform along the lines of the DREAM Act.

Rep. Paul Ryan delivered the Republican response to the president’s address, giving a speech that took a strong stance on GOP ideals while still reassuring the public that they would work together with the president to accomplish their goals.

Rep. Michele Bachmann delivered an unprecedented Tea Party response televised only on CNN, which seemed to drop all conciliatory notions Ryan might have brought up and explicitly blamed the Obama administration for budget problems.