Obama's State of the Union: A viewer's guide

On Tuesday night, the president will spell out his prescription for America's ills, and makes the case for his re-election. A look at what to expect

Political prognosticators expect President Obama's third State of the Union address Tuesday night to be a campaign-style populist pitch that hammers a "do-nothing Congress."
(Image credit: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Pool/Corbis)

President Obama will deliver his third State of the Union address at 9 p.m. on Tuesday night, pitching initiatives on jobs, taxes, and housing in what political strategists say will be a "sweeping case for a second term." In a preview of the speech posted on his campaign website, Obama said he would present a "blueprint" for lasting economic prosperity, calling 2012 a "make-or-break moment for the middle class and folks trying to work their way into the middle class." What exactly will Obama say, and how will his message be received? Here, a five-point map of what to expect:

1. The speech will be a campaign-style populist appeal

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