State of the Union

Obama's SOTU Economic Pitch: This Time, It's Personal

In Tuesday's State of the Union address, President Obama turned that old feminist rallying cry that "the personal is political" on its ear with a long list of proposals that argued that the personal is economic -- and the economic is political.

Fact-Checking Obama's State of the Union Speech

President Barack Obama did some cherry-picking Tuesday night in defense of his record on jobs and the economy. Here's a look at some of the claims in his State of the Union speech, a glance at the Republican counterargument and how they fit with the facts.

State of the Union: How Obama Will Use His Bully Pulpit

President Obama has a lot to cover in tonight's State of the Union, from guns to global warming to trade to jobs. But it'll be the economy that gets the most attention, and that's a battleground where he's been on a roll lately.

Obama to Order National Defense Against Cyber Attacks Beefed Up

Cyber attacks have hit a host of major U.S. companies and government agencies in recent months, an issue President Obama may address in his State of the Union Tuesday -- and then in an executive order aimed at improving our defenses against them on Wednesday.

Obama Expected to Call for Major EU Trade Talks in State of the Union

President Obama is expected to call for comprehensive trade and investment talks with the EU in his State of the Union speech tonight. An agreement that phases out tariffs, harmonizes product standards and reduces barriers to trade would have huge implications, far beyond economics.

State of the Ecomony: 3 Things Obama Will Focus On

In tonight's State of the Union, President Obama faces a tough crowd: Millions of Americans unsure about whether he should keep his job. He'll be aiming to win hearts and minds, and at least part of that will be an appeal to our wallets. With that in mind, here are three key points that he is likely to hammer home tonight:

$25B Nationwide Mortgage Deal Goes to States

The nation's five largest mortgage lenders have agreed to overhaul their industry after deceptive foreclosure practices drove homeowners out of their homes, government officials said Monday. A draft settlement between the banks and U.S. states has been sent to state officials for review.

Spin, Not Substance, Is Just What Investors Need Now

With the economic recovery gaining steam, President Obama's State of the Union address -- and the GOP response -- should be seen as a shift to a less activist approach. Feel-good rhetoric may be wiser than heavy-handed policies that could easily backfire.

State of the Union: Obama Eager to Fix Health Reform Law

In his State of the Union address, President Obama didn't shy away from tackling the ongoing questions about the health care reform law head on. And though he opened with a joke, he made it clear that while he's serious about repairing any flaws in the law, repeal is not an option.

What Obama Really Needs: Robust Income Growth

As much as the market and Corporate America may like what they heard in the president's speech Tuesday night, history shows Obama's reelection in 2012 remains pinned to boosting Americans' income growth to at least 3%. Problem is, right now it's running at just 1.4%.