President Obama's State of the Union

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Yesterday, President Obama delivered the State of the Union address.  

A Wall Street Journal graphic summarizes the 86 times the President's speech was interrupted by applause. The winning comments were about a military officer who almost lost his life in Afghanistan and about equal pay for women. 

Although the graphic headline reads, "How the President's Speech Was Received," the reaction represents only those listening to the address in person.

WSJ SOTU

Discussion Starters:

  • How do you think the general population might have reacted differently than the in-person audience did? What specific parts of the speech might have received less applause?
  • A former student emailed me: "Don't these speeches seem to lack any structure?" Do you agree? If so, what can politicans do differently?
  • What are the strongest and weakest parts of the President's speech?