01/24/2012

Good afternoon,

In just a few hours, at 9:00 p.m. ET, President Obama will stand before Congress to give the State of the Union Address. He'll talk about where we are as a nation, and he'll lay out a blueprint for an America built to last.

For weeks, we've been working to this point.

The President has been brainstorming with the speechwriters and huddling with the policy team. He's come up with new ideas, rewritten language, and reordered pages. For President Obama, this isn't simply an editing exercise. He's invested in creating the State of the Union because he sees it as his opportunity to take his vision for the country to the American people directly.

Want to know what that looks like?

We made a behind-the-scenes video to show you what went into this year's State of the Union. Check it out, and stay tuned to watch the speech with us at 9:00 p.m. ET:

To make sure you get the most out of the State of the Union, we've put together an enhanced version of the speech. As the President outlines his plans for 2012, you'll see key facts and figures. We'll present charts and infographics so that everyone can get a better understanding of the opportunities and challenges ahead of us.

We hope you'll join us after the speech as well -- when a group of policy experts and senior White House staff will sit down to discuss the President's remarks online and answer your questions.

The best place to learn more about the State of the Union is at WhiteHouse.gov. Dig in and watch the speech with us:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/sotu

Moving forward, the President will do everything he can to turn this blueprint into reality -- and you can help. We need a vigorous debate about these ideas. So lift up your voice, share your views, and spread the word.

Thanks,

David Plouffe
Senior Advisor to the President