He outlined his accomplishments over the past seven years and urged Americans to overcome their fears and work together to "fix" the nation's politics.
He said doing so would help America deal with the challenges it faces, and that a rising standard of living and a peaceful planet are within reach.
Keeping with tradition, Mr Obama spoke about his vision for the United States beyond his last year in office - and what he would like to see Congress work on..
Mr Obama said he would launch a new national effort to cure cancer, with Vice President Joe Biden leading the mission.
He described militants of the so-called Islamic State group as "killers and fanatics who have to be rooted out, hunted down and destroyed" and urged Congress to approve the use military force for the fight against the group.
Mr Obama accused critics of playing into the hands of Islamic State by comparing the fight against the militant group to World War Three.
Mr Obama expressed regret at the highly partisan tone of debate in Washington and admitted he had failed to bridge the political divide, saying "It's one of the few regrets of my presidency, that the rancor and suspicion between the parties has gotten worse instead of better".
Mr Obama's final address came as campaign rhetoric for November's presidential election intensifies - with candidates fighting over illegal immigrants, wage inequality and violence.
The Republican response to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address was delivered by South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.
She took a softer tone on immigration than the harsh rhetoric often heard from her party's presidential candidates.
The 43-year-old daughter of Indian immigrants noted that "immigrants have been coming to our shores for generations to live the dream that is America."
She added that "during anxious times, it can be tempting to follow the siren call of the angriest voices. We must resist that temptation. No one who is willing to work hard, abide by our laws, and love our traditions should ever feel unwelcome in this country."
Source: AFP/Reuters
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Obama stresses US strength and urges hope to anxious US...
ReplyDeletePresident Barack Obama has vigorously defended his legacy while striking an optimistic note for America's future in his final State of the Union address.
He criticised the negative tone of the current presidential race, arguing the US has the "strongest, most durable economy in the world".
"Anyone claiming that America's economy is in decline is peddling fiction," Mr Obama told lawmakers in Washington.
The speech to Congress highlighted his accomplishments such as health reform.
This will be an address remembered not for its policy prescriptions, but for its upbeat assessment of how much better America is today than when Barack Obama came to office, BBC North American editor Jon Sopel says.
He adds that with just a year to go and a Republican Congress, there is neither the time nor the votes to get much done.
Republicans attacked many of his assertions, with South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley saying in the party's official response his record "had fallen short of his soaring words"......http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-35299364
Dans son discours sur l'état de l'Union, le président américain Barack Obama a appelé le Congrès à approuver le recours aux forces armées nationales pour lutter contre l'Etat islamique (Daech)...
ReplyDeleteDans son ultime discours sur l'état de l'Union adressé au Congrès le 12 janvier, le président américain Barack Obama a exhorté les sénateurs à autoriser le recours à l'armée américaine pour lutter contre les djihadistes de l'Etat islamique (EI), annonce mercredi la Maison Blanche.
"Si le Congrès de cette législature entend sérieusement gagner cette guerre (contre le terrorisme, ndlr), vous devez enfin autoriser le recours aux forces armées contre le groupe Daech", a déclaré le chef de l'Etat américain.....http://sptnkne.ws/azmA
13/1/16