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Obama's State of the Union Optimism at Odds With Voter Anxiety

President draws stark contrast with Republican frontrunners
Address skirts past stagnant wages, economic uncertainty

Video player cover image — Obama's 2016 State of the Union in Three Minutes

By

Mike Dorning and

January 13, 2016, 4:21 AM UTC

President Barack Obama isn’t on the ballot this November, but his final State of the Union address had all the hallmarks of an election-year stemwinder meant to keep his party in power.

In true Obama fashion, it was a call for hope over fear. He argued against the gloom dominating Republican campaign rhetoric. He called for national unity against Republican front-runner Donald Trump’s attacks on Muslims and immigrants. He issued an appeal for economic fairness that would ground the election on terrain favorable to Democrats.