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WASHINGTON — When President Barack Obama steps to the podium to deliver his State of the Union speech tonight, Americans can expect to hear a message heavy on hope that new manufacturing jobs will jump start the economy.
On Monday during a conference call with reporters, Gene Sperling, director of the National Economic Council and Obama’s senior economic adviser, said American manufacturing is likely to get top billing in the speech.
“This is not a president who believes the days when we make things are past us,” Sperling said. “He believes this can be a new era of American manufacturing and more jobs and products stamped made in the USA.”
The theme could play well in critical, rust belt swing states, such as Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan. Recent jobs numbers have shown an uptick in American manufacturing jobs — a trend the White House is eager to trumpet.
Sperling said Obama will also talk about energy policy. That’s also critical to economic recovery.
“He’ll present a new era of American energy strategy — an economy fueled by home-grown and alternative energy sources that can be designed here and create jobs here and lower costs not only for families but for the people who are hiring and … expanding jobs on our shores,” Sperling said.
Obama will also outline ideas to improve Americans’ job training.
“He wants to make sure that our students and those who are already in the workforce or struggling to get back in the workforce have the training they need to fill the jobs that are opening now and in the future,” Sperling said.
Pressed by reporters for details, Sperling demurred. He said Obama will fill in the blanks tonight. And you can bet Republicans will be ready to put their own spin on the president’s agenda for this fiercely contested election year.
Sen. Tom Udall, a New Mexico Democrat who has called for a constitutional amendment to combat the effect of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United campaign finance ruling, will participate in a forum on the issue today sponsored by People for the American Way, a left-leaning advocacy organization.
Citizens United — generally supported by Republicans and assailed by Democrats — allows corporations and unions to spend as much as they like to support or attack candidates in elections. The 2010 ruling paved the way for some of the so-called “Super Pac” attack ads airing in the ongoing Republican presidential primary.
You can view the forum and see Udall address this issue during a live webcast beginning at 8 a.m. MST at http://tinyurl.com/7l9u6du.
