State of the Union 2011: Barack Obama to focus on jobs
American Political News, Barack Obama News, Democrats, Republicans, USA and Canada News, world news 4:15 AM
US President Barack Obama will call for new public spending to create jobs in his state of the union address, setting up a clash with opponents who say cuts to government are the way forward.
In the president's yearly address to Congress, Mr Obama is expected to call for new investment in education, research and infrastructure.Mr Obama said at the weekend creating jobs was his "number one focus".
Republicans have warned they will reject his calls for added spending.
BBC North America editor Mark Mardell says State of the Union speeches are rarely momentous, but they are opportunities. Last year Mr Obama was watched by 48 million people.
The president can use the speech to condition the debate ahead of his 2012 re-election bid, claiming the mantle of reasonableness and consensus, our correspondent says.
But it is hard to see how Mr Obama can avoid a bitter, bare knuckle fight further down the road, in a Congress where Republicans now control the House of Representatives and have trimmed the Democrats' sails in the Senate, our correspondent adds.
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