It's report-card time at the White House. This week President Bill Clinton grades the country in an important speech to the American people and Congress: the State of the Union address.
The address is a required assignment. The U.S. Constitution states that the President "shall from time to time give to the Congress information on the State of the Union." This means that the President must report on how well the country is doing.
How The Speech Has Changed
Nowadays, the State of the Union is a mega-event, shown on every TV network. George Washington would be shocked! He made his report calmly to Congress in just six minutes. Thomas Jefferson was even briefer. He delivered his State of the Unions in writing because he didn't think a President should make a king-like proclamation.
Woodrow Wilson was the first to turn the speech into a big deal, in 1913. A President should speak "naturally, with his own voice," he said. Wilson would have loved TV! In 1947 Harry S. Truman became the first President to give the speech on television.
Now that the State of the Union is heard and seen by millions of voters instead of just Congress, Presidents are tempted to use the speech to make their performance in office sound good. This is especially true in election years. Still, Presidents sometimes deliver bad news. In 1975 President Gerald R. Ford admitted, "The State of the Union is not good."
Does America Pass?
This year President Clinton may give the nation high marks for joining in the peacemaking efforts in Bosnia, Northern Ireland and Israel. He may boast that back home crime is down and the economy is strong.
Yet many Americans are unhappy that Clinton and Congress cannot agree on how to balance the federal budget. They may also be frustrated about not earning more money from their jobs. The election this fall gives Americans a chance to grade President Clinton's performance. What grade do you think he'll get?
Did You Know?