PowerPoint Presentation

The State of the UnionWhat is the state of the union?The State of the Union (SOTU) is the annual message presented by the President of the United States (POTUS) to a joint session of the United States Congress. The speech not only reports on the current condition of the U.S. but also allows the POTUS to outline his legislative agenda (for which the cooperation of Congress is needed) and their national priorities. Shortest speech

Washingtons first SOTU was the shortest (by word count), at 1,089 words.No message at all

Two presidents; William Henry Harrison (1841) and James Garfield (1881) didnt live long enough to actually deliver an annual message of any sort.First broadcast on radio

Silent Calvin Coolidge in 1923.First State of the Union speech

FDR was the first POTUS to refer to the speech as a State of the Union address, in 1934. That title didnt really start to stick until Harry Trumans 1947 edition.First broadcast on television

Trumans 1947 speech was the first broadcast on television.First prime time State of the Union

For his 1966 address, LBJ decided to give the speech in prime-time rather than during the day, as had been the custom. He realized he would get a much better audience at night.Longest spoken message, in words

Is anyone surprised to hear its Bill Clinton? His 1995 address weighed in at 9,190 words. The Sergeants at Arms of the House (left) and Senate (right) wait at the doorway to the House chamber before President Barack Obama enters to deliver the 2011 State of the Union Address.2WHY the State of the Union?Why does the POTUS give a SOTU to Congress every year?

The SOTU traces its roots back to the U.S. Constitution. Article II, Sec. 3, Clause 1 of the Constitution says that the POTUS shall from time to time give to Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.

Washington delivered the first Annual Message in 1790 to a joint session of the Congress in New York City at Federal HallJefferson discontinued the practice of delivering the address in person. Instead, the address was written and sent to Congress to be read by a clerk (until 1913) Pretty vague, huh?* Required then, CORRECT? What if a President didn't love public speaking? You'll notice that the order from Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution doesn't say anything about a speech; the President just has to keep Congress informed of what's going on in the country. When Thomas Jefferson took office in 1801, he decided that the idea of showing up before Congress to deliver a grand address sounded like something a monarch would do, so he decided to bag the speech. Instead, he wrote down an annual message and sent it to Congress, where a clerk read it aloud to the assembled legislators.3

2013 SOTU President Obamas EntranceA formal invitation is made to the President for each State of the Union Address By approximately 8:30 pm, the members of the House have gathered in their seats for the joint session. Then, the Deputy Sergeant at Arms addresses the Speaker and loudly announces the Vice President and members of the Senate, who enter and take the seats assigned for them

The Speaker, and then the Vice President, specify the members of the House and Senate, respectively, who will escort the President into the House chamber. The Deputy Sergeant at Arms addresses the Speaker again and loudly announces, in order, the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, the Chief Justice of the United States and the Associate Justices, and the Cabinet, each of whom enters and takes their seats when called. The justices take the seats nearest to the Speaker's rostrum and adjacent to the sections reserved for the Cabinet and the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Just after 9 pm, as the President reaches the door to the chamber, House Sergeant at Arms stands just inside the doors, facing the Speaker and waiting for the President to be ready to enter the chamber. When he is ready, the Sergeant at Arms announces his presence, loudly stating the phrase: "Mister [or Madam] Speaker, the President of the United States!"

As applause and cheering begins, the President slowly walks toward the Speaker's rostrum, followed by members of his Congressional escort committee. The President's approach is slowed by pausing to shake hands, hug, kiss, and autograph copies of his speech for Members of Congress. After he takes his place at the House Clerk's desk, he hands two manila envelopes previously placed on the desk and containing copies of his address to the Speaker and Vice President.

After continuing applause from the attendees has diminished, the Speaker introduces the President to the Representatives and Senators, stating: "Members of [the] Congress, I have the high privilege and [the] distinct honor of presenting to you the President of the United States. This leads to a further round of applause and, eventually, the beginning of the address by the President. 4It's a big crowd for the State of the Union. In addition to the members of Congress, the President usually has the Justices of the Supreme Court, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and his cabinet seated at the front of the audience. Who are all of the people crammed into the front of the House Chamber?

Yes, that is Ruth Bader Ginsburg sleeping.Who won't be there?

Two words DESIGNATED SURVIVOR. Since the Cold War, one member of the cabinet has holed up in an undisclosed secure location during big government gatherings like the SOTU and presidential inaugurations.

This absent member is dubbed the designated survivor. In the unlikely event that an attack or a disaster leads to the deaths of all of the assembled leaders, having a designated survivor hiding out somewhere safe maintains the line of presidential succession!