What Exactly Is The State of the Union? | Politics on Point

Nick breaks down the president's biggest speech of the year and shares some of the history behind it.
---
READ THE SCRIPT:
Does the thought of giving a speech in front of a lotta people make you super nervous?
What about in front of the whole country? Yeah, even I might get stage fright from that.

Of course, if you're the president, you're just going to have to deal with it because that is part of your job. Seriously, it's written into the US Constitution that the president has to give a report to Congress each year about what's going on in the country.

You've probably heard of it. It's called the State of the Union. Here are the exact instructions from Article II, Section III of the US Constitution. "He," that's the president, "shall from time to time "give to the Congress information of the state of the union, "and recommend to their consideration "such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient."

So, the instructions are kind of vague, but basically the address is an opportunity for the president to express his goals for the nation and to comment on how things have been going. It's also a chance for the president to make some suggestions to Congress.

The first State of the Union was given by George Washington in 1790. America was just a baby country at the time. And President Washington recommended, among other things, that the government develop a currency, roads, and an army. Things certainly have come a long way.

When it got to Thomas Jefferson's turn in 1801 to give the State of the Union, he decided that he wanted to turn in a written address to Congress instead of giving a speech. Jefferson thought giving a speech seemed too much like something that the king or queen of England would do.

It wasn't until 1913 that President Woodrow Wilson revived the in-person presentation. And then it wasn't until Lyndon Johnson's 1965 State of the Union that the address was televised, making it easier for the rest of us to follow along.

With the State of the Union being given every year, there have obviously been a lot of them. But there are a few that stick out, like Richard Nixon's in 1974. He flubbed part of his speech and told Congress, "We must replace the discredited president," when he meant to say, "We must replace the discredited welfare system." This was particularly bad timing. His speech came just weeks before Congress would begin impeachment proceedings against him.

Of course, the State of the Union following Nixon's resignation was given by Gerald Ford, and he wasn't shy about literally saying, "The state of our union is not good." Whether good or bad, no matter what though, the president is sure to include "state of the union" in the address.

Over time, the speech has built up some ceremony and traditions. It usually takes place in January at the House of Representatives Chamber in Washington, DC. The Sergeant at Arms introduces the president, who heads to the podium for his speech. The vice president sits to his right. On his left is the Speaker of the House.

On the evening of the speech, members from the House and Senate gather together, along with Supreme Court justices. But there is always one person missing, and that's on purpose. He or she is known as the designated survivor. Since all of the important government officials are gathered together in the same place, the designated survivor will take charge of the country if disaster strikes.

Unless you happen to be the designated survivor, the State of the Union is probably worth a watch, especially since you and I don't have to be the one with stage fright.
---
NewsDepth, a weekly interactive television program produced by WVIZ/PBS ideastream, breaks down the biggest news stories into teachable lessons for 4th to 6th-grade students.

The show provides cross-curricular and real-world learning opportunities that spark great class discussions. Beyond covering current events, NewsDepth features special segments on Ohio history, science, civics and art that align with Ohio learning standards.

NewsDepth is in its 50th season and has become a trusted and loved free resource for hundreds of teachers across Ohio. The show has also been recognized by industry professionals, having received multiple regional Emmy awards and two gold seals from the Parents’ Choice Awards.

© 2020 ideastream. All rights reserved.

Select footage used under license from CNN Newsource.