Open Thread: President Obama’s Last SOTU

On Tuesday night, President Obama will deliver the final State of the Union address of his presidency. Consider this an open thread for discussion of the speech and any ramifications it will have moving forward.

Report from CNN:

It’s time for President Barack Obama to start letting go.

While aides say the commander in chief will argue in his final State of the Union address Tuesday that America’s destiny depends on honoring progress made on his watch, he will be sketching a future in which he will play no major political role.

So his speech — likely his last opportunity to grab an hour of uninterrupted prime time — marks an important first step in a delicate and bittersweet yearlong process of handing over his legacy to the protective custody of his hoped-for successor, fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton.

For sure, Obama has no intention of striding off the political stage just yet — a factor that could complicate his relations with the Democratic front-runner in the coming months. He is making clear that with challenges including global warming, economic inequality and the still-open Guantanamo Bay prison, he will use every last ounce of authority and influence left to get things done.

No offense to the President, but can you remember the content or meaningful action which resulted from his 2015 SOTU address? I can’t, but that tends to be the case with every president. These speeches are filled with a lot of rhetoric and lofty goals, though little of it stands a chance of being enacted. However, this one is noteworthy since it will mark his final address to the nation in this venue as Commander-in-Chief.

One notable difference will be the lack of John Boehner sitting over the President’s left shoulder. Instead, the new House Speaker, Paul Ryan, will gavel in his first SOTU address.

You are invited to go #InsideSOTU with behind-the-scenes access of #SOTU on #Instagram. https://t.co/tmGnRzvRyO pic.twitter.com/SYuzOSr8nC

— Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) January 12, 2016

Sound off below, what are you expecting tonight?