By Jason Knapfel

Last night’s State of the Union address came at a compelling time in President Obama’s first term in office. It comes on the heels of the Arizona tragedy that took the lives of six people and injured 13 others, including congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.

This timing has presented an opportunity for the president to try to bring the country a little closer together, which is especially important in these politically divisive times.

President Obama has a little more political capital right now, which could afford him the opportunity to move forward on some initiatives he champions. After his speech in Arizona and some minor signs of economic improvement, the president’s poll numbers are as high as they’ve been since the beginning of his term.

Read the rest of this entry »