Presidential historian David Greenberg talks about the significance of the State of the Union Address
David Greenberg, associate professor with a joint appointment in the departments of Journalism &Media Studies and History, is a presidential historian. A columnist for Slate, he has written widely for magazines and newspapers, and is the author of Calvin Coolidge (Henry Holt, 2006); Presidential Doodles (Basic Books, 2006); and Nixon’s Shadow: History of an Image (W.W. Norton, 2003)
Rutgers TodayThe Constitution requires the president to report to Congress on the State of the Union “from time to time.” Why does that report now take the form of a formal speech?
Greenberg: It’s wonderfully casual language there in the Constitution and uncharacteristically colloquial for the founding fathers. Washington and Adams gave speeches. Jefferson was more of a writer, and he switched to written reports. That tradition continued until Woodrow Wilson revived the formal address.
Rutgers Today: Why did Wilson do that?
Greenberg: Wilson had a very modern conception of presidential leadership. Like Theodore Roosevelt before him, Wilson saw speaking to the public, and to the mass media, as part of the way a president leads. It was natural for Wilson to do this; he was always trying to rally Congress or the public. He was part of a new era, when the president was a more visible figure. A low-key, written message was just not going to do it for him.
Rutgers Today: What should we look for in President Obama’s address?
Greenberg: Obama is addressing the country at a time when he’s in some political trouble and when a large part of his agenda is incomplete. He’ll have to address financial regulation, health care, and ground-level issues like the high unemployment rate. And then, of course there’s foreign policy, especially the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Obama’s a very skilled orator, but he’s not always at his best with policy details. He’s better with soaring language and inspirational ideas. Look for a long speech, in which the president tries to cover all the policy issues, but in which he also tries to insert his trademark lofty rhetoric.