President Obama's State of the Union Speech

Millions across America interrupted their channel surfing routines determines -- tonight's State of the Union Address 22 days after president Obama's inauguration. Did -- John commander in chief now.... See More

Millions across America interrupted their channel surfing routines determines -- tonight's State of the Union Address 22 days after president Obama's inauguration. Did -- John commander in chief now. Shared his vision on where the country stands and where it's headed ABC's new White House correspondent Jim -- alone has the latest. There were fist bumps on the way in the president congratulating Illinois senator Mark Kirk for returning to the senate after a stroke. And then a shot. Vice president Joseph Biden in glasses unable to Wear his contacts because of the scratched cornea. But for many the speech itself failed to get really interesting until the final seven minutes when President Obama rolled the emotion of ribbons. Green black and white. Worn by more than forty victims of gun violence including former Arizona congresswoman Gabby Giffords. Emphatically calling on congress to at least call a vote and gun control. The difference. The third of the vote. The families -- Newtown. Deserve a vote. -- -- a double world deserve a vote. Then -- the -- three. -- and -- and that countless other community is left open by gun violence they deserve a simple vote. But this was a president who heard whispers that he forgot the economy and his second inaugural emphasizing that despite all the issues that have been thrust upon him. From North Korea testing nuclear weapons provocations of the -- we saw last night will only further isolate them -- to a man gunman invading a country school. It is the economy that will dominate Barack Obama's second -- a growing economy the -- good middle class jobs. That must be in the north star that our guides our efforts. The president proposing a series of bold actions from a fifty billion dollar fix it first infrastructure program. Designed to repair as many as 70000. Crumbling bridges around the country. Raising the minimum wage from 725. An hour to nine dollars an hour by 2015. And calling for universal preschool education for the nation's four year -- offering federal funding to states to make sure low and moderate income children. Have access to quality preschool programs. It is our unfinished task to restore the basic bargain that built this company. The idea that if you work hard -- meet your responsibilities. You can get ahead. No matter where you come from no matter what you look like or who you love. It is our unfinished task to make sure that this government works on behalf of the many. And not just the few. That it encourages free enterprise. Awards. Individual nation. And opens the doors of opportunity to every child up across this great nation. President Obama championing a progressive agenda -- government is used to spark the economy. But aware of criticism that Americans can't afford -- nothing I'm proposing tonight should increase our deficit by a single dime it is not. A bigger government we need but a smarter government that sets priorities and invest in broad based growth. The president's opposition immediately accusing him of reckless spending. That will hurt the middle class giving it a marquee market Belanger and map reminding them and this'll mean -- Florida senator Marco Rubio delivering the GOP response in both English and Spanish shall not in after a quick water break. Reminding voters that unlike the last Republican standard bearer he is not a multimillionaire. I don't oppose your plans because I want to protect the rich. I oppose the plans because I -- protect my neighbors. There were nods to foreign policy -- official announcement of Afghanistan troop withdrawals 34000. Troops out by February 2014. Effectively. Ending the Afghanistan war. But in the end while the economy took up most of the debate and -- time it is the wounded in the hall who will be remember. It's the end -- because the people in the and the way he created that -- -- given a vote given a vote I think that's organ remember most out of the speech. Unless you live on Twitter -- fist bumps vice presidential glasses and water bottles are viral. For Nightline I'm Jim Avila on Capitol Hill.