Obama set to outline financial plans in speech tonight

— -- As a new USA TODAY/Gallup Poll shows a majority of Americans support federal financial help that targets individuals, President Obama is preparing to deliver a speech before Congress tonight to detail plans to do just that.

Obama will push his vision for health coverage for all Americans, the expansion of educational opportunities and the reduction of the deficit by half by the end of his term, administration officials have said.

"I think the president believes very clearly that we have to be honest about where we are," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told MSNBC Tuesday. "Tonight, he will tell the country that we've faced greater challenges than we faced now and we've always met those challenges."

The speech is likely to last 45 minutes, including applause time. During the appearance, Obama will probably stress that he inherited the trillion-dollar-plus budget deficit. The deficit for this fiscal year will be at least $1.2 trillion. When President Bush took office, the budget had a surplus.

The USA TODAY/Gallup Poll taken Friday through Sunday shows Americans overwhelmingly support such individual-focused efforts as job creation and homeowner rescue, but oppose bailouts for automakers and banks. The poll finds that the new president, who has a reservoir of support and a 62% job approval rating, still has a selling job to do with an anxious public focused on the economy.

On Obama's plan to help some homeowners who can't pay their mortgages, a 59% majority call the aid "necessary" — but a 51% majority also call the taxpayer-funded rescue "unfair."

A top administration official indicated Tuesday that an aggressive stance on the economy is needed. Senior presidential adviser David Axelrod said, "A tepid approach could really consign us to a long-term economic catastrophe. We believe the times demand vigor and aggressive action."

Simon Rosenberg of NDN, a Democratic-leaning think tank, said Obama must "make it very clear that his focus is on the struggle of everyday people, and not on those with means."