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."

In tonight's speech, "he's got to say, 'We have a plan, but it's going to take awhile to work,' " says former representative Tom Davis, R-Va.

Obama's first address in the ornate House chamber will outline his legislative priorities. The White House hosted a day-long conference on fiscal responsibility Monday, and on Thursday the president will release a summary of next year's budget.

In the USA TODAY survey, three of four Americans say they most want to hear Obama talk about economic issues, particularly jobs, the bank crisis and the $787 billion stimulus bill passed by Congress this month.

The federal deficit worries many: By 59%-37%, they say adding too much to the debt is a greater risk than spending too little to boost the economy.

Asked how the president plans to make good on his pledge to cut the deficit in half, Gibbs said, "The biggest thing we're going to do is cut the amount of money we spend each year in Iraq." He said Obama also plans to talk about taxes tonight.

When it comes to stabilizing banks, public attitudes vary depending on the language used. Half of the 1,013 people called in the survey were asked about the government "temporarily taking over major banks in danger of failing," and 54% approved.

Half were asked about the government "temporarily nationalizing major banks in danger of failing," and 57% disapproved.

Two-thirds favor aid for struggling homeowners and state governments, but nearly six in 10 oppose it for automakers and banks in trouble. Eight in 10 support new programs to create jobs.

Expectations are low for a quick turnaround. One in four say the economy will start to recover in a year or less, while more than four in 10 predict it will take two or three years. Nearly one in three say a recovery is four or five years away.

On another topic, Americans by 2-1 back Obama's decision to deploy 17,000 additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan despite skepticism that they'll be able to stabilize the situation there within the next several years.

Contributing: The Associated Press