Obama’s 2012 State of the Union Was His First to Mention the “Rich.” Or the “Poor.” « Student Activism

Obama’s 2012 State of the Union Was His First to Mention the “Rich.” Or the “Poor.” « Student Activism:

Obama’s State of the Union Was His First to Mention “Rich.” Or Poor.”

by Angus Johnston

When President Obama said in his State of the Union address on Tuesday night that “when Americans talk about folks like me paying my fair share of taxes,
it’s not because they envy the rich,” it was the first time he’d used the word “rich” in a State of the Union speech. And when he said, a few minutes later, that when Americans put on the uniform of our military, “it doesn’t matter if you’re black or white; Asian or Latino; conservative or liberal; rich or poor,” it was the first time he’d used the word “poor” on such an occasion.

Over four State of the Union addresses, including his “unofficial” SOTU in February 2009, the president had never