An Address on the State of the Union

President Obama addresses a joint session of Congress tonight, for the third time in his young presidency but for the first as a formal, Constitutionally-mandated, Address on the State of the Union.

The last time that the President addressed Congress was in September, specifically on the issue of health insurance reform and just one week after the passing of Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy.

Four months later, the President returns to the House chamber having not signed the bill he had hoped to, even though both houses of Congress did pass, by razor-thin margins, health reform packages in 2009.

A Senator from Massachusetts will also be mentioned in tonight's address, White House aides say, although he is not expected to be in the Chamber. Massachusetts Republican Senator-elect Scott Brown has become a symbol for a growing national populist anti-incumbent sentiment.

The President is not expected to announce any sweeping initiatives or packages in his speech, which is also expected to be heavily slanted towards domestic issues rather than foreign policy. In the days leading up to the speech, the White House leaked word of perhaps the most talked about element of the speech: a 3-year freeze on non-discretionary non-military spending.

There are also hints that the President may announce a policy position on revoking the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" military policy towards gays and lesbians.

As always, all eyes will be on Washington for the annual speech. I'll be live-blogging it beginning at 8pm tonight.