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In his State of the Union speech, President Obama invoked the image of Sputnik, the Soviet satellite whose launch not only ignited the Space Race, but also led to a wave of investments for science technology. But how does the fear factor from 1958 translate into 2011? And will this generation's "Sputnik moment" be enough to galvanize society in the way Obama envisions?

President Obama delivered his State of the Union Address last night, and for a Republican reaction, we turn to Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.). He will also discuss his reaction to Rep. Paul Ryan's Republican response last night, as well as Rep. Michele Bachmann's, on behalf of the Tea Party.

In Tuesday’s State of the Union address, President Obama discussed his plans for job creation and increased American competitiveness in the global market during his next two years in office. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) delivered the official response on behalf of the Republican Party and stressed the need for spending cuts and his party’s skepticism about further “investments.” And there was a new feature to the evening: Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) spoke on behalf of the Tea Party in their united response to the president.

After President Obama’s 2009 State of the Union address author Stanley Fish responded this way to Barack Obama’s performance:

“It’s as if the speech, rather than being a sustained performance with a cumulative power, was a framework on which a succession of verbal ornaments was hung, and we were invited not to move forward but to stop and ponder the significances only hinted at.”

President Obama's State of the Union Address touched on several key and pressing issues facing the country, from transportation, to immigration and innovation. The Takeaway's Washington correspondent, Todd Zwillich, shares his thoughts on the speech and what it could mean for the coming year in the halls of Congress. The Takeaway partners with Transportation Nation, to examine the president's commitment to high speed rail in this country; Obama said he wanted to connect 80 percent of Americans via high-speed rail in coming years.  

If President Obama’s weekly YouTube address is any indication, America’s ability to compete globally will be an issue very much on the table during his State of the Union speech tonight. So what are the areas where we’re out-competing other countries? And are jobs and economic growth the most important indications of success in the competitive global market?

Matt Latimer, conservative commentator, former speechwriter for President George W. Bush, and author of "Speech-Less: Tales of a White House Survivor" remembers preparing for George W. Bush's State of the Union following the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks and brings an insider perspective to, what he calls, a "large ritual that usually signifies little." However, Latimer adds that there are some aspects to the ritual that resonate with the public.

As we anticipate President Obama’s second State of the Union Address, we’re reminiscing about our favorite presidential speeches — and thinking about what makes a speech great. Michael Waldman joins us. He’s a former Clinton speechwriter and the author of "My Fellow Americans: The Most Important Speeches of America's Presidents, from George Washington to George W. Bush."

How does the president and the White House prepare for such a major event as the State of the Union? Jen Psaki, deputy communications director for the White House, says that this is an opportunity for the president to talk about what to expect in the future. But how much of this speech is just a laundry list and how much is a real opportunity to talk to the public about moving forward?

President Obama's State of the Union Address on Tuesday is the most anticipated event of the week. Kai Wright, editorial director of ColorLines Magazine, says this speech will signal the start of the 2012 presidential campaign. He shares what to expect from the President's speech, and what the aftermath of it will look like. Kai says the match up is no longer Republicans vs. Democrats, as much as it's Republicans vs. Republicans.

When President Obama delivers his State of the Union address on Tuesday night, he won't just be speaking to the American people; he'll be speaking to the world. From Iran to Afghanistan to Russia, world leaders and ordinary citizens will listen carefully to Obama's words. For a look at the geopolitical landscape facing Obama on the eve of his address, we talk to George Friedman, author of "The Next Decade: Where We've Been and Where We're Going."

Next week, President Barack Obama will deliver his annual State of the Union address. We can expect to hear him lay out his roadmap for the next two years. Leading up to his address, we’re talking with some key political observers about the direction in which the president should and must move in his remaining time in office.

At the end of the month, President Barack Obama will deliver his annual State of the Union address. At that time, we can expect to hear him lay out his roadmap for the next two years. In the weeks leading up to his address, we'll talk with some key political observers about direction the president should and must move in while he's still in office. Today we speak with Roger Hodge, author of "The Mendacity of Hope: Barack Obama and the Betrayal of American Liberalism." Hodge is a fierce liberal critic of the president, and says Obama must focus on economic stimulus and job creation and end policies that kill jobs and attack our civil liberties.

All this week, we’ve been focusing on the State of Our Union. President Obama offered his version on Wednesday night. Today in Washington, Jefferson Keel, the president of the National Congress of American Indians and a member of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma, offers his take on the state of the Indian union.

The last few weeks have been busy for U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano. Besides dealing with international and domestic security concerns following the foiled bomb plot on Christmas Day, Napolitano is also addressing the devastation in Haiti and how to best help those who made need to seek refuge in the United States.

Following President Obama's State of the Union address last night, we get analysis from pundits in opposing political arenas. Democratic political strategist, Donna Brazile and Fred Barnes, executive editor of the Weekly Standard, discuss what the president achieved and what he missed in his speech.

President Obama's State of the Union Address last night prompted a wide range of comments on style and policy.  But maybe the most surprising came from MSNBC Chris Matthews, who said he "forgot that he was black tonight for an hour." We ask Morehouse College professor David Wall Rice.

President Obama delivered his State of the Union Wednesday night in the midst of his job approval rating being the most polarized of any first-year president. According to a recent Gallup Poll, there is a 65 percentage point gab between Democrats and Republicans. We turn to House Minority Whip Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) for a Republican's take on President Obama's speech.

President Obama delivered his first State of the Union address last night, covering a broad range of issues from our wars abroad, to the devastation in Haiti and the stalemate on healthcare reform at home. We talk with Kathleen Hall Jamieson, the director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, to review what the President addressed in his speech.