WASHINGTON — The White House and outside supporters of President Barack Obama are launching simultaneous social media, public outreach and fundraising campaigns tied to Tuesday’s State of the Union address.
The efforts will concentrate on key issues Obama will raise in his prime-time address to a joint session of Congress: jobs and the budget, gun control, immigration and climate change. The wide-ranging outreach reflects a decision by the president and his advisers to focus more on using public support to pressure Congress rather than getting bogged down in partisan fights with lawmakers.
It’s unclear whether the tactics — many of which were successful in helping Obama win two presidential elections — will be effective in pushing the president’s second-term agenda. Many of the proposals he will press for Tuesday night, including using increased revenue to bring down the deficit and banning military-style assault weapons, face strong opposition from congressional Republicans, as well as some Democrats.
The White House will focus on using social media to engage the public on the proposals Obama will outline during the annual State of the Union address. Officials invited 100 people who follow the administration on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to watch the speech from the White House and then participate in an online panel when Obama wraps up.