Obama’s First Congressional Speech: The Morning After

In his first address to a joint session of Congress, delivered on February 24, President Obama discussed the financial crisis, his plans to help homeowners and stem job loss and his approach to foreign policy challenges such as the Middle East.

On February 25, the Brookings Institution hosted a discussion on the foreign and domestic issues addressed in the speech, and the political and substantive reaction. Senior Political Correspondent Jeanne Cummings of Politico moderated a panel of experts including Brookings Vice President and Director of Governance Studies Darrell West, and Brookings Senior Fellows Rebecca Blank, Thomas Mann and Tamara Wittes.