How does this year's speech compare to last year's address?

President Obama speech came amid a public backlash against high unemployment, rising government spending and Washington's role in shoring up ailing sectors like the banking and automotive industries - initiatives that began during Republican George W. Bush's presidency and were continued by Democrat Obama.

But Democrats, who hold the White House and both chambers of Congress, are being blamed for the weak economy and the bailouts.

Nearly a year ago, Mr Obama gave his first speech to Congress shortly after he took office. Here are some of the similarities and differences between the two events:

Have Mr Obama's priorities changed?

Not really. Job creation, healthcare reform and tackling energy and environmental problems were all high priorities in early 2009 and they dominated this year's address.

A year ago, Mr Obama proclaimed that his economic agenda "begins with jobs". A year later and with about 2.2 million more jobs lost, Mr Obama said: "Jobs must be our number one focus in 2010" as he called for passage of a jobs Bill.

Last year, Mr Obama urged Congress to launch healthcare reform, but he acknowledged the difficult path. "I suffer no illusions that this will be an easy process," he said.

That turned out to be an understatement. This time around, Mr Obama finds himself in the middle of a bruising fight with Republicans that threatens passage of any bill. Without reform, Mr Obama said on Wednesday, millions will lose their health insurance this year.

"I will not walk away from these Americans. And neither should the people in this chamber," he told lawmakers. But he didn't offer a recipe for breaking the deadlock.

On the energy front, Mr Obama talked up the need for more renewables, like solar power last year. But he said Congress also must send him legislation placing "a market-based cap on carbon pollution," the emissions blamed for global warming.

As with healthcare, a climate change Bill is languishing in Congress. This year's speech again called for a "comprehensive energy and climate Bill". But in a shift, he didn't specifically mention the market-based emissions cap that has become so controversial in Congress. In a nod to Republicans, Obama included new offshore oil drilling as possibly being in the energy mix, as well as more nuclear power.

Are there new white house initiatives?

Mr Obama said he would create a commission to find ways to reduce the federal government's huge budget deficits, which hit $1.4 trillion last year. For now, his budget prescription is a three-year freeze on some domestic spending.

On tax policy, Mr Obama said he will try to kill tax cuts for oil companies and fund managers making more than $250,000.

He also asked Congress to send him legislation limiting lobbyists' political campaign contributions. This is partially in reaction to the recent Supreme Court decision lifting some limits on corporations' election activities.

The President called for repealing the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy banning openly gay people from serving in the military, while prohibiting military officials from initiating inquiries on sexual orientation when soldiers are abiding by the rules. Mr Obama ran for President in 2008 saying he would end the policy started by President Bill Clinton.

Is the tone different?

Last year, Mr Obama's speech was part pep talk to a country in the depths of an economic recession and part primer, explaining how the United States had gotten into such a fiscal and economic mess. But he also called on the country to "pull together" after years of bickering.

This year, with partisanship once again at an all-time high and public anger with Washington at fever pitch, Mr Obama again made a concerted plea for a get-down-to-work effort. "What the American people hope - what they deserve - is for all of us, Democrats and Republicans, to work through our differences; to overcome the numbing weight of our politics."

Was there a new fashion statement?

Mr Obama delivered the 70-minute long speech (compared to last year's 52 minutes) wearing a white shirt and red-striped "power" tie - just like last year.

State of the Union address in brief

Following are what he said and did not say on some of the main issues.

• Healthcare

Mr Obama encouraged Congress not to walk away from his stalled healthcare reform drive but made it clear it would no longer be the focus of his legislative agenda.

He steered clear of any suggestions on how to push the bill through its procedural quagmire.

Mr Obama did not list specific elements of the overhaul that he wants to see survive, continuing his policy of leaving the heavy lifting of crafting the bill to congressional leaders.

• Climate change

Mr Obama called for passing a comprehensive energy and climate Bill with incentives to make clean energy the profitable kind of energy in America.

He reached out to Republicans, saying the United States needed to build "a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants" and make "tough decisions about opening new offshore areas for oil and gas development".

He did not specifically include the "cap-and-trade" approach to controlling carbon emissions blamed for global warming in his laundry list of requests.

• Financial regulations

Mr Obama said he wanted bank reform but did not give the institutions a heavy tongue-lashing.

"One place to start is serious financial reform," he said. "Look, I am not interested in punishing banks, I'm interested in protecting our economy. A strong, healthy financial market makes it possible for businesses to access credit and create new jobs."

Mr Obama proposed taking $30 billion of the money Wall Street banks have repaid to the government and using it to help community banks give small businesses the credit they need to stay afloat.

• Tax cuts

Mr Obama painted himself as a big-time tax cutter.

"We cut taxes for 95 percent of working families. We cut taxes for small businesses. We cut taxes for first-time homebuyers. We cut taxes for parents trying to care for their children. ... And we haven't raised income taxes by a single dime on a single person."

The president did not discuss any tax increases or in depth details on how to pay for the tax cuts. When it came to raising revenue, he discussed imposing a fee on the biggest banks or not continuing tax cuts for oil companies, investment fund managers and those making over $250,000 a year.

• Budget deficit

Mr Obama talked about how, when he came to office in January 2009, the deficit was more than $1 trillion and the projected deficits over a decade were $8 trillion. And he said another $1 trillion was added to the national debt to prevent a second depression.

• Foreign policy

Mr Obama said US forces had captured or killed hundreds of al Qaeda fighters, expressed confidence of success in the Afghan war and said he was fulfilling his campaign pledge to end the war in Iraq.