The 2012 State of the Union Address was a speech given by President Barack Obama, from 9 p.m. to 10:17 p.m. EST on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives. In his speech, he focused on education reform, repairing America's infrastructure with the money not be used on the Iraq War, making new energy in America, and many other things.
In keeping up the tradition that began with the 2011 State of the Union Address, the members of Congress sat with members of the other political party, and the two parties didn't sit on two separate sides of the room. Also, Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was the victim of an assassination attempt the previous year, was in attendance, as she has plans to resign to focus on her rehabilitation from the shooting. President Obama hugged Giffords when he got to her while walking up to the stage, which was met with much applause.
