Nebraskans: Speech is Pivotal for President

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OMAHA (KPTM) — Wednesday night's State of the Union address was arguably the most important speech of President Barack Obama's short time in office. In many ways, it was a test, as Obama tries to win back the confidence of increasingly unsure Americans.

The president took the podium amid stiff criticism and falling job approval ratings. "I didn't care for the health care bill and I don't care for his stance on abortion," said Omahan Dave Schlesiger.

Added Erica Culver: " I think it's really sad to continue to grow our government, spend money and leave that debt for our children."

Still other Nebraskans are cutting the president some slack. "Really one year as president, doesn't really in my eyes, you know fix things. Because obviously you have to go through many people before you can even change one little thing," said Matt Bridgeford.

Political experts believe much of the discontent is a sign of the times. "We're doing better than we were a year ago, but we're not really back to the point where Americans are feeling secure in their jobs, where they're feeling secure at home from possible domestic threats," said UNO Political Science Professor Dr. Randy Adkins.

In town earlier this week, Former U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel stressed President Obama inherited an agenda of problems, from two wars to a global financial crisis. "Every president wants to do a lot and I think that in their enthusiasm to reach out and establish an agenda for this country and try to solve some problems in this country, he probably got too far ahead of the political realities to accomplish it," Hagel said.

Now the president and Congressional Democrats must try to win back independent voters who recently abandoned the party in droves in Massachusetts, New Jersey and Virginia. "I think what that means is, we're going to see an emphasis shifting from talking about more liberal programs like health care to more moderate to conservative programs, issues like jobs, the deficit and homeland security," Adkins said.