There’s an episode of the Emmy award-winning television show The West Wing which explores what goes into crafting the State of the Union address, the president’s annual speech to both houses of Congress, which in real life is scheduled for next week.
The 2002 episode “100,000 Airplanes” begins with Sam Seaborn, my childhood crush and series heartthrob, speaking with Vanity Fair on the night of the annual address. While explaining the process of writing the State of the Union – research, writing, editing, meetings, reviewing responses – he casually mentions that the White House had planned for the president to announce a goal so big, it would change the world: curing cancer. But through the rigorous process of crafting such an important speech, it fell through.
Throughout the episode, the president, showing great leadership, asked his staff their true opinions of the proposal, and many argued against making such a bold promise. Sam, on the other hand, fought for its inclusion because, as he states, “I think ambition is good, I think overreaching is good. I think giving people a vision of government that is more than social security checks and debt reduction is good. I think government should be optimistic.” I agree.
While the inspirational goal to end cancer wasn’t included in the fictional West Wing speech, the State of the Union has historically been an opportunity for presidents to preview their priorities, however bold, for the year – or decades – ahead.
Delivering the speech – scheduled for Feb. 24 this year – is a duty set forth in Article II, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution: “The President shall from time to time give to Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.” The speech is framed as an update on the current state of our nation, but it’s also a powerful opportunity to inspire hope and unity across the country.
Historically many presidents have taken this opportunity to announce something big. Something that unites the country and even the world:
In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln announced, for the first time, his view that abolishing slavery was essential to saving the union. The Emancipation Proclamation was issued only weeks later.
In 1918, President Woodrow Wilson previewed his post-World War I ambitions with the idea for the League of Nations, which was replaced after World War II by the United Nations, tasked to protect international peace and security.
In 1941, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt shared his views on why the U.S. should enter World War II, historically known as the “Four Freedoms” speech. He spoke of how American democratic values are just as important globally as they are here at home. Uniting our country to bring peace across the world.
In 1961, in the height of the Cold War, President John F. Kennedy took the podium during his State of the Union and committed that within the next decade, Americans would land on the moon – and we did.
And of course, in his 2003 State of the Union, President George W. Bush announced an ambitious global health initiative to provide lifesaving treatments to fight the AIDS epidemic in Africa called the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR. Since then, the initiative has saved over 26 million lives.
Every word spoken during the State of the Union reflects the dedication, passion, and vital debate that shape our nation. While the speaker’s role is important, it is the underlying message and the leader’s optimistic vision for America’s future that truly resonate.
This is a time to kindle our collective spirit, demonstrate resilience, and remind the world that our union remains strong. Though challenges lie ahead, America continues to lead with courage, create meaningful change, and dream big for a better tomorrow.
