The State of the Union

We're heading to the Capitol this Tuesday, where President Obama will deliver his sixth State of the Union address since taking office in 2009.

Now, the idea of the State of the Union is as old as this nation itself -- it's literally written into the Constitution.

But new technologies have transformed the address from a simple letter to Congress into something that was broadcast over the radio and then over the television -- and the Founding Fathers wouldn't believe how folks are able to watch the speech today.

I'm telling you this because now the very best place you can watch the speech is not on the House floor -- it's at WhiteHouse.gov/SOTU.

There, you'll find all kinds of charts and graphics and data that you give a deeper look at the points the President will make in his speech. Because, as citizens, every one of us ought to be as informed as we possibly can about the actions our government takes. That's exactly what this "enhanced" speech does.

You won't just get an opportunity to hear, straight from the President, where we stand as a nation and what this Administration wants to see happen this year -- you'll get context that helps tell the story of where we've been and what these ideas mean for you personally.

It's the same opportunity Americans have been getting for more than 200 years. It just looks a little different now.

Make sure you're watching this Tuesday.