Nightly News   |  January 24, 2011

State of the Union: It's all about the economy

President Obama is expected to focus on jobs in his State of the Union Address Tuesday. NBC Chief White House Correspondent Chuck Todd reports.

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This content comes from a Full-Text Transcript of the program.

BRIAN WILLIAMS, anchor: Tomorrow night we'll be in Washington for the annual ritual of the State of the Union address . This year is different -- of course, they all are, concerning the president and Congress , even this year the seating chart. Our chief White House correspondent, political director Chuck Todd at the White House tonight with a bit of a preview. Chuck , good evening.

CHUCK TODD reporting: Good evening, Brian . Well, of course, you mentioned the seating chart. Democrats and Republicans will be sitting together. It won't be obvious when one side stands up and one side doesn't on what the president says. As for what the president is going to say, he's still noodling with his speech. It already times at possibly more than an hour. About two-thirds of it is going to be on the domestic side, focused on jobs and figuring out how to deal with phase two of this economic recovery. The other third will be on national security. Now, details of this speech are still being kept close to the vest. They've leaked out a few details talking about -- in generalities, new investments, which of course Republicans have already hit the White House saying, 'Hey, that's new spending.' The White House today pushing back on that, 'No, no, no, no.' They want to move -- no new money are they asking for, they just want to redirect some funds. But some new details, I'm told, we may not know, Brian , until the president actually gives his speech. So they're trying not to leak it out the way they have in years past.

WILLIAMS: All right, Chuck Todd at the White House , where we'll see you tomorrow night, Chuck . Thanks. And a reminder, live