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First Word: What to expect in Obama’s State of the Union address

President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address to a joint  session of Congress on January 24, 2012. (Photo by Saul Loeb/Reuters)

President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on January 24, 2012. (Photo by Saul Loeb/Reuters)

With the looming sequester and concerns about the nation’s deficit and debt, President Obama will most likely focus on the economy in his State of the Union speech Tuesday night. The issue remains the public’s top concern in a new Quinnipiac poll with 35 percent of American voters saying that the economy should be a major portion of the president’s address. Another 20 percent said the federal deficit is another top priority.