President Barack Obama addresses Congress. WASHINGTON — Acknowledging Americans' frustration with the slow pace of the nation's economic recovery, President Barack Obama dedicated more than half of his first State of the Union address Wednesday night to pocketbook themes, from jobs to tax breaks to taming the national debt. Throughout a 70-minute speech, the president strained to signal that he understands how angry, disappointed and even cynical the American people are over their economic insecurity and Washington's failure to deliver change they can believe in. Americans "face more than a deficit of dollars right now," Obama said.