Obama: All Americans Deserve a 'Fair Shot'

It's no great surprise given that Warren Buffett's secretary will be a guest, but President Obama will hit on the theme of income inequality in his State of the Union speech tonight. The White House released excerpts ahead of the 9pm speech, notes CNN. (Also, the phrase "built to last" looks to be a theme; it's in there twice.)

• "We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well, while a growing number of Americans barely get by. Or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules. What's at stake are not Democratic values or Republican values, but American values."
• "As long as I'm president, I will work with anyone in this chamber to build on this momentum. But I intend to fight obstruction with action, and I will oppose any effort to return to the very same policies that brought on this economic crisis in the first place."

• "We will not go back to an economy weakened by outsourcing, bad debt, and phony financial profits. Tonight, I want to speak about how we move forward, and lay out a blueprint for an economy that's built to last—an economy built on American manufacturing, American energy, skills for American workers, and a renewal of American values."
• "Let's never forget: Millions of Americans who work hard and play by the rules every day deserve a government and a financial system that does the same. It's time to apply the same rules from top to bottom: No bailouts, no handouts, and no cop-outs. An America built to last insists on responsibility from everybody."

(More Obama State of the Union address stories.)