The Annual Message

The Annual Message – now known as The State Of The Union – is a time honored tradition where a formal invention from congress gives a chance for the sitting president to come before all members of congress to inform them and the people of the United States about all matters relating to the state of the union as a whole.

The address was formally known as the Annual Message from 1790 to 1946. Since 1947, it has officially been known as the State of the Union Address. President Thomas Jefferson began the practice of sending separate, written Annual Messages to the House and Senate, instead of an in-person address, in 1801.

In modern times, The State Of The Union can only be summed-up as a complete lack of respect for the American people; bordering on a circus act-shit-show.

The State Of The Union is supposed to highlight a president’s accomplishments and a list of request from congress that were/are requested of the people, not a list of accomplishments that the president himself wants. For the exception of President Biden’s claim of “I don’t work for you!,” all of the other president’s history seem to have understood that they work for the people, not the other way around.

What has transpired in the last fifteen years is a clown show. The heckling, the ripping up of the president’s speech and more heckling. This is not how grown up people over the age of twenty-one act, and most certainly not how a representative, senator or president themselves are supposed to act.

It can only be assumed that these speeches that remissness something from a 1940’s Hitler speech to complete, outright lies that are instantly spotted, noted and wrote about – unless you are a major media outlet – are going to continue for some time to come.

We can only hope that at some point in time that mannerisms will come back in style and that actual accomplishments will be spoken about again.

Fast Facts
  • President George Washington combined the Inaugural Address with his Annual Message on April 30, 1789. He read the address to a Joint Session of Congress in the Senate Chamber, Federal Hall, New York City. Washington delivered his first regular Annual Message to a Joint Session of Congress in New York City on January 8, 1790.
  • President Thomas Jefferson began the practice of sending separate, written Annual Messages to the House and Senate, with his first one on December 8, 1801.
  • President Woodrow Wilson revived the practice of delivering the Annual Message in person to a Joint Session of Congress on December 2, 1913, after delivering three special messages to Congress in person earlier in the year (tariff on April 8, currency and bank reform on June 23, and Mexican affairs on August 27).
  • Some Presidents have sent a written Annual Message or State of the Union address rather than delivering it in person. These include Presidents Woodrow Wilson (1919, 1920), Calvin Coolidge (1924-1928), Herbert Hoover (1929-1932), Franklin Roosevelt (1944, 1945), Harry Truman (1946, 1953), Dwight Eisenhower (1956, 1961), Richard Nixon (1973), Jimmy Carter (1981).
  • President Ronald Reagan’s State of the Union address for 1986 was rescheduled because of the Challenger disaster that took place earlier in the day.

Several recent Presidents have chosen not to send or deliver a formal State of the Union address during their first year in office, preferring to deliver more special messages to Congress on various policies and topics:

  • President Ronald Reagan on “Economic Recovery,” 1981.
  • President George H.W. Bush on “Building a Better America,” 1989.
  • President William J. Clinton on “The Economy,” 1993.
  • President George W. Bush on “The Economy,” 2001.
  • President Barack H. Obama on “The Economic Crisis,” 2009.
  • President Donald J. Trump on “The Economy,” 2017.
  • President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on “Build Back Better,” 2021

In a few cases, during a transition between administrations, there have been two State of the Union messages in a single year. In these cases, usually one message is in writing while the other is personally delivered by the President before a Joint Session of Congress:

  • Presidents Harry Truman (written message) and Dwight Eisenhower (address before Congress), 1953.
  • Presidents Dwight Eisenhower (written message) and John Kennedy (address before Congress), 1961.

List of the State Of The Union Address’s by President

January 8, 1790 – George Washington
December 8, 1790 – George Washington
October 25, 1791 – George Washington
November 6, 1792 – George Washington
December 3, 1793 – George Washington
November 19, 1794 – George Washington
December 8, 1795 – George Washington
December 7, 1796 – George Washington
November 23, 1797 – John Adams
December 8, 1798 – John Adams
December 3, 1799 – John Adams
November 22, 1800 – John Adams
December 2, 1913 – Woodrow Wilson
December 8, 1914 – Woodrow Wilson
December 7, 1915  – Woodrow Wilson
December 5, 1916 – Woodrow Wilson
December 4, 1917 – Woodrow Wilson
December 2, 1918 – Woodrow Wilson
December 6, 1921 – Warren G. Harding
December 8, 1922 – Warren G. Harding
December 6, 1923 – Calvin Coolidge
January 3, 1934 – Franklin Delano Roosevelt
January 4, 1935 – Franklin Delano Roosevelt
January 3, 1936 – Franklin Delano Roosevelt
January 6, 1937 – Franklin Delano Roosevelt
January 3, 1938 – Franklin Delano Roosevelt
January 4, 1939 – Franklin Delano Roosevelt
January 3, 1940 – Franklin Delano Roosevelt
January 6, 1941 – Franklin Delano Roosevelt
January 6, 1942 – Franklin Delano Roosevelt
January 7, 1943 – Franklin Delano Roosevelt
January 6, 1947 – Harry S. Truman
January 7, 1948 – Harry S. Truman
January 5, 1949 – Harry S. Truman
January 4, 1950 – Harry S. Truman
January 8, 1951 – Harry S. Truman
January 9, 1952 – Harry S. Truman
February 2, 1953 – Dwight D. Eisenhower
January 7, 1954 – Dwight D. Eisenhower
January 6, 1955 – Dwight D. Eisenhower
January 10, 1957 – Dwight D. Eisenhower
January 9, 1958 – Dwight D. Eisenhower
January 9, 1959 – Dwight D. Eisenhower
January 7, 1960 – Dwight D. Eisenhower
January 30, 1961 – John F. Kennedy
January 11, 1962 – John F. Kennedy
January 14, 1963 – John F. Kennedy
January 8, 1964 – Lyndon B. Johnson
January 4, 1965 – Lyndon B. Johnson
January 12, 1966 – Lyndon B. Johnson
January 10, 1967 – Lyndon B. Johnson
January 17, 1968 – Lyndon B. Johnson
January 14, 1969 – Lyndon B. Johnson
January 22, 1970 – Richard M. Nixon
January 22, 1971 – Richard M. Nixon
January 20, 1972 – Richard M. Nixon
January 30, 1974 – Richard M. Nixon
January 15, 1975 – Gerald R. Ford
January 19, 1976 – Gerald R. Ford
January 12, 1977 – Gerald R. Ford
January 19, 1978 – James E. Carter
January 23, 1979 – James E. Carter
January 23, 1980 – James E. Carter
January 26, 1982 – Ronald Reagan
January 25, 1983 – Ronald Reagan
January 25, 1984 – Ronald Reagan
February 6, 1985 – Ronald Reagan
February 4, 1986 – Ronald Reagan
January 27, 1987 – Ronald Reagan
January 25, 1988 – Ronald Reagan
January 31, 1990 – George H.W. Bush
January 29, 1991 – George H.W. Bush
January 28, 1992 – George H.W. Bush
January 25, 1994 – William J. Clinton
January 24, 1995 – William J. Clinton
January 23, 1996 – William J. Clinton
February 4, 1997 – William J. Clinton
January 27, 1998 – William J. Clinton
January 19, 1999 – William J. Clinton
January 27, 2000 – William J. Clinton
January 29, 2002 – George W. Bush
January 28, 2003 – George W. Bush
January 20, 2004 – George W. Bush
February 2, 2005 – George W. Bush
January 31, 2006 – George W. Bush
January 23, 2007 – George W. Bush
January 28, 2008 – George W. Bush
January 27, 2010 – Barack H. Obama
January 25, 2011 – Barack H. Obama
January 24, 2012 – Barack H. Obama
February 12, 2013 – Barack H. Obama
January 28, 2014 – Barack H. Obama
January 20, 2015 – Barack H. Obama
January 12, 2016 – Barack H. Obama
January 30, 2018 – Donald J. Trump
February 5, 2019 – Donald J. Trump
February 4, 2020 – Donald J. Trump
March 1, 2022 – Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
February 7, 2023 – Joseph R. Biden, Jr.