Tonight Bush gives State of the Union

President Bush goes before Congress and the nation tonight to deliver his final State of the Union address before he faces re-election.

All of the major broadcast and cable television networks plan to broadcast the speech live at 9 p.m.

White House officials said the twin themes of the speech, which will run 50 minutes or so, are national and economic security.

They hope to use the speech, and its audience of more than 60-million, to foster an image of Bush as a wartime visionary who stands above the fray of politics.

Bush will open with remarks on national security, urging Americans to back him on the war on terrorism, including the invasion of Iraq, aides said.

Next will come domestic issues. He'll make his case that tax cuts have helped turn the economy around. He also will set out a multipart approach to helping Americans deal with rising health care costs, aides said.

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