CNN is treating tomorrow’s “State of the Union” coverage like an election night, loading up on political anchors and analysts. Coverage will be led by Wolf Blitzer, Anderson Cooper, Chris Cuomo, Jake Tapper, Kate Bolduan and Erin Burnett, who will be overseeing a focus group reacting to the speech. Dana Bash will be in the House Chamber while Jessica Yellin reports from the White House. John King will be on “Magic Wall” duty, with John Berman and Tom Foreman in the “virtual studio” to offer “reality checks” of the President’s remarks, and the Republican response.
On the analysis side, former Fox News contributor Newt Gingrich and former Current TV anchor Jennifer Granholm will provide insider analysis, with Gloria Borger, David Gergen, Cornell Belcher, Donna Brazile, Alex Castellanos, Margaret Hoover, Van Jones and Ana Navarro also weighing in throughout the night.
One person who apparently will not be appearing on CNN’s SOTU coverage is the anchor of CNN’s “State of the Union,” Candy Crowley. Crowley hosted her weekend program from DC yesterday, and previewed the SOTU on “CNN Newsroom” yesterday afternoon.
Update: CNN says that Crowley is out of town, caring for her mother. Hence, she won’t be able to participate in the coverage.
More info, below.
CNN Dedicates Tuesday Night to President Obama’s State of the Union Address
Sen. Marco Rubio’s GOP Response to Air Live in Primetime
Guests include former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Michigan Gov. Granholm
CNN’s political team of anchors and correspondents will lead the network’s coverage of President Barack Obama’s State of the Union Address Tuesday, Feb. 12 beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
Leading the network’s coverage will be anchors Wolf Blitzer, Kate Bolduan, Erin Burnett, Anderson Cooper, Chris Cuomo and Jake Tapper. Special guests providing analysis and perspective include former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm. Dana Bash will report live from inside the U.S. House chamber and Jessica Yellin will provide updates from the White House.
Commentary will be provided throughout the evening by chief political analyst Gloria Borger, senior political analyst David Gergen, along with political contributors Cornell Belcher, Donna Brazile, Alex Castellanos, Margaret Hoover, Van Jones and Ana Navarro.
The Republican response, delivered by Sen. Marco Rubio, will also air live following the State of the Union address.
On the magic wall, chief national correspondent John King will provide a report card on first term State of the Union promises, and assess the prospects for congressional action on a second-term Obama wish list that includes the economy, immigration, gun control and climate change. Burnett will conduct a focus group from the University of Richmond, where registered voters provide live reaction during the president’s speech. John Berman and Tom Foreman, live from the network’s virtual studio, will offer reality checks of the president’s remarks and the Republican response.
CNN’s coverage extends across all platforms with the network’s “Tweet of the Union” database, which allows users to track the conversation among members of congress in real time and filter the conversation among demographic and editorial storylines. Starting Tuesday, viewers can follow the conversation at CNN.com/tweetoftheunion and add their own spin on the president’s speech via Twitter using the hashtag #tweetoftheunion.
CNN Digital will live-stream both the address and the response on CNN.com and on CNN’s mobile website and apps. Users can visit CNNPolitics.com for analysis, commentary and reaction to the speeches and follow along on The Political Ticker’s live-blog.
CNN International will simulcast both the Presidential address and the Republican response. In addition, a CNN/ORC International poll will be released on the favorability of the President and the GOP.
CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is the most trusted source for news and information. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; CNN Digital Network, the No. 1 network of news Web sites in the United States; CNN Newsource, the world’s most extensively syndicated news service; and strategic international partnerships within both television and the digital media.