Obama, in State of Union speech, to draw contrast with Republican "gloom"

President Barack Obama will paint an optimistic picture in his final State of the Union televised address on Tuesday, drawing a contrast with Republicans running to replace him in the November 2016 presidential election, his top aide said on Sunday. The speech will be part nostalgic nod to Obama's history-making 2008 "hope and change" campaign which made him the first African-American president and part victory lap. The 54-year-old president will focus on the turnaround in the economy during his time in office - and try to avoid being cast as a "lame duck" unable to advance priorities as Congress prepares for his successor, who will take office in January 2017.