Obama 'likes' first draft of State of the Union

President Obama was pleased with the first draft of the State of the Union, White House speechwriter Cody Keenan said in a video previewing the address posted to the White House's website.

"[Monday] night we sent him the first draft and just met with him for about an hour," Keenan said. "He likes it, which is a big relief for us."

Keenan, who will become the director of the White House's speechwriting office at the end of the month, said work began on the State of the Union in November, after the president's re-election. It is the first State of the Union where Keenan is running point for the administration; head speechwriter Jon Favreau is passing the reins ahead of his planned departure to pursue a career in Hollywood.

The White House has given few clues about the content of the speech, although the president is expected to make his calls for immigration reform and gun controls a central part of the address. The president is also likely to focus on economic growth and foreign policy in the address.

In a private meeting with House Democrats earlier this week, Obama said the speech would illustrate how the nation could create jobs through education, green energy, and reducing the deficit.

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