(Alex Brandon / Associated Press)President Trump will try to bring his pitchman's A-game to his first State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress and a national television audience, though even the strongest performance may not sway many voters. Trump will have about 60 minutes of prime time Tuesday night to try to turn public opinion as his approval rating sits at historic lows for a president at this point in his term, and his party faces the prospect of losing control of the House and perhaps the Senate in the midterm election. Many viewers will tune in to hate-watch Trump, though a president's fans are usually more likely to watch such speeches than are opponents. Only about 4 in 10 Americans say they approve of Trump's performance in office, numerous polls have shown. His challenge will be to reach the shrinking slice of swing voters who can be persuaded that he is taking the country in the right direction.

Source: Los Angeles Times January 30, 2018 21:35 UTC