Obama seeks to regain footing after setbacks

President Barack Obama vowed on Tuesday to bypass a divided Congress and take action on his own to bolster America's middle class in a State of the Union address that he used to try to breathe new life into his second term after a troubled year.
Background:
Analysis: What a difference a year makes [USA Today]
Obama warns divided Congress that he will act alone [Reuters]
Flurry of G.O.P. responses to State of the Union address reflects party’s ideological rivalries [WP]
With social media, the pulpit no longer belongs to the president alone [NYT]
Video: State of the Union speech in full [BBC]