Donald Trump describes the President's speech as "really boring" as he faces up to more criticism of his campaign.
Barack Obama used his final State Of The Union
address to take a swipe at Donald Trump by urging the US not to give in
to fear and division.
Republican presidential front-runner Mr Trump recently called for a ban on Muslims entering the US.
But in his primetime speech to a joint session of Congress,
with around 30 million television viewers tuning in, the President
issued a plea for tolerance.
"This isn’t a matter of political correctness," he said, in
one of his last chances to hold the nation's attention before a new
president is elected in November.
Michelle Obama hosted guests who reflect the president's priorities
"When politicians insult Muslims, whether abroad or our
fellow citizens," he added, "when a mosque is vandalised, or a kid
bullied, that doesn’t make us safer.
"That's not telling it like it is. It's just wrong."
The #SOTU speech is really boring, slow, lethargic - very hard to watch!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 13, 2016
Mr Trump tweeted that the speech was "really boring".
With Republicans criticising his fight against the Islamic
State group, Mr Obama condemned the jihadists as "killers and fanatics
who have to be rooted out, hunted down and destroyed".
Up to seven in 10 Americans are nervous about terrorism and
believe the US is heading in the wrong direction, according to recent
polls.
Facing an audience filled with Republican lawmakers who have
thwarted much of his agenda, Mr Obama also issued a clarion call to
"fix our politics".
"It's one of the few regrets of my presidency - that the
rancour and suspicion between the parties has gotten worse instead of
better," said the president, who swept to power in 2008 on a unifying
promise of hope and change.
The official Republican response to his address was delivered by South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.
Ms Haley, the daughter of Indian immigrants, called on the
nation to resist "the siren call of the angriest voices" in anxious
times.
Her remarks in defence of immigrants were also interpreted as a veiled jab at hardline conservatives such as Mr Trump.
In his speech, Mr Obama unveiled no specific policy
proposals, but instead sought to generate support for items high on his
to-do list, including closure of Guantanamo Bay and tighter gun laws.
As the two-term Democratic president looks to his legacy
after seven years in the White House, he focused on accomplishments such
as his signature healthcare law.
Mr Obama also touted more recent achievements including a
nuclear deal with Iran, a diplomatic thaw with Cuba and a huge budget
deal with Congress.
However, his remarks on Tehran came amid the Iranian seizure of two US Navy vessels and their 10 crew in the Gulf.
Obama's Swipe At Trump In Final State Of Union
![Obama's Swipe At Trump In Final State Of Union]()
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