As I have only had American television for the 2004 election

[Harry Hayfield]

I would like to know whether the presidential election year SOTU is in effect a party election broadcast for the party holding the presidency?

[Verily]

Only Bush will speak, and, since the Republican nominee is not known, he will not endorse or speak specifically of any candidate. I find it unlikely that he will speak at length about the election, but he may.

[Stranger in a strange land]

I would like to know whether the presidential election year SOTU is in effect a party election broadcast for the party holding the presidency?

sort of, but not the way the equivelent in the UK (I forget what it's called) is. It's more the president laying out his agenda for the coming year and saying what he think the nation's major priorities should be.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I'm sort of hoping that W. will do what no President has done since Ford and give an outgoing State of the Union speech next January. (Carter gave a written report in 1980.)

[Trilobyte]

The SOTU speech in an election year usually looks back at the accomplishments of the past three or seven years. It's been that way since at least Clinton (I believe he started that trend, but I'm not completely sure.).

I always love it when the president delivers the "state of the Union is strong" line, or some variation of it.