Obama to tackle deficit in State of the Union

The White House says President Barack Obama will use his upcoming State of the Union address to focus on the nation’s deficit.

Spokesman Robert Gibbs says the president’s advisers are looking through the recommendations from Obama’s deficit commission, though he didn’t say which proposals the president supports. The commission’s report calls for cuts to entitlement programs and raising the Social Security retirement age.

Gibbs says Obama will deliver his annual address to Congress in late January, after the state visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao (hoo jin-tow). Hu will visit the White House Jan. 19.

Gibbs’ remarks came during an online question and answer session on the social networking site Twitter.