But how Mr Obama handles this is critical, and it is hard to know what proposals or rhetoric would make his speech soar above the obvious, and into history.
However, while a certain amount of distrust and wariness is proper when dealing with political speech, it is also true that in certain instances rhetoricand formal policy commitments can matter quite a lot.
Ralph Reed, a former senior adviser to George W. Bush's campaigns in 2000 and 2004, said Clinton's speech was big on rhetoric, but failed to hammer down key issues for the American people.
Ronald Reagan -- whose speech for Goldwater in 1964 propelled him into the national spotlight -- used the same kind of rhetoricand tactics as Goldwater to win the presidency against President Carter in 1980.