Behind the scenes look at the State of the Union

If election night is like Christmas for political junkies, State of the Union night is like New Year’s Eve (or this year, perhaps more like prom night).

In terms of a pre-show, I wanted to share what I thought was an interesting video about the background on the writing of the SOTU.

And as President Obama puts the final touches on tonight's address to discuss the state of our union and his vision for the future, I wanted to ask what you most want him to discuss. For most, it’s the economy and, more specifically, job creation. For many, it’s addressing the deficit. For some, it’s social issues, education or — in light of this month’s shootings in Tucson — gun control.

But from your living room, what are the key notes the president needs to hit? The New Republic offers its 5 key thoughts here, but share your thoughts in the comments. 

Then, after the speech check out the White House online forum where panelists will answer questions viewers think he left unresolved. You can submit questions via Twitter, Facebook and the White House website.