GOP faults Obama speech for liberalism, hostility

WASHINGTON — Republicans charged Wednesday that President Barack Obama delivered a State of the Union address studded with tired liberal notions and campaign-style hostility and said the speech did little to ease partisan tensions over issues like gigantic budget deficits.

“An opportunity to bring together the country instead became another retread of lip service and liberalism,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said on the chamber floor, arguing that Obama offered little more than “gimmicks and tax hikes.”

“Last night’s speech was a pedestrian liberal boilerplate that any Democr...