By JIM KUHNHENN
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama is pressing an overhaul of Wall Street regulations with a push-and-pull strategy – reasserting his desire for a consumer agency that Republicans despise while proposing new bank restrictions that even Republicans could love.
As he readies for his State of the Union speech Wednesday, the president’s approach reflects the demands of a new political landscape in Washington, where Republicans now have the votes to block Democratic initiatives in the Senate.
In his address, expected to focus heavily on the economy, Obama will seek to steer the public’s anger over joblessness and bailouts while recognizing that Democrats alone can’t do his bidding in Congress.