Brown taking a pass on State of the Union speech

Brown taking a pass on State of the Union speech

M.L.

Boston (AP) -- Scott Brown is showing up many places, just not the State of the Union speech.

The Republican senator-elect says he doesn't plan to attend President Barack Obama's first speech on Wednesday because "I don't even have a business card yet."

Brown says he wants to wrap up his work as a Massachusetts state senator and thank people who helped elect him last week to the Senate seat held by the late Edward Kennedy.

He's also meeting with local leaders, Gov. Deval Patrick, Boston reporters, ABC-TV's Barbara Walters and doing a bit for Jay Leno's NBC comedy show.

Brown says he'll answer questions about the speech, but he thinks "it's inappropriate" for him to be commentating on the president's remarks.

On Tuesday Brown said he is eager to sit down with President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden to discuss the message in last week's special election that saw him upset the Democrats and claim the seat held by the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.

Voters showed they want the nation's political leadership focused on job creation, Brown said, and he commended the White House for shifting its focus back to the economy after his election halted momentum on a planned health care overhaul.

"I think it's a microcosm of what's happening nationally, when people are very concerned about work," the senator-elect said of his victory. "We're the best country in the world, and people, they want to work. And right now we're not working. I think it's good he's shifted gears and is going to focus on the economy and jobs."

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