[GreyFriar]

That there would be a report to Congress, not the date. And Presidents initially made a written report, not one in person. I forget which president began delivering it in person.

[The Pack Knight]

That there would be a report to Congress, not the date. And Presidents initially made a written report, not one in person. I forget which president began delivering it in person.

Wilson was the one who revised the practice, but the first to give it in person was actually Washington. Washington and Adams gave their reports in person. Then Jefferson began giving it in writing, which continued for over a century.

Wilson's Republican successors had a much more modest view of the Presidency than he did, but unfortunately continued the practice of an in-person address and even expanded it to a public address. Ironically, the first to have his state of the union address broadcast to the whole nation was none other than "Silent Cal" Coolidge.