Bush practices State of Union remarks

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush Monday practiced his State of the Union address, officials said.

Two practice sessions were scheduled around a meeting and photo opportunity with members of the Detroit Pistons basketball team.

The State of the Union speech was slated to be given before a joint session of Congress Wednesday night.

Unlike Bush's inaugural address, which was broadly thematic, his remarks Wednesday will amount to a working blueprint on policy proposals.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Bush and his speechwriters were up to the 13th draft of his address.

Iraq, the war on terror and proposed Social Security reform are expected to dominate his remarks.