Watch: President Obama Answers Your Questions in a Google+ Hangout

Earlier this evening, President Obama sat down with Americans from across the country to discuss his State of the Union address and his plan to create jobs and strengthen the middle class.

During the virtual conversation, the President answered questions about a range of topics, from steps to reduce gun violence to his plan to reward hard work by raising the minimum wage. The President also addressed some more personal questions from participants on recommended reading, Valentine’s Day plans and baby names.

Check out the full video of the President’s Hangout below. And if you have thoughts about the State of the Union, you can share your Citizen Response with the White House using a new online tool.

Use the links below to jump to specific questions and answers during the hangout (questions are paraphrased):

• Do you think we should ban handguns?
• If the government passes a law to make legally owned guns illegal, wouldn’t you be taking away people’s guns?
• What are your plans to keep high-tech businesses and jobs in the United States when other countries don’t have the same restrictions?
• How will raising the minimum wage impact regular people like me?
• Why doesn't the U.S. stop minting pennies?
• What are you planning to do to limit the abuses of software patents?
• What you’re going to do from now until the time immigration reform is passed to ensure that families aren’t being broken apart?
• Are you committed to supporting bi-national same-sex couples as part of immigration reform?
• Have your daughters expressed any interest in pursuing a career in science or engineering?
• What's one book would you recommend we read to better understand your political philosophy?
• Should we make it a national effort to add a computer programming language requirement?
• How do we get past that ideological rigidity and that divisiveness to have a policy discussion about what’s actually the most efficient way to reduce our carbon emissions?
• How has the reality of the presidency changed your campaign promise of transparency?
• Are you concerned that your Secretary of Defense nomination will not go through?
• How did the experience of growing up in Hawaii shape you as a person?
• What name do you prefer for our second child, Eleanor or Alice?

President Barack Obama participates in a “Fireside Hangout” on Google+ with Americans from around the country to discuss his State of the Union Address, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. February 14, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

The Fireside Hangout was moderated by Steve Grove, Head of Community Partnerships at Google+ and the participants, chosen by Google, included:

• Limor Fried, New York: Limor is a popular Google+ user as well as an accomplished engineer and the CEO of a robotics manufacturing firm in NYC that makes innovative use of the web to connect with audiences and customers.
• John Green, Indiana: With his brother Hank, John built a popular YouTube channel called the “Vlogbrothers.” "The videos spawned a community of people called 'nerdfighters” whose catch phrase is “don’t forget to be awesome.” 
• Kira Davis, California: Kira is a blogger and mother who has become popular voicing her opinions on YouTube. Kira’s website is dedicated to arguing and defending conservative values and principle in politics and pop culture.
• Lee Doren, Virgina: In December 2008, Lee launched the YouTube channel “How the World Works.” Since then, it has become one of the largest “News and Politics” channels on YouTube.
• Jacky Guerrero, California: Jacky started an online magazine with several other members of the LGBT Latino youth community. Jacky currently works at a foundation, which focuses on social justice issues.

This event is the latest in a series of Fireside Hangouts and White House engagement programs on Google+. Follow the White House on Google+ for the latest updates and opportunities to engage with the President and his administration.