why are the industry and its Congressional lackeys focused on getting more government handouts? Is this the way competitive industries behave?

In all fairness, you could direct exactly the same question at the solar PV or wind industries.

I think the reality is that this is how the energy industry behaves, at least in this country.  I can't think of a single significant aspect of the energy industry that isn't either subsidized or regulated in such a way as to protect certain players from competition.

Needless to say, I don't think that the comparison between clean coal and PV is particularly apt, but I think that this is a comparison that will be immediately drawn by someone who isn't already on board with the idea that energy sources without externalities are better than energy sources that have externalities.  In other words, I think that this particular rhetorical point is effective only when "preaching to the choir", which is not what you're interested in doing.  IMO, that's a good reason to find a different rhetorical tactic.

perhaps the point is not that the coal industry is busy grubbing after subsidies and tax breaks -- as you say, the same is true of every energy industry and, honestly, most industries in the U.S.

Perhaps the more relevant point is that renewable energy is currently booming and attracting intense private investment, while government largesse is increasingly the only source of investment in new coal.

Doesn't quite trip off the tongue ...

grist.org

Anyone wanna place bets on whether he mentions electrifying transportation?

(Or even higher stakes, if he doesn't mention biofuels as a primary focus of his environmental argument)

Heh, lets not forget the vast potential of nuclear he's bound to mention.

All while ironically sabre rattling about why we need to attack Iran because they might constitute a nuclear program.

_

Also of course similiar to Coal in it's calling for government bailouts.

This is a year where both Groundhog Day and the State of the Union address occur in the same week.  And as it has been pointed out, "It is an ironic juxtaposition of events: one involves a meaningless ritual in which we look to a creature of little intelligence for prognostication, while the other involves a groundhog."

Save the world: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions 5% annually.

Why is it in the national interest to "promote increased coal utilization"?  

And if it is in the national interest, why bother building a big power plant around it?  Hell, we'd use it a lot faster if we just dug it out of the ground and burned it on the spot.  Maybe we could empty our wallets out in the fire as well in the name of economic stimuli.

SOTU, brought to you by Americans for Balanced Energy Choices!