"With relentless self-promotion, Clinton has managed to put his face on this surplus, as well as on the economic boom," says TIME deputy Washington bureau chief Jef McAllister. "Despite what Republicans say, he'll probably get the credit." Early reports from the Hill also suggest that the face-off between Republican proposals for a broad income-tax cut and Clinton's mantra of "save Social Security first" is tipping in the President's favor. "If we squander this surplus," Clinton said Wednesday, "what are we going to do when times get tough?" Just keep talking about the economy, stupid.