"Clinton firmly believes that the reason he has stayed highly popular is because of the perception that he is focused on the work of the country," says Carney. And nothing reinforces that perception better than returning to one of the President's meat and potatoes issues. As he does every year, the President also wants to take control of the agenda from the beginning. "It is common in advance of the State of the Union message," says Carney, "for the President to leak out some of his proposals in order to generate interest." But will Congress even bother to listen this year? "I wouldn't rule it out," says Carney. "Despite the obsession with the scandal, there is a great desire in Washington to address other subjects."