Selling State Of The Union

It was classic Clinton. Even his enemies call him one of the most adroit politicians ever, and Thursday night he was on his game, reports CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent Bob Schieffer.

As always, he brought Congress a package of programs to solve most every problem, from HMO reform and prescription drugs for seniors to stiff new gun controls and help for education. All of it mixed with a passel of tax breaks including a proposal to end the marriage tax penalty, the quirk in the law that requires married couples to pay a higher tax than singles.

And as always, it was a long speech, more than an hour and a half.

But is any of it doable? Will Republicans who sat on their hands through most of it cooperate, even a little? Friday, Republican Budget Chairman Pete Domenici said "maybe."

"We can work with him on some things, a couple of them real quick," Domenici said. "He's moved in our direction on the marriage tax penalty. We might be able to work out something on that."

And Domenici says that if the president meets them halfway, there could be some kind of HMO reform and help to seniors on prescription drugs.

But don't expect the proposal to license gun owners to go far - the White House doesn't. It's in there to tell voters that if you want this bill passed, vote in a different Congress.

The rest of it will be a fight over money.

"You can't do all of those things and create almost a half-trillion dollars of new spending programs," said Rep. James Rogan, R-Calif.

Since the government prints only about $600 million worth of new money a day, Republicans joked that if all the president's programs passed, he'd literally be spending money faster than the government can print it.

In any case, expect quick approval of legislation to eliminate the marriage tax penalty; and later at least a chance of HMO reform, help on prescription drugs and maybe even a little tax break here and there.