Bush's final State of the Union address wasn't a classic, but it may keep him in the game a bit longer. more >>

Tonight's State of the Union address will be a realistic, relatively low-key speech that recognizes the limits of President Bush's power in his final year in office, White House insiders tell U.S. News. To that end, the president will advocate transferring more power from Washington to the individual citizen but won't have big new initiatives to announce. more >>

President Bush's State of the Union address tackled everything from the war in Iraq to education at home. But small-business groups weren't paying attention to his shout-out to Dikembe Mutombo. more >>

Ending on a Good Note more >>

Some major gestures of conciliation are due from President Bush, says Republican wordsmith and pollster Frank Luntz, who offers this suggestion for the State of the Union address Janu-ary 23: The prez should point out, by name, five Democratic legislators and five Republican legislators and praise them for a specific idea or piece of legislation for which he would request bipartisan support. Why? "So the American people see that the president is pulling ideas from both sides, not only Republicans and not only Democrats," adds the author of the new Words That Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear. more >>