Monitor: State of the Union

The US press considers the content of the President's State of the Union address

Houston Chronicle

IT MUST be remembered that the mendacious Clinton, on the occasion of one of his previous State of the Union messages, declared emphatically that the "era of big government is over". Some of the biggest government programs and tax increases in US history followed that blithe baloney. While Clinton's presidency is in deep trouble, the state of the union has not been better in some time. In the coming weeks, the Senate will decide whether Clinton will remain president long enough to advance any part of his sweeping agenda.

New York Post

THE PRESIDENT needs to solidify support in the solid center: What better way to do that than to give America a cash bath? This amounts to jury tampering in the court of public opinion, of course. But this is what Clinton has excelled at for years. Cynicism pays. That's the plan.

USA Today

MANY OF Clinton's ideas are useful and have popular appeal. But how to pay? The president, may promise all he wants in new programs and "saving Social Security first". But the budget calculations just don't add up, and the smart calculus is that future retirees will pay the price.

Miami Herald

ONCE AGAIN, Mr Clinton demonstrated that he is at least as blessed with personal gifts as he is cursed by a lack of moral discipline. America won't tolerate his removal. Mr Clinton walked into the House last night not unlike Daniel entering the lions' den. And like Daniel, he walked out again. The lions were cheering.