Cajoling and challenging, Clinton's message was that the Republican-led Congress must address unfinished business. He said campaign finance reform, a subject of embarrassment to the White House, was in that category, along with balancing the budget and reopening last year's welfare law to restore benefits for legal immigrants.
Rep. J.C. Watts of Oklahoma, the only black Republican in Congress, was selected by House Speaker Newt Gingrich to present the traditional Republican response following Clinton's nationally broadcast address.
Two weeks after his inauguration for a second term, the president was on strong footing as he faced a Republican-led Congress suspicious of his proposals. His political confidence, shaken by the Democrats' devastation in 1994, was restored by his re-election, and his approval ratings were among the highest of his presidency.
The prime-time address, filled with rhetorical flourishes and odes to the 21st century, was just a teaser for the dollar-and-cents budget that Clinton will submit tomorrow.
That budget will urge $50 billion in education tax breaks, scholarships, grants and loan cuts. They are part of $100 billion in middle-class tax cuts over five years - to be offset by $80 billion in tax increases on corporations and airline travelers.
For the moment, at least, Republicans and Democrats alike are stressing bipartisanship and cooperation, although neither side pretends there won't be legislative fights.
Still, there is a sharp contrast to the spirit of bitterness and distrust that reigned a year ago when budget battles forced two government shutdowns that outraged Americans and tarred the GOP's image.
The White House said Clinton, accepting an invitation from Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott and Gingrich, would go to Capitol Hill next Tuesday to discuss the legislative agenda.
Still to come, though, are ethics and legal investigations that could continue to cloud Clinton's administration. The president's vulnerability is shared by Gingrich's own ethics problems, and some analysts believe that may prompt both sides to be more conciliatory.
Clinton's speech and spending proposals were recycled from earlier budgets and from his campaign.
where they were evaluated in polls for popularity.
A centerpiece of Clinton's education proposals is a $1,500 tax credit for the first two years of higher education, provided that a student maintains a B average. Alternatively, families could opt for a tax deduction of up to $10,000 a year for higher education or job-training tuition.
The president also is proposing a $500-per-child tax credit for families earning up to $60,000, with lesser credits for families making as much as $75,000. Republicans have a similar but more generous proposal.
The president will travel to Georgia today to expand on his education themes. The White House also has reserved three days for possible travel next week.
For families, Clinton urged allowing withdrawals from Individual Retirement Accounts to cover the cost of college tuition, first-time home purchases and unemployment expenses.
Another tax provision would exempt up to $500,000 in capital gains from the sale of a principal home.
With 10 million American children lacking health care insurance, the president is urging that Medicaid be used to provide coverage. He also proposes extending health coverage to temporarily unemployed workers.
Republicans criticize Clinton's tax package as too stingy. Senate Republicans already have come forward with a $193 billion tax-cut package. The GOP wants to slash in half the tax on capital gains earned on the sales of all investments.
Following up on last year's welfare law, the president proposed tax incentives to employers for hiring long-term welfare recipients. He also wants Congress to lift a ban on aid to many legal immigrants - imposed as part of the welfare law - and to ease spending cuts on food stamps.
Clinton's speech identified national security objectives: expanding NATO while maintaining a stable relationship with Russia, assuring a prominent role for America as a stabilizing force in Asia, and taking part in regional peacemaking efforts such as in the Middle East and Northern Ireland.
Also, continuing a campaign against terrorism, international crime and drugs, preserving a strong military and effective diplomacy and expanding regional trade agreements such as in Latin America.