BUSH ADDRESS

IS MONDAY NIGHT

Beginning his final year in office with low approval ratings, a Democratic Congress and a nation fixated on choosing his successor, President Bush is expected to deliver a modest speech Monday for his final State of the Union address. With his legacy in mind, he'll urge Congress to extend some key initiatives: tax cuts, the No Child Left Behind education law, and the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq.

DOMESTIC ISSUES

Bush will be speaking under circumstances very different from those of the past, with economic fears roiling the country and Iraq war and terrorism concerns in the background, at least temporarily.

The president is expected to urge swift passage of a $150 billion economic stimulus package of tax rebates and other measures, which House leaders and the White House -- but not yet the Senate -- have agreed to, according to White House officials and others.

He'll also press for the extension of a law allowing for expanded electronic eavesdropping, including on communications that transit U.S. territory. The law expires Feb. 1.

FOREIGN ISSUES

On the foreign policy front, Bush is expected to argue that the "surge" of nearly 30,000 additional U.S. troops to Iraq has improved that country's security. He'll tout his administration's commitment to Israeli-Palestinian peace as well as its efforts against AIDS and hunger in the developing world, particularly in Africa.

NO BIG NEWS

White House officials acknowledged that the initiatives Bush would present as his new goals for 2008 would be relatively small policy proposals, some of which he could implement by executive order and avoid a tangle with Congress.

What aides called the president's "realistic" agenda will feature no new calls for past administration initiatives, such as overhauling immigration laws or Social Security.

Likewise, Bush is not expected to detail plans for operations in Iraq once the troop surge ends as planned in July.

TIME AND TV

The address is at 8 CST Monday. The speech, which will be carried by the major networks and cable news channels, will be followed by the Democratic response from Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas.

NEWS SERVICES