Grassley confident in content of President’s speech tonight

Iowa U-S Senator Chuck Grassley says he’s pretty confident what topics President Bush will address in his State of the Union address before Congress tonight. Grassley say the President’s agenda writes itself this year — with the prospect of war and the sluggish economy. Grassley, a Republican, believes Mr. Bush will expand on those issues which are “on everybody’s mind.”President Bush will make what the White House calls a ”statement of purpose” on Iraq tonight — but it won’t be a declaration of war. His spokesman says Bush’s State of the Union address won’t include any new evidence that Saddam Hussein has weapons he’s not supposed to have. Grassley, who’s chair of the Senate Finance Committee, says he would like to hear the President address a few other topics tonight like the medicare gap and a prescription drug benefit for the elderly.Meanwhile, the man who’s in line to be the next treasury secretary says President Bush’s tax-cut plan is the right way to go. John Snow is on Capitol Hill today for his Senate confirmation hearing before Grassley’s Finance Committee. Grassley says a President and a Secretary of the Treasury can “bring the people together” in tough economic times. Snow says Bush’s plan would move the economy in the right direction.