Bush made it clear he was comfortable with his positions on the issues he outlined, Bennett said, but also that he realized the Republicans lost the last election.

"This State of the Union was not a laundry list of many, many issues," Bennett said. "These are the major issues affecting the country."

The George W. Bush giving the speech was more like the person he sees in private meetings, Bennett said. "He is never going to be on the ballot again. He can say what he wants."

On energy, the president called for more diversity in the country's energy supply with everything from electricity to fuel. He wants to see more research on hybrid and plug-in vehicles, the use of cleaner diesel fuel and reductions in the amount of gas Americans use.

"I ask Congress to join me in pursuing a great goal," Bush said. "Let us build on the work we have done and reduce gasoline usage in the United States by 20 percent in the next 10 years." Hatch and Bennett said they strongly support the alternative vehicles the president mentioned.

"I don't see how anyone can find fault with what he said," Hatch said. "He hit a home run with that."

Hatch called it an "ambitious" goal.

Cannon said cleaner technologies have taken some "great leaps" in the past few years, clearly opening the doors for a reduction.

Health care was another large part of the speech, with a proposed standard tax deduction on health insurance, which will help those with employer-provided insurance and those who pay for it on their own.

Bush also wants to help states that cover their uninsured — by including federal funds for states that make basic health care available to the poor.

He has asked Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt, Utah's former governor, to work with Congress on making "affordable choices" grants that would give states "more money and more flexibility to get private health insurance to those most in need."

Bush also wants to expand Health Savings Accounts, reduce medical errors with better information technology, and initiate medical liability reform.

"He has a lot of intelligent ideas on health care," Hatch said.

Cannon said a tax deduction for health insurance was "pretty radical and new."

Bishop's first response to the speech was that he was excited about the health-care proposals.

Bennett said he has always understood that the country can not reform health care without looking at the tax code.

Bush also said he wants to balance the federal budget, reduce earmarks, encourage Congress to renew the No Child Left Behind Act and create a temporary worker program for immigrants who want to work in this country.

Cannon called it "an amazingly bipartisan speech."

"It is clear the president has recognized he is going to have to work with both parties," Cannon said.

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E-mail: suzanne@desnews.com