King of the Hill?

And he sang it with feeling. President Clinton Sunday joined a Methodist congregation in a hearty rendition of "We Shall Overcome," using Martin Luther King as the perfect launch pad for what may be the most important week of his presidency. The spin connection was made explicit in the Rev. J. Philip Wogaman's sermon: Dr. King was a flawed man, but his personal flaws are eclipsed by his historic achievements. While the President's lawyers prepare to slice and dice the prosecution's reading of both the facts and the law on Tuesday, Clinton hopes to shift attention to his accomplishments and his plans. His State of the Union address will focus on saving Social Security and on improving education. Spin subtext: Congress may be consumed by an unpopular impeachment trial, but President Clinton is thinking about the issues that concern Americans.

Before the President steps up, however, his lawyers will change gear in their defense strategy. Instead of primarily emphasizing that the charges against the President don't meet the constitutional standard for impeachment, they'll first try to systematically refute the prosecution's case on key factual issues -- which is why it may ultimately suit them to lose the battle over calling witnesses. Of course, the White House will publicly maintain its opposition to witnesses -- if only to make sure that the political cost of a drawn-out, messy trial is born by the Republicans.