President Obama will deliver his first official State of the Union address on Jan. 27, White House deputy press secretary Bill Burton tweeted this afternoon.

The timing had been in flux for some time, with some speculating that the White House had hoped to hold off the major address until after the health care reform package was a done deal. By setting it for next Wednesday, it would seem the administration believes that goal is no longer possible. Health reform itself could be in jeopardy, as Democrats face the very real possibility of losing their 60-vote supermajority tomorrow.

With his signature legislative initiative unlikely to be accomplished at this milestone, the speech would only take on greater significance. Consider what former President Clinton had to say about this a few months ago:

"We need to put a bill on the president's desk and he needs to sign it, so at the State of the Union he's not explaining why we haven't done health care."