THE FULL PLATE for which Bill Clinton is famous usually consists of a jumbo order of McDonald’s fries. The full plate that he has left for George W. Bush may prove less easily digestible.

The new president’s first order of business will be “the economy, stupid,” probably bringing the first smile to the face of James Carville since he found that the Constitution does indeed include a role for the Supreme Court. Bush surely knows that if he can’t head off a serious recession, the Republicans will pay the price in 2002 and 2004, just as his father did in 1992. Contending that he inherited the mess from Clinton won’t wash: Voters will remember only that times were sweet under Clinton-Gore and turned sour under Bush-Cheney.