The Note
W A S H I N G T O N, April 13—<br> -- TODAY SCHEDULE (all times ET)
FUTURES CALENDAR
NEWS SUMMARY
About 12 hours after the words you are now reading were written, almost everything below this sentence will be overtaken by events — or, more specifically, by AN event: the presidential news conference that occurs at 8:30 pm ET in the East Room of the White House.
You all know the deal: this is just the third prime time news conference that this President Bush has had, in part because of his disdain for the ways of the Washington press corps (as contrasted, paradoxically, with his abiding affection for most of the human being reporters who cover him).
Your day time, of course, will be filled with wall-to-wall cable coverage of the 9/11 commission's delving into the FBI and CIA angles, with witnesses Freeh, Reno, Ashcroft, and Pickard.
But it is the press conference that will almost certainly shape the cycle, and here's what you can count on:
1. The President's opening statement will be filled with muscular, patriotic rhetoric with a "stay the course" theme.
2. The President's performance will be really good or really weak. Or, perhaps, it will SEEM really good if you already like him, and SEEM really weak if you don't. Watch the blogs for insta-reaction.
3. Reporters will struggle to phrase things just right to come off as both tough and respectful; the President will struggle to control the daggers of irritation flying from his eyes, and will fail at least once. (The words "Can I finish?" or "Let me finish!"will be uttered.)
4. Except for print reporters on deadline and cable talking heads, we'll all be done in time to watch Mariners versus Angels on ESPN at 10:00 pm ET, Mr. President.
A senior White House official tells ABC News' Kate Snow: "The decision for a press conference was to give the American people an update on the war. Last week was tough, and military operations have now been underway for several days, so he thought it was the right time to provide context as well as explain the way forward. We know 9-11 will come up, but we believe the American people are far more interested in what's happening in Iraq."
Setting the table for all this with deft balance is the New York Times' Adam Nagourney, who says that Republicans want their candidate — running by definition an "incumbent strategy" — to be out there addressing their nail-biting concerns (And, yes, they are as bothered by the Newsweek poll as some Democrats were by the polls from two weeks ago "showing" Kerry faltering.). LINK
Besides watching to see if John Ashcroft's presidential ambitions end today or not (That's a joke for you, The Davids.), here's what else you need to read during the breaks in testimony — unless you like the sound of Bob Franken's voice:
a. John Kerry's Washington Post op-ed laying out his Iraq policy — proving that if the presidential election were a bluebook essay contest, Senator Kerry would be favored. LINK
b. Walter Pincus' Washington Post blockbuster, saying the 9/11 commission is trying again to talk to the analyst (a "she") who wrote the world's most famous PBD and that the analyst and the president thought of the same project independently of each other (We see Julia Roberts as the analyst in the movie … .). LINK
c. The New York Times' Jim Rutenberg and David D. Kirkpatrick write a gussied up New York Observer story that is a total must-read on the timing of the release of Bill Clinton's book, which still isn't done but which he has started to read to people over the phone (instead of spending the time finishing it!). The Note is still betting it isn't published this year. LINK
d. Edmund Andrews writing gracefully and fairly in the New York Times about the Social Security, Medicare, and pension battles that may or may not talk place in this presidential election year. LINK
e. Alan Murray's secretly snagged interview with John Kerry (buried in an over-the-top homage to the most homaged person in politics — Bob Rubin), in which Kerry says Clintonomics didn't invest enough in infrastructure and should have popped the speculative bubble sooner. (Wonder what Kerry thinks of a possible housing bubble … . )
Elsewhere today, Sen. Kerry campaigns at the University of Rhode Island and attends a fundraising luncheon in Providence, R.I., then attends a fundraising dinner in Boston, Mass.
And the Colorado Democratic caucuses take place.
ABC News Vote 2004: The President faces the nation:
May we graciously suggest you watch our live coverage on ABC at 8:30 pm ET. Or tune in to your ABC News radio station for full coverage. Or keep your browser on ABC News.com and Noted Now.
The Washington Post's studious firm of Milbank and Allen Note bluntly that tonight's news conference "will give Bush a forum to address concerns that have caused a dip in his election-year popularity." LINK
The calling for a prime time press conference (number three) on the heels of a "tough week" in Iraq, endless questions about the months and weeks leading up to 9/11, and that Newsweek poll caused some "Republicans close to the White House" to chat with the New York Times' Adam Nagourney and express some concerns that the re-election campaign may not be going exactly according to plan. And there's a major league big time quote to boot. LINK
"All this takes place at what Republicans call a time of frustration for Mr. Bush and his advisers. In the same month that his general-election campaign began, the very issues that Mr. Bush viewed as the foundation of his appeal — his handling of foreign affairs and the nation's security — are being challenged."
The AP reports that President Bush will attempt to defuse the issues of "rising casualties in Iraq and his response in 2001 to a terrorism warning the White House had in hand before the Sept. 11 attacks." LINK
Brian Blomquist of the New York Post reports FOX's decision to move American Idol to Thursday to make way for the president. LINK
Bravo will not budge from "Queer Eye," however.
Blomquist also follows up on ABC News' Jonathan Karl's reporting. "A White House official said Bush would make an announcement tonight, possibly the nomination of current U.N. Ambassador John Negroponte to be the U.S. ambassador to Iraq."
The politics of Iraq and national security:
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Meg Jones looks at the Wisconsin National Guard Military Police unit whose duty in Iraq has been extended 120 days. LINK
The New York Post's Vince Morris writes, "President Bush yesterday opened the door to a historic overhaul of U.S. intelligence-gathering … " LINK
Gen. Abizaid requests more troops, acknowledging Monday "what many critics had been saying for months: The American-led force needs more troops," reports the Los Angeles Times. LINK
"U.S. officials had hoped to draw the occupation force down to 110,000 this spring as the coalition prepares to transfer authority to a still-unnamed interim Iraqi government on June 30. Instead, the Pentagon is planning to have as many as 140,000 American troops in Iraq if the new units arrive soon or 120,000 if the soldiers now pulling extended duty are allowed to leave within several months, defense officials said. Yet those numbers could change drastically, Pentagon officials said privately. Either the Joint Chiefs or Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld could substantially alter Abizaid's request. 'You could see that number halve — or even double,' one official said."
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