Bush's War (Speech)
— -- WASHINGTON, Jan. 10
President Bush addresses the nation and the world (and Carl Levin) tonight at 9:01 pm ET from the White House library. Without using the word "surge," the President is expected to call for sending 22,000 additional U.S. troops to Iraq, according to ABC News' Martha Raddatz.
The troop increase is expected to include five additional brigades for Baghdad and one additional brigade for Al Anbard (which will be done by holding a brigade already there that was scheduled to leave). Two brigades are supposed to be in Baghdad in 30 days or more (one is already in Kuwait). The additional three are planned to be phased in over several months.
There will likely be benchmarks for security, but the President reportedly will not tie U.S. troop commitment to benchmarks.
After the speech, Democrats will probably have somebody (perhaps Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL)) come to the Senate Gallery and make a response to whatever Bush says and then take questions. On Nightline at 11:35 pm ET, Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) will offer his reaction to the President's speech.
Prior to the President's speech tonight, Gen. Wesley Clark joins Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) to discuss the situation in Iraq today at 12:15 pm ET.
You can watch and listen to full coverage of the President's remarks throughout the ABC News universe.
On the traditional television network, ABC News will broadcast President George Bush's address from the White House live at 9 p.m., ET on Wednesday, January 10. Charles Gibson will anchor the network's coverage from New York.
ABC News Radio will also provide extensive coverage, with Gil Gross anchoring and Ann Compton reporting from the White House. Following the speech, ABC News Radio will have analysis from military experts, reaction from Democratic and Republican lawmakers, and additional reporting from Aaron Katersky.
ABCNEWS.com and ABC News Now will also cover the President's speech, starting at 7:30 pm ET on NOW. As part of the coverage, ABCNEWS.com will invite viewers to vote online on the President's plan. The results will be broadcast live on the digital channel and on the website.
ABC News' continuing/continuous coverage of the President's speech continues now, with The Note's pre-game show, previewing the political stakes for Mr. Bush this evening.
With a lot on the line, we asked a diverse group of keen political observers -- ranging mostly from older white men who live in Washington to younger (relatively) white men who also live in Washington -- what the stakes and challenges are for the President tonight. While their views are not as colorful as the pre- and post-game analysis of Terry, Howie, and Jimmy, here's what we found:
David Gergen, adviser to several presidents of both parties: "The President has to walk a real tightrope tonight."
Norm Ornstein, American Enterprise Institute: "This is Bush's last chance to make his case, and, frankly, it might already be too late."
Charlie Cook, independent political analyst from the Cook Political Report: "The danger for the President is that the country has stopped listening to him on Iraq. This is a very, very hard sell."
Stuart Rothenberg, independent political analyst from the Rothenberg Political Report: "Republicans want Iraq off the table by the end of this year, but the White House just doesn't seem to get it."
Stephen Hess, Brookings Institution: "You normally don't get a seventh chance to make a first impression. Somehow, the President has to convince the country to change its collective mind, and that is a difficult thing to do this far into a very costly war."
Ken Duberstein, chief of staff to Ronald Reagan: "If the President can convince the country that he has a real, new plan to fix things, the American people will give him a chance to try, but that is going to be tough to do. We'll see."
John Podesta, chief of staff to Bill Clinton: "Democrats are going to listen to the President's plans, but, frankly, the time for listening is over. Every Democrat in Congress is going to have to ask if the plan can work, and we already know what the answer to that is."
Lawrence Korb, broadcasting from CAP, "Had the President simply adopted my plan of two years ago for a Phased Redeployment, we could have been out of Iraq by now and well into screwing up Iran."
Michael Beschloss, historian: "President Taft faced a very similar circumstance."
Bill Kristol, the Weekly Standard: "The President will be making a terrible mistake if he calls for any fewer than 40,000 additional troops. I worry about his spine."
Mark McKinnon, long-time Bush media adviser: "The President is as calm and at peace as I have ever seen him. He knows what he wants to do."
Any Republican appearing on Larry King Live: "Yada yada yada, a surge, though too little too late, might be our last best chance."
Any Democrat appearing on Larry King Live: "Yada yada yada, an escalation, because that's what this really is Larry, hasn't worked in the past and won't work now."
Jack Hanna, renowned animal expert, appearing on Larry King Live: "Larry, it's good to be here yet again tonight. I knew things in Iraq were bleak when Steve Irwin passed away."
Donna Brazile, Al Gore's presidential campaign manager: "The country has already spoken. If Bush's words don't reflect the national mood and the Democratic mandate from the midterms, it will be a big waste of time. He might be pre-empting 'Deal or No Deal,' but based on the leaks we have heard already, I think 'no deal' is the likely response from Capitol Hill -- from both parties."
(Of course, none of those quotes are real, although they might as well be.)
See below for more schedule items.
Politics of Iraq:
If you read just one newspaper story today, let it by the one in the Washington Post that is as brilliant as it is long overdue. The paper's Abramowitz, Wright, and Ricks write that when President Bush goes before the American people tonight, he will be "ordering his top military brass to take action they initially resisted and advised against." LINK
Without ruling out eventually considering more muscular approaches, House and Senate Democrats are planning votes on symbolic resolutions which, in the words of the New York Times' Jeff Zeleny and Carl Hulse, "would do nothing in practical terms to block Mr. Bush's intention to increase the United States military presence in Iraq." LINK
