Preview -- World News Tonight 01/18/01

N E W   Y O R K, Jan. 18 -- Good Afternoon.

We are filing from Washington this afternoon, where the weather is mildly threatening, the political rhetoric in the nomination hearings is occasionally torrid, and folks are wondering what can Bill Clinton possibly say in only seven or eight minutes when he addresses the nation tonight.

And those of us who will do commentary on the inauguration are brushing up on our minutiae. Every president since James Buchanan (1857) has used a Bible except Theodore Roosevelt, who was sworn in quickly after McKinley's assassination. This city is the nation's capital this week — in every way.

Tonight we'll bring you the inaugural ceremonies that got under way this afternoon — we'll have reports from some of the more dramatic moments in those hearings — and our John Cochran will have the details on what may be Clinton's valedictory address to the nation. ABCNEWS' Dan Harris has a different take on the Washington story — the changes in style and culture that are likely to come to this city, as the Clinton administration recedes, and the Bush White House takes shape. There is also the story today about one very prominent American who is not here, and why. ABCNEWS' Aaron Brown has the news about the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

The lights are out in California. We knew this was a possibility, but it is still difficult to comprehend that the nation's most populous state (it would, by the way, be the world's seventh-largest economy) is having such trouble keeping the power on. There are major consequences for Californians today, and warnings from many quarters that the rest of the nation should not rest easy. This may soon become much more than just a California problem. ABCNEWS' Brian Rooney has the story again tonight.

Our colleagues at "PrimeTime Thursday" have a special report on the investigation into the attack on the USS Cole last October — and tonight we have a special excerpt from National Security Correspondent John McWethy. John has exclusive accounts and pictures of the moments immediately following the blast. That's our Closer Look tonight.