The Note: The Choice Is Clear

— -- WASHINGTON, June 15

Riddle us this, Note readers and Batman fans:

Which party's fall message is already clear and which party's is not?

For the Democrats, there is: the Biden view on Iraq; the Murtha view on Iraq; the Kerry views on Iraq; the Senate caucus's ever-dynamic debate about what the party should stand for; the mass conspiracy of silence over taxes and health care, taxes and the rich, and taxes and taxes; Together, We Can Do Better; Together, America Can Do Better; Better, America Can Be, Together; opportunity, responsibility, and community; community; the modern communication skills of Leaders Reid and Pelosi, and their control over their own public images; Six in '06; New Direction for America; Rahm's view on Iraq; the Pelosi-Hoyer friendship; Murtha's abortive leadership bid; Howard Dean's discipline; and the bloggers. (For a super smart take on all this, see Noonan, Peggy -- on Jim Webb as "Nancy Pelosi with medals.") LINK

For the Republicans, there is what the Strategist-in-Chief laid out in the Rose Garden yesterday (for those Democrats and reporters too lazy to track down a transcript of Monday's Granite State Karl Rove fan dance):

"I believe we're going to hold the House and the Senate, because our philosophy is one that is forward-looking and optimistic and has worked. We've got a record to run on.

"There's an interesting debate in the Democrat Party about how quick to pull out of Iraq. Pulling out of Iraq before we accomplish the mission will make the world a more dangerous place. It's bad policy. I know it may sound good politically; it will endanger our country to pull out of Iraq before we accomplish the mission.

"See, Iraq is a part of the global war on terror. It's not 'the' global war on terror, it's a theater in the global war on terror. And if we fail in Iraq, it's going to embolden al Qaeda types. It will weaken the resolve of moderate nations to stand up to the Islamic fascists. It will cause people to lose their nerve and not stay strong.

"And so I look forward to taking the debate -- that's not quite right -- kind of getting warmed up as a result of your question -- the timing is not right for me to get out there yet. But I think the Democrat economic policy of raising people's taxes isn't going to work either. I know they'll couch it in all kinds of language, but really what they're saying is we're going to raise your taxes."

For those of you too thick to figure out the answer to our question, may we suggest tuning into Sean Hannity's radio show today, when you can expect the Vice President of the United States to spell things out in his own unique style.

Also: It isn't too early to tip you off to the Notion that November might see one party with a huge advantage on the strength of their ground game of turnout in key races and on the last-minute spending of tens of millions of dollars by "independent" groups (TV, radio, robo calls, direct mail, church parking lots) on targeted message delivery.

All of this is our way of setting up today's debate in the House in Iraq.

Eager to capitalize on the formation of an Iraq government and the recent killing of Abu Musab al Zarqwi, the House of Representatives debates a resolution this morning declaring "that it is not in the national security interest of the United States to set an arbitrary date for the withdrawal or redeployment of United States Armed Forces from Iraq."

The resolution also "declares that the United States is committed to the completion of the mission to create a sovereign, free, secure, and united Iraq." No amendments will be allowed.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL), who recently visited Iraq, will kick off the debate by challenging Democrats to go beyond their support for the troops in Iraq and to challenge them to declare their support for the US mission in Iraq.

"I came home from Iraq believing even more strongly, that it is not enough for this House to say 'We Support Our Troops,'" Hastert plans to say according to remarks obtained by ABC News. "To the men and women in the field -- in harms way -- that statement rings hollow if we don't also say we support their mission."

Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL), the DCCC's honcho and the Democrats' "field marshal" for taking back the House, will counter by saying that Democrats have provided the President everything he wanted in the war on terror while Republicans have denied him the one thing he needed: oversight.

The House debate comes on the same day that the Pentagon Memorial Fund hosts a 1:30 pm ET groundbreaking ceremony for victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack on the Pentagon. Participants include Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Peter Pace, and Education Secretary Margaret Spellings.

President Bush speaks at 2:30 pm ET today about his plan to create the largest protected marine reserve in the world by designating the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands as a national monument.

More from the New York Times on the President's plan to use the National Antiquities Act. LINK

Earlier in the day, he participates in the 9:25 am ET swearing-in ceremony for the new United States Trade Representative in the Oval Office; he then scoots over to the Willard Hotel where he will make 9:50 am ET remarks to the Initiative for Global Development's 2006 National Summit.

At 11:00 am ET, the President signs S. 193, the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2005, in Room 350 of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. At 11:30 am ET the President signs S. 2803, the MINER Act, in Room 450 of the EEOB. He ends his day by attending the congressional picnic on the South Lawn at 6:30 pm ET.

Majority Leader John Boehner delivers a 1:00 pm ET keynote address to the Real Estate Roundtable's Annual Meeting at the Mandarin Hotel in Washington, DC.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) holds her weekly press conference at 10:45 am ET in H-206.

Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC), the NRCC's communications chairman, hosts an 11:30 am ET conference call with local reporters to discuss the SC-05 congressional election match-up between Republican Ralph Norman and Democrat John Spratt.

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) delivers 10:15 am ET testimony in front of the Presidential Advisory Board on Worker Radiation and Health at the Marriott at Metro Center in Washington, DC. She then delivers 3:00 pm ET remarks at the Katrina National Justice Commission hearings at Lutheran Church of Reformation on East Capitol Street in Washington, DC. This evening, she is hosting a fancy fundraiser to raise money for Rep. Harold Ford's (D-TN) bid to succeed Dr./Leader/Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN) in the Senate.

Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA) signs legislation at 10:00 am ET dedicating a bridge in Amesbury, MA in honor of Army First Lieutenant Derek S. Hines, who was killed in action in Afghanistan. At 10:30 am ET, he joins state and federal officials to recognize Massachusetts employers that hire veterans.

Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AR) addresses the 72nd Annual Arkansas Municipal League Convention in Hot Springs, AR. Gov. Tom Vilsack (D-IA) eats breakfast with the Hampton Democratic Committee in Hampton, NH. And former Vice President Gore, who has no plans to run for president but never says "never," keynotes the AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Festival in Silver Spring, MD.

The Healthcare Leadership Council holds a 9:30 am ET discussion at Union Station on "Medicare Today and Tomorrow: A Discussion on Part D and the Program's Future" with Medicare administrator Mark McClellan.

While most of the attention on Capitol Hill will be focused on the House today, the Senate proceeds to a vote on the Supplemental Appropriations Bill conference report. Following the vote, Senate will resume consideration of S. 2766, Defense Authorization Bill, with the Santorum amendment regarding Iran pending.

In memory of Chief Justice William Rehnquist, a special session of the Supreme Court will be held at 3:15 pm ET. Solicitor General Paul Clement and Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty will address the Court. Chief Justice Roberts will respond on behalf of the Court.

The Hamdan v. Rumsfeld decision could come as soon as today, reports ABC News' Ariane DeVogue. At issue in the Hamdan case is whether the Supreme Court has jurisdiction to hear the case and whether President Bush's military commissions are lawful as presently established.

Politics of Iraq:
"The Iraq war is the most immediate foreign policy problem besetting the Bush administration. But as a political issue, the White House and top Republican strategists have concluded that the war is a clear winner," write the Los Angeles Times' Wallsten and Reynolds in a must-read story with wise quotes from Ed Gillespie, Dianne Feinstein, and others. Read it all! LINK

Mark Silva of the Chicago Tribune has an extensive analysis of President Bush's latest maneuvers and possible implications for 2006 elections. LINK

Per Silva, "President Bush is trying to frame congressional elections this November as a contest between a Republican Party resolute on the war in Iraq and a Democratic Party riven by divisions."

The San Francisco Chronicle's Mark Sandalow Notes that President Bush is invoking recent "favorable developments" in Iraq -- the killing of Zarqawi, the successful assembly of the new cabinet -- as evidence of Republicans' continued success in the region and proof that their opposition to a deadline for troop withdrawal was the correct position, one that will serve them well in November. LINK

The Washington Post's Jonathan Weisman highlights intra-GOP tension over House Majority Leader Boehner's call for debate over the war today. Says Rep. Ray LaHood (R-IL): "When the country is war-weary, when the violence is still playing out on TV, I don't know why we want to highlight all that." LINK

"These parties are divided on Iraq like I have never seen on an issue," said Tim Russert on "Today" of the party breakdown on whether going to war in Iraq was the right or wrong decision in the new GE/Dow Jones data.

The unified front presented by House Democrats this week was threatened by an anti-war faction unsatisfied with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's stand on Iraq, the Hill reports. LINK

The Iraq debate in the House may prove somewhat tricky for the three vulnerable Republican Connecticut incumbents who represent districts where the war is very unpopular. The Hartford Courant's David Lightman has the story. LINK

Per Christina Bellantoni of the Washington Times, House Democrats are angered that what was meant to be an serious discussion of Iraq policy today has turned into "political spin." LINK

The Washington Post uses yesterday's Rose Garden presser as a jumping-off point for a thoughtful look at where things stand in Iraq. LINK

Or, skip the think pieces inspired by the President's Baghdad blitz and instead evaluate this survey from a Shiite lawmaker that caps the Washington Post's story on Prime Minister Maliki's latest moves in Iraq: "Not as optimistic as I was six months ago. More than I was three months ago." LINK

George Will begins his column by imagining Zarqawi having luxuriated in gore with "an almost erotic enjoyment" and ends it by wondering if Iraqis are "difficult raw material for self-government." LINK