The Note: CGI Friday

— -- WASHINGTON, Sep. 22:

First, what we've learned and, then, what we will learn.

WHAT WE HAVE (RE)LEARNED THIS WEEK:

1. President Bush will make taxes a central part of his homestretch message.

2. The Old Media will favor Senator McCain and Secretary Powell over President Bush in every dispute, no matter what the merits.

3. Senator Allen, under scrutiny and under pressure, is not like butter -- or, if he is like butter, it is butter on steak and shrimp (Note: that joke is mostly for our Forward-thinking readers.)

4. Congressman Emanuel's shop drives a more aggressive messaging operation than Howard Dean's.

5. Bill Clinton can draw a crowd.

6. Wal-mart is fighting back.

7. House Republicans are willing to throw PhRMA from the sled (for now).

8. David Sanger LINK, David Ignatius LINK, and David Rogers LINKare all amazing reporters.9. The press plans to overreact to polls of Americans and registered voters for a good long while -- even though likely/actual voters will decide this thing.

WHAT WE WILL LEARN IN THE NEXT 120 HOURS
1. If Bill Frist can take a proper victory lap these days, when he appears on "This Week with George Stephanopoulos." 2. How Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS), Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AR), Newt Gingrich, and Sen. George Allen (R-VA) will rise to the occasion when they appear at the Family Research Council's "Values Voter Summit" in Washington, starting today. LINK

(Insert your own Allen joke here.)

3. How The Man Who Would Be Judiciary Committee Chair (Rep. John Conyers (D-MI)) comes across as the Democratic National Committee hosts an African-American summit in the Motor City.

4. How the Democrats' bracketing skills are humming these days, when the President travels to the kind of states that Howard Fineman would call "politically vital," including Connecticut, Ohio, and California.

5. How the world reacts to Adam Nagourney's Sunday New York Times Magazine profile of Ken Mehlman, which includes (1) Mehlman reportedly acknowledging privately in the spring that Republicans could lose the House; (2) the fact that there are seven states Mehlman hasn't been to as chair -- quick name them; (3) one -- on the record -- quote from Karl C. Rove ("He's anal-retentive, man!" he says about Mehlman); (4) one amazing Mehlman quote ("My answer to Hurricane Katrina was Hurricane Ouzo."); another amazing Mehlman quote regarding Rove ("I don't know -- I think a bunch of us were architects."); and "Mehlman's friends" saying they doubt he will stay on as chair after the midterms.

As for today, President Bush welcomes Pakistani leader Pervez Musharraf to the White House and holds a 10:10 am ET joint press availability with him.  Later today, President and Mrs. Bush partake in a series of photo opportunities including one with the 2006 National Spelling Bee champion.

Former President Clinton concludes his CGI conference today with his 11:00 am ET closing address in New York City. On Sunday, Clinton campaigns for Gov. Jim Doyle (D-WI) in Milwaukee.

The Family Research Council begins its three-day "Values Voter Summit 2006" in Washington, DC. Today Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA), Sen. George Allen (R- VA), Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS), Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AK) are among the speakers.  Check out the entire schedule here: LINK

Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN) continues his campaign trip in Iowa.  As mentioned above, Frist will appear on "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" on Sunday.  George also profiles what may be the most vulnerable Democratic Senate seat in the nation, the Garden State battle between Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Tom Kean, Jr (R-NJ).  It's must-see Sunday morning television. LINK

Former RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie appears on ABC News Now's "Politics Live" at 1:35 pm ET.  Gillespie plans to plug his new book and chat midterm politics.  We expect at least one question on his 2006 candidate of choice, Sen. George Allen. LINK

Gov. Tom Vilsack (D-IA) continues his Heartland PAC activities with a noon ET town hall meeting in Henniker, NH. He'll be in New Hampshire for events Saturday too

.  On Saturday, former Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) travels to Minnesota to help a Democratic congressional candidate and then he's off to Wisconsin.

                                                       Karl Rove is in Omaha, NE campaigning with GOP Senate candidate Pete Ricketts at 4:00 pm ET.

The American Enterprise Institute was scheduled to hold an 8:30 am ET discussion, "The 2006 Elections: Are We Ready?" in Washington, D.C.

RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman is in Bismark, ND headlining two state party fundraisers.

Check out our look at the weekend in politics below.

The Way to Win:
Today marks your last chance of the week to win a free, autographed copy of The Way to Win, the upcoming Random House book about American politics from John F. Harris of the Washington Post and Mark Halperin of ABC News.

Go to the book's website, thewaytowin2008.com, and correctly answer today's trivia question and you will be eligible to win a signed first edition copy of the book. LINK

Assuming the hyper likely prospect that President Bush completes his second term, he will match Bill Clinton's feat of serving exactly eight years in the White House.  Today's question is about how unusual that back-to-backness is.  Go to the book's website, where you will find the full question and instructions on how to answer and how to win. LINK

While at the site, those of you, like most Note readers, who are bet-hedgers, can also pre-order a book in advance of its October 3 release or check out the first wave of author appearances (where you can buy a book and get it signed), including the following events:

October 6 at 7 p.m. at Barnes & Noble at 2289 Broadway in Manhattan; October 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia;  and October 11 at Politics & Prose Bookstore at 5015 Connecticut Avenue, NW, in Washington, DC, right near the Murch Elementary School and where the Thai Room used to be.

As for yesterday's question (To whom did Bill Clinton say in an interview, "I'm all right.  I'm disappointed you didn't call me 'Bubba'"?), the answer is radio's Don Imus.  Our winner, who remains nameless for now, hails from Milford, Pennsylvania. 

Bush Administration agenda:ABC News' Jessica Yellin reports that at the morning gaggle with White House beat reporters, Tony Snow said that President Bush is expected to start doing many more open press campaign events.  "He'll be out very vigorously," Snow said.  (The White House plans to continue its policy of not releasing transcripts of presidential remarks at the closed press events.)

Jim Rutenberg of the New York Times Notes the tweaked presidential stump speech highlighting taxes and points to the use of that GOP standard in many television campaign ads across the country. LINK