The ABCs of Politics

— -- WASHINGTON, Jan. 9

A is for al Qaeda, which remains the problem (still).

B is for Bush, the biggest speech of his life (again). LINK

C is for "cut and run," which one doesn't hear much any more.

D is for David Rogers, Dow Jonesing for Rep. Murtha's secret plan to end the war. LINK

E is for endgame, which this just might be.

F is for Fielding, more Mikva than Cutler.

G is for governor, which Romney isn't any more – so what on Iraq?

H is for Harry Reid, who - despite what the AP led many to believe - was against the surge before he was against it.

I is for Iran, about which the Wall Street Journal is flipping out. LINK

(I is also for "I get it," a key -- and so far undercovered -- component of the President's "way forward" speech.)

J is for Joe Biden, whose hearings will give him a chance to talk.

K is for Kennedy, Edward Moore, emboldened and fearless.

L is for leaks, about the Iraq plan, which still seem ham handed.

M is for Maliki, who remains the biggest question mark (still).

N is for New York Sheraton, where the torch went from RJLJackson to BHObama last night.

O is for opportunity, to save ¼ of a presidency.

P is for Pelosi, having her own moment of truth.

Q is for Qaeda (al), which remains the problem (still).

R is for raising money, which 2008 handicappers discount at their peril.

S is for surge, which Rahm calls an "escalation." (S is also for -- don't forget -- "sacrifice.")

T is for Terminator, shaking up health care.

U is for underminers, some surprising Republican Senators on Iraq this week.

V is for Vilsack, heavily dissed on Imus this morn.

W is for winning, which W is determined to do.

X is for X-ing out, starting Wednesday at 9:26 pm ET.

Y is for your money – a billion here and a billion there, and it starts to add up.

Z is for Zeleny, Timesman Jeff chronicling the Democrats' split on Iraq. LINK

One day before President Bush outlines his plan to change Iraq policy, and amidst the growing (or is it shrinking) Democratic Party split on the issue, Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) will introduce legislation that would prohibit the Bush Administration from using federal funds to increase US troops beyond the levels there on Jan. 1 of this year without specific congressional approval.

"We cannot simply speak out against an escalation of troops in Iraq," Sen. Kennedy plans to say at the National Press Club at an event that begins at 12:30 pm ET. "We must act to prevent it."

Congress has to act now, Sen. Kennedy told the Boston Globe's Scot Lehigh, "because if lawmakers wait, they could be put in the position of voting to cut off funding for additional troops after the administration has already sent them to Iraq -- a difficult vote for any elected official to take."

"If that happens, 'they will have effectively won the day,' Kennedy said. 'They will have gotten what they are looking for.' Thus Kennedy says he will press for a vote on his legislation 'at the earliest possible time.'"

This won't be easy, however, because as Obama expert Jeff Zeleny points out in his seminal New York Times story, Democrats are split over their approach to Iraq.

"While Democrats find themselves unusually united in their resistance to a troop increase, party leaders are locked in an internal debate over how far to go in objecting to the Administration's Iraq strategy." LINK

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has suggested that Democrats consider blocking financing for a troop increase, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) vowed Monday "to take a look at it."

"But the House majority leader, Representative Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, has not endorsed the idea. Other Democrats, either looking ahead to a possible presidential candidacy or their own re-elections, have also distanced themselves from such a proposal, fearful of being cast as opposing the troops."

Look to see how much daylight Hoyer puts between himself and Pelosi at 10:00 am ET when he discusses the situation in Iraq as well as the Democrats' 100 Hours Agenda at his pen and pad briefing.

The White House's plan to sell its surge continues at 11:10 am ET when President Bush holds a private meeting with Democratic House members to discuss U.S. strategy in Iraq. The President will make his case to the nation at 9:00 pm ET on Wednesday night, followed Thursday by a presidential trip to Fort Benning, GA.

On Capitol Hill today, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, chaired by Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE), holds a closed hearing at 9:30 am ET in Washington, DC. Senior intelligence representative brief the committee at 2:30 pm ET.

Today at 12:00 pm ET the House Democrats' "first 100 hours" of legislation begins with a bill that aims to implement the remaining 9/11 Commission recommendations.

The Senate then takes up ethics reform at 10:00 am ET.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee holds a hearing on "Ensuring the Full Implementation of the 9/11 Commission's Recommendation." New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Lee Hamilton, the vice chairman of the 9-11 Commission, are among the those expected to speak to the Senate panel.

Democratic leaders meet with 9-11 family members to discuss the 9-11 Commission legislation at 2:00 pm ET in the Basement of the Capitol.

The United States Supreme Court issues rulings and begins hearing oral arguments at 10 am ET.

First Lady Laura Bush is in New Orleans today. She delivers remarks at St. Rosalie School in Harvey, LA at 12:20 pm ET. The event is opened to the press. Then Mrs. Bush participates in a visit at Café Reconcile in New Orleans. LA at 1:30 pm ET followed by a tour of the Louisiana Children's Museum in New Orleans, LA at 3:00 pm ET.

One day after proposing a plan for universal health-care coverage, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA) delivers his State of the State Address in Sacramento, CA at 8:05 pm ET.

Governor Tom Vilsack (D-IA) delivers his final Condition of the State Address to a join session of the Iowa General Assembly at 10 am ET in Des Moines, IA.

Politics of Iraq: "The (New) New Way Forward":
On "Good Morning America," ABC News' George Stephanopoulos sized up the Democratic attempts to block a surge legislatively. "There is a brewing sentiment to try to prohibit funding for at least some of the troops," said Stephanopoulos as he previewed Sen. Kennedy's bill to cap troop levels at where they were on January 1.

In the face of some daunting USA Today front-page poll numbers on the public's view of Iraq LINK and LINK

, Sheryl Gay Stolberg of the New York Times lays out the Bush Administration's uphill sales pitch plans for a new strategy including the President's primetime address on Wednesday, a visit with the troops in Ft. Benning, GA on Thursday, and congressional testimony provided by Secretaries Rice and Gates at the end of the week.LINK

"Despite Mr. Bush's insistence that he does not govern by polls, the White House is acutely aware that a vast majority of the American public disapproves of the job Mr. Bush is doing in Iraq. But advisers to the president believe that the public is willing to give Mr. Bush another chance -- especially if he puts forth a policy that is heavy on specifics," writes Stolberg.

"The president's advisers are also mindful of polls showing that while the public wants the situation to improve in Iraq, it does not necessarily favor immediate withdrawal."