The Note: There Is No Like What

— -- WASHINGTON, Feb. 27

Vice President Cheney has left Afghanistan. ABC News' Jonathan Karl reports that when a suicide bomber attacked Bagram Air Base this morning -- apparently targeting Cheney -- the Vice President said he heard the explosion. After the explosion, Cheney was taken to a bomb shelter by Secret Service for a short period of time. He never altered his overall schedule and continued on to Kabul to meet with President Karzai.

More from the Associated Press: LINK

After the dismissal of a tainted juror Monday, deliberations in the Scooter Libby trial continue today.

Republican and Democratic Senators hold their weekly policy luncheons behind closed doors at 12:30 pm ET at the Capitol in Washington, DC. The key to watch for: can Harry Reid herd enough cats to get a consensus position on the way forward in Iraq?

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appears on CNN's "Larry King Live" at 9:00 pm ET. They key to watch for: does the Speaker enunciate a consensus view on the way forward in Iraq?

The Wall Street Journal's David Rogers -- a/k/a "the 536 Member -- writes: "Democrats face a crucial question as an Iraq war-spending bill begins moving through the House: Can Congress continue to fault U.S. policy from a distance, or must lawmakers take hold of it and risk owning the outcome?" LINK

"The new Democratic majority has followed the politically safer course of nonbinding resolutions and a Senate proposal to revisit the 2002 war authorization. But with action needed on a $93.4 billion Iraq-spending request, harping from the sidelines may no longer be enough to satisfy independent voters who looked to Democrats in the 2006 elections to effect real change."

For some versions of the latest Republican and Democratic talking points on funding the Iraq war, be sure to tune into the Senate Appropriations Committee hearing at 2:30 pm ET for testimony from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Iraq-Afghanistan War funding.

The 2008 must-read stories continue to flow like hot lava:

1. The Washington Post: Hillary Clinton's Senate financial disclosure forms were incomplete. LINK

(Note question: How could She allow this kind of sloppiness to happen when she knows she is going to be so closely scrutinized?)

2. The Boston Globe: Mitt Romney campaign memo leaked. LINK

(Note question: Who had the motive and opportunity to leak, and who does the document make most angry?)

3. Dick Morris, Eileen McGann, and the Washington Times postulate that John McCain is dead, while Bloomberg's Chen and Susan Page of USA Today simply float the Notion. LINK and LINK and LINK and LINK

4. John Edwards creates a general election record on Iran. LINK

(Note question: What would happen if a less -- or more -- "seasoned" candidate said something like this?)

5. On Rudy Giuliani's hot start in his presidential bid, New York Post columnist John Podhoretz, part of a grown/growing movement of mythology-creating conservatives, postulates that despite being pro-choice and signing legislation mandating benefits for gay couples, conservative Republican voters know that the former Mayor is one of them. LINK

And: "One of the early -- and quite amazing -- sidelights of the race for the Republican nomination for President in '08 is how so many prominent conservatives are lining up behind Rudy Giuliani, who has perhaps the slimmest conservative credentials of any of the major GOP hopefuls," writes John Gizzi of Human Events. LINK

(Note question: Is Team Rudy orchestrating this stuff, or is it organic?)

6. Chris Lehane makes the biggest error of his career and goes negative on Dubuque, Iowa. LINK

(Note question: While Senator Clinton is denouncing slash and burn politics, her campaign's chief West Coast spokesperson has viciously and personally attacked Dubuque. If Senator Clinton is indeed sincere about her repeated claims to change the tone of our politics, she should immediately denounce these remarks, remove Mr. Lehane from her campaign, return his quotes, and apologize to the people of Dubuque. While Democrats should engage in a vigorous debate on the issues, there is no place in their party or our politics for the kind of personal insults made by Senator Clinton's principal West Coast fundraiser. Will she? Thank you.)

President Bush holds a 9:10 am ET meeting with El Salvador, President Elisa Antonio Saca Gonzales. He then participates in a 10:25 am ET ceremonial swearing-in for the Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte at the U.S. State Department in Washington, DC. President Bush will welcome the Miami Heat basketball team (Shaq-sized jokes included) at 3:45 pm ET in the East Room of the White House to congratulate them on their NBA championship.

National Governors Association chair Gov. Janet Napolitano (D-AZ) participates in a 10:00 am ET plenary session with Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) and Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) at the J.W. Marriot in Washington, DC, and Govs. Napolitano and Pawlenty hold an 11:35 am ET news conference to close the NGA's winter meeting. Gov. Napolitano then delivers a 12:30 pm ET address on immigration at the National Press Club in Washington, DC.

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) delivers the 12:30 pm ET keynote address to the Apollo Alliance summit on clean energy at the Hotel Washington in Washington, DC.

Former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA) holds a 12:00 pm ET closed press fundraising luncheon at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC. One day after participating in off-the-record editorial board meetings with ABC News and CNN in Washington, DC, former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA) is back in the nation's capital today for editorial board meetings with NBC and CBS. (He was forced to cancel and try to reschedule a Monday ed board meeting at Fox News when his commercial aircraft was delayed in its Boston departure.)

Former President Bill Clinton receives an award for commitment to the Hispanic community and delivers remarks at the League of United Latin American Citizens' 6:00 pm ET National Legislative Awards at the J.W. Marriot in Washington, DC. Joining President Clinton will be fellow awardees Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, and Rep. Hilda Solis (D-CA).

Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) holds 12:00 pm ET media availability after meeting for a private discussion with the Community Service Society of New York and SEIU Local 32BJ at Baruch College in New York City.

Former Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM) delivers a 12:30 pm ET address to the Latino Leaders Network at the Capital Hilton in Washington, DC.

Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) holds a 6:30 pm ET town hall meeting on Iraq at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH.

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) delivers 1:45 pm ET remarks to the Credit Union National Association's government affairs conference at the Hilton Washington Hotel in Washington, DC. Later, Sen. Dodd attends a private dinner with influential progressives organized by America Coming Together's Steve Rosenthal and Planned Parenthood's Cecile Richards in Washington, DC.

Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) speaks at a New Jersey fundraiser for Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ), and then addresses the Tuesday Group's monthly meeting of conservative activists and officials.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) delivers 5:00 pm ET remarks to the International Franchise Association at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, NV.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean (VT) attends the 6:00 pm ET Grand Opening of the Navajo Nation Washington Office in Washington, DC.

Attention all presidential hopefuls and staffs: Sens. Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) hold a 2:00 pm ET meeting with Gov. Chet Culver (D-IA) and Iowa's congressional delegation to discuss Iowa issues at the U.S. Capitol.

The Senate Finance Committee holds a 10:00 am hearing on "America's Energy future," including testimony from Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D-MT).

Politics of Iraq:
ABC News' Polling Director Gary Langer breaks down a new ABC News/Washington Poll that shows Americans' disapproval on the Iraq war has hit an all time high. LINK