The Note: Taking the Fork

— -- WASHINGTON, Mar. 23

After a well executed North Carolina press conference (classy lav microphones, included), John and Elizabeth Edwards head from New York City to Santa Monica, CA today in advance of a private fundraiser there this evening. Tomorrow both Sen. Edwards and his wife plan on attending the SEIU/CAP health care forum in Las Vegas, NV.

Debate in the House of Representatives on the war spending bill resumed this morning a final vote is expected around noonish.

The $124 billion bill would finance the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but demand that troops withdraw from Iraq by September 2008. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said any delay in approving the funds could "have a genuinely adverse affect on the readiness of the Army and the quality of life for soldiers and their families."

ABC News' Jake Tapper reports that the Democratic leadership believes it has the votes for passage now that the liberal "Out of Iraq Caucus" has decided not to stick together as one voting bloc, but allowing each member to vote his or her own way. If the whip count is correct, Speaker Pelosi avoids what would likely be seen as a huge defeat.

Sens. Barack Obama (D-IL), Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Chris Dodd (D-CT), and Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM) take part in a 9:00 pm ET rally for Culinary Union Local 226 in Las Vegas, NV. Dodd and Richardson will hold media availabilities following their remarks.

President Bush starts off his day by attending a 12:05 pm ET (closed press) RNC luncheon at the Everymay. After lunch, President and Mrs. Bush venture over to the 1:30 pm ET signing of H.R. a bill which designates the Department of Education Building the Lyndon Baines Johnson Building. At 3:00 pm ET the president delivers remarks for Greek Independence Day in the East Room of the White House.

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) holds a 7:00 pm ET town hall meeting at the Franklin Opera House in Franklin, NH. He will remain in the Granite State tomorrow.

Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA) was scheduled to hold a 10:00 am ET media availability in Milwaukee, WI. He has no campaign activity planned for the weekend and hits the Texas fundraising trail on Monday.

Former President Bill Clinton will be honored by the Greater New York Salvation Army at a 6:30 pm ET gala at the Hilton in New York City, with proceeds going to the Salvation Army's Emergency Disaster Services.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, along with Talkers magazine, hosts a 10:00 am ET debate between talk show hosts on immigration in Washington, DC.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice begins travel to Egypt, Jerusalem, Ramallah, and Jordan.

Don't miss Sen. Chuck Hagel's (R-NE) Sunday appearance on "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" on Sunday.

Tomorrow, the Democratic '08ers will make remarks and take questions in back-to-back appearances at a health care forum sponsored by the Service Employees International Union and the Center for American Progress Action Fund. The event takes place at the University of Nevada Las Vegas in Las Vegas, NV.

Here are the speaking times (all times EASTERN):

12:30 pm Edwards
12:53 pm Richardson
1:15 pm Obama
1:37 pm Clinton
1:59 pm Dodd
2:21 pm Kucinich
2:43 pm Gravel

Be sure to tune into "Good Morning America" on Monday morning for a town hall meeting with Sen. Clinton from Des Moines, IA.

You can see the rest of the weekend in politics below.

Politics of Iraq:
On "Good Morning America," ABC News' Jake Tapper reported that the House war funding bill has 'major strings attached' and that Democratic leaders believe they have enough votes to get the measure passed. On the horizon though, should this pass, the President has promised to veto it.

"Liberal opposition to a $124 billion war spending bill broke last night, when leaders of the antiwar Out of Iraq Caucus pledged to Democratic leaders that they will not block the measure, which sets timelines for bringing U.S. troops home," reports the Washington Post's Jonathan Weisman. LINK

The New York Times on the Pelosi persuasion: LINK

"Iraq war spending bills advanced in both chambers of Congress as Democrats expressed increased confidence of winning a showdown House vote Friday calling for withdrawal of most U.S. troops next year," reports the Wall Street Journal's David Rogers.

Bloomberg's Laura Litvan and Nicholas Johnston report on Speaker Pelosi's long hard slog to secure support for the Iraq spending bill. LINK

Former President Clinton told reporters on a conference call, "It's just not fair," the way the press has been depicting his wife, Sam Youngman of The Hill reports. Said President Clinton, "This dichotomy that's been set up to allow him to become the raging hero of the anti-war crowd on the Internet is just factually inaccurate." LINK

2008: Democrats: Edwards: political:
On "Good Morning America," George Stephanopoulos said that the other candidates "will be cautious for several weeks." Cokie Roberts added that the question people may begin to start asking, "Will he be able to devote his time to the presidency? Forget the campaign. But what if he is president?"

ABC News' Jake Tapper takes a look at the political ramifications of the Edwards announcement and poses some unanswered questions on his 'Political Punch' blog. LINK

". . . (s)ome Democrats said Mr. Edwards' decision to continue his bid could pose some risks should his wife's illness worsen and raise questions about his decision to continue campaigning in a race where he has often placed third in polls in an intensely competitive Democratic field," write John Broder and Adam Nagourney of the New York Times. LINK

The Boston Globe's Rick Klein writes that by putting Elizabeth's struggle and their marriage front and center, "the diagnosis could boost the candidate's visibility at a critical time." LINK

Mark Johnson and Kristin Collins of the Raleigh News & Observer have Hargrave McElroy, a Raleigh teacher who is among Edwards' closest friends, saying that she "tackles problems with pragmatism." LINK

"'She's not given to hysterics,' McElroy said Thursday. 'I've never seen her throw up her hands and say, 'Oh my gosh, there's no fixing this.' I doubt very seriously that when the cameras stopped rolling and she went home, that she broke down. I think you saw exactly the way she's going to approach this.'"

Jill Lawrence and Rita Rubin of USA Today write up what is likely ahead on the campaign trail for the Edwardses. LINK

The Washington Post's Anne Kornblut reports that Sen. Edwards plans to remain in the presidential race with his wife's encouragement. LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Hook, Wallsten, and Zucchino write, ". . . the long-term political implications are uncertain. His wife's illness may engender sympathy and add an element of human interest to Edwards' campaign. But there is a risk: Some voters may regard his presidential bid as a misplaced priority, especially if his wife's condition deteriorates." LINK