The Note: Democrats confront new landscape of wartime primary

The TAKE with Rick Klein

Among the many uncertainties to confront the 2020 Democratic field, add a big one: America is now functionally at war.

It will now be a wartime primary campaign, under clouds of impeachment, in the race to replace a most unpredictable president. Democratic campaigns weren’t sure of their pre-Iowa playbooks before, and they may as well rip them up now.

There are potential lanes for candidates seeking to build on their credentials and question their rivals’ judgment. There will be talk of quagmires, haphazard decision-making and dogs being wagged – and plenty of room to denounce President Donald Trump himself.

But the reality of day-to-day combat that candidates will be asked about daily is more complicated than clichés or snap judgments.

The Democratic Party is undeniably anti-Trump. That doesn’t necessarily make it anti-war – or against the concept of defeating American enemies, and supporting the commander-in-chief along the way. (Ask John Kerry or George McGovern campaign vets about defeating a wartime president.)

Iran’s attack on American troops in Iraq will raise profound questions of America’s role in the world. It’s an ultimate test of would-be commanders-in-chief, all while the man currently in that role is tested in presidency-defining ways.

The RUNDOWN with MaryAlice Parks

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell may have the votes to start an impeachment trial, but that does not necessarily mean he has the votes to stop all witnesses ... yet.

Answering reporter questions Tuesday, both McConnell and Senator Lindsey Graham referred to a plan wherein Republicans would stick together and vote, without Democrats, for rules dictating an impeachment trial under the “Clinton model.”

(All this pending House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sending the articles of impeachment over to the Senate).

During the impeachment of President Bill Clinton, both sides had an opportunity to bring motions to the floor and call for witnesses after opening statements and initial arguments. If those rules were put in place for this pending trial then Democrats could move to call witnesses. They maybe even by able to call potential witnesses one by one and force votes on each.

Underscoring the “if” above -- the precise language of possible rules is still up in the air.

"There will be votes on the four witnesses that we have asked for," Schumer said Tuesday. “No witnesses and no documents? It’s a cover up.”

Democratic leaders still say their preference is that McConnell guarantee that witnesses will be called, but that scenario seems pretty unlikely now.

“By the way, the people who will be calling the witnesses will not be necessarily us, it will be the prosecution or the defense,” McConnell said Tuesday.

Bottom line, folks like Sens. Mitt Romney and Susan Collins who hinted they were inclined to hear from Amb. John Bolton during the impeachment trial may still have to vote later, very publicly, on that one fact alone.

And while Democrats may not get any guarantees now, they could still force Republicans through a bunch of unflattering headlines.

The TIP with John Verhovek and Molly Nagle

For former Vice President Joe Biden, a foreign policy crisis is a chance to both hammer home a central tenant of his campaign, his readiness to be commander-in-chief, and further solidify the idea that despite his uncertain path to the Democratic nomination, it will be him that will ultimately take on Donald Trump in the general election.

And with the geopolitical fallout from President Trump's decision to kill a top Iranian general continuing to intensify, the Biden campaign is signaling they are happy to let the discussion continue.

“Insofar as this is an important national issue and discussion, it has to be a key part of the campaign. And what voters are going to be voting on is who can be commander in chief?” a Biden campaign aide told ABC News.

Biden, as he does on the campaign trail, leaned heavily into a potential general election matchup on Tuesday, in what could be a sign of things to come in the coming days.

"Mr. President you have to explain your decision and your strategy to the American people. That's your job as president, Mr. President. Not 'Dear Leader', not 'Supreme Leader," Biden said, speaking directly to his potential opponent.

THE PLAYLIST

ABC News' "Start Here" Podcast.Wednesday morning’s episode features ABC News Chief Global Affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz in Tehran, Iran, who describes her interview with Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif as “an experience like I have never had.” Then, ABC News’ Trish Turner explains why Sen. Mitch McConnell is claiming a small victory in the impeachment impasse Tuesday. http://apple.co/2HPocUL

ABC News’ “Powerhouse Politics” podcast. Sen. Bob Menendez, ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joins ABC News Political Director Rick Klein and Chief White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl on the “Powerhouse Politics” podcast. http://apple.co/2Zfz5nD

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY

• President Donald Trump receives an intelligence briefing at the White House at 2:15 p.m.
• Vice President Mike Pence and second lady Karen Pence participate in a reception in honor of the Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Mrs. Mitsotakis at 6:10 p.m. at the State Department.
• Andrew Yang appears on ABC’s “The View” in the morning with his wife, Evelyn Yang, and then holds a town hall in Manchester, New Hampshire at 5:30 p.m. and a town hall in Merrimack, New Hampshire at 7:30 p.m.
• Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg holds a fundraising event in Dallas, Texas at 7:30 a.m. and then holds two fundraising events in Denver, Colo. in the evening.
• Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, holds a town hall in Concord, New Hampshire at 7 p.m.
• Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick holds a campaign event in Hanover, New Hampshire at 4:30 p.m., will attend the College Convention 2020 in Manchester, New Hampshire at 5:30 p.m. and holds a campaign event in Milford, New Hampshire at 8:30 p.m.
• Tom Steyer holds a town hall in Hanover, New Hampshire at 6:30 p.m.
• Former Vice President Joe Biden will hold a fundraiser in Washington, D.C.
• Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg gives remarks at Olive-Harvey College in Chicago, Ill. At 9 a.m., then he visits a family farm in Wells, Minnesota at 1 p.m., then he holds a campaign event in Akron, Ohio at 6 p.m.
• Former Maryland Rep. John Delaney will attend the College Convention 2020 in Manchester, New Hampshire at 11 a.m.
• Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi holds a photo opportunity with the prime minister of Greece.
• The House will begin legislative businesses at noon.

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The Note is a daily ABC News feature that highlights the day's top stories in politics. Please check back tomorrow for the latest.