The Daily Background

House Iraq Vote
The House will vote today on a budget bill which would bring the war in Iraq to end by the last day of August, 2008. More conservative “blue dog” Democrats were opposed to the measure because it set a date-certain, while more liberal Democrats were opposed to the measure because it was not soon enough, but both sides have apparently compromised and are willing to take this as a first step (and by first step, we mean 3rd step).

The bill would signal the first binding resolution Congress has ever passed on Iraq that explicitly clashes with the President’s policy.

Democrats have 233 House seats, while Republicans have 201 seats in the lower chamber. Congress needs a 2/3rds majority to be veto-proof, so that means House Democrats will need 287 votes, which is about as unlikely as getting the required 67 in the Senate. A non-veto proof Senate version would require 60 votes to overcome the inevitable filibuster.

A bit of Gore wrap-up
Al Gore wrote the following on his blog yesterday about his Wednesday appearance before House and Senate Committees to testify about the threat of global climate change:

There was a big reaction in both the House and Senate when I told them about the more than 519,000 of you who signed the powerful messages I delivered yesterday. In fact since the hearing I have already had a lot of follow-up contacts from members of the committee wanting to introduce legislation that embodies the recommendations I offered. I was also contacted by many others, who want to solve the climate crisis and put it at the top of the Congressional agenda.

I am particularly grateful to Chairman Dingell and Gordon on the House side. And of course on the Senate side Chairwoman Boxer brought the hearing room to spontaneous applause when she held up the gavel and informed Senator Inhofe he’s not in charge anymore.

That was a moment that made me smile.

You can watch a video of Boxer saying that now-famous “not in charge anymore” line here if you haven’t already seen it. Speaking of the recommendations that he made, you can read an explanation of the ten points Gore proposed to Congress to fight global climate change here.

2008
The NYDN late yesterday published a scoop revealing that Rudy Giuliani’s current wife actually had a secret marriage before her previously-known first marriage, meaning that she’s been married three times just like her husband. Writes the Daily News:

The fact that the Giulianis have said “I do” six times between them is sure to increase the spotlight on Giuliani’s marital past, which includes a 14-year marriage to his second cousin, Regina Peruggi, and his very public and ugly split in 2000 with TV and radio personality Donna Hanover.

Now, should this really matter? Not really. But to some people it will, and those people happen to be the people who decide Republican primaries.

Also
Iran’s President visits the UN in New York today.

Senate
In session… on a Friday? There must be a budget bill on the table (in fact, there is).

Iraq
3,230 (3,225 yesterday).

Filed under: Z-The Daily Brief, Z-TDB Blog