TPMDC Morning Roundup

Obama To Explain Surge, Exit Plan In Afghanistan
The Washington Post reports President Obama will use his speech on Afghanistan next week to simultaneously explain his plan to increase America's troop presence, and to lay out an exit strategy: "Obama's prime-time address, tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, will begin the White House effort to sell his revised war plan -- one leading scenario calls for sending 30,000 additional U.S. troops -- to powerful skeptics within his party, reluctant allies abroad and an Afghan public uncertain whether international forces or the Taliban will win the war."

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will hold the annual turkey-pardoning ceremony, at 11:35 a.m. ET in the Rose Garden. In the afternoon, the First Family will participate in a service event in the Washington area.

Pelosi Keeps Door Open To Tax Increase For Afghanistan War
Speaker Nancy Pelosi is keeping the door open to a war tax, to pay for the war in Afghanistan and the potential troop surge. Pelosi said on a conference call with economic writers and bloggers: "But let me say that there is serious unrest in our Caucus about can we afford this war?"

Schwarzenegger Announces New Lt. Governor On Jay Leno Show
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA) used the Jay Leno show as a venue last night to announce his appointment of a new Lt. Governor, after the office became vacant from the election of incumbent Democrat John Garamendi to the House of Representatives. Schwarzenegger is appointing Republican state Sen. Abel Maldonado, a moderate who crossed party lines to help pass a state budget.

Only One Congressional Republican On State Dinner Guest List
Roll Call reports that only one Congressional Republican, Sen. Dick Lugar of Indiana, was on the White House guest list for last night's state dinner with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh: "While it is possible the White House invited or sought to invite other GOP members, the presence of only one at the first State Dinner of the president whose avowed goal was to better bipartisan relations in Washington, D.C., can be taken as a sign of the prevailing partisanship in Washington." Also on the list were Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-LA) and former Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Another Run In Virginia Possible For McAuliffe?
The Washington Post reports that Terry McAuliffe might not be done with politics in Virginia, after his unsuccessful run for the Democratic nomination for governor, and is negotiating with investors to bring a car factory to southern Virginia: "He wouldn't be the first to follow such a game plan. In the late 1990s, after Democrat Mark Warner lost his bid to unseat then-U.S. Sen. John W. Warner (R), the successful entrepreneur spent several years forging relationships with business leaders in southside and southwest Virginia."

Catholic Bishop: Maybe Patrick Kennedy Should Leave Catholic Church
Rev. Thomas J. Tobin, the Bishop of Providence, Rhode Island, bluntly suggested that Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) should perhaps leave the Catholic Church because of his pro-choice political views on abortion: "If he cannot abide by the teaching of this church, not just this one but others and ... what it means to be a Catholic ... maybe he should find another fine Christian denomination where he can be more comfortable."