Candidates to face off on Iraq at Hill hearings

WASHINGTON - It's a Senate showdown that could pit the three presidential candidates against each other in a fight for dominance.

Sens. John McCain, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are all pushing for the perfect sound bite; for that singular moment that will define their campaigns' stance on the Iraq war.

And it happens on Tuesday. That's when General David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker will report to Congress in two Senate hearings. They’ll give progress reports on the war and offer strategy going forward.

First up is their testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee where McCain and Clinton both hold seats. Then comes an appearance before the Foreign Relations Committee, where Obama serves as a member.

Committee nuances add to drama
Each hearing will likely expose peculiar committee dynamics of allegiances, seniority, and timing — factors that aren't likely to yield tangible results, but may paint a political picture that's more favorable towards McCain.

As the top Republican on the panel, the spotlight inevitably falls on the Arizona senator. Other than Committee Chairman Carl Levin, McCain will be the only member allotted time to make an opening statement. And once the questioning begins, alternating back and forth from Democrat to Republican, he'll have the first GOP opportunity to address both men.

Video   ‘Much more stable’ April 7: General Barry McCaffrey discusses what to expect from General Petraeus’ report to Congress on Iraq. MSNBC

As the 10th in seniority among the 13 Democrats on the panel, Clinton's round of questioning could come late in the hearing, after many of the obvious questions have been asked and answered. It could easily be two and a half hours before her voice is heard.

Will the Democratic leadership allow Clinton to speak earlier in order to combat the "McCain effect?"

Not according to Levin, who said during a recent teleconference, "These are matters of life and death and we have a responsibility to deal with them that way…and to avoid any partisan-izing of this issue."

But it's not just speaking order at play here.

McCain brings another asset into the hearing in the form of Senator Lindsey Graham. As his chief surrogate, Graham is Robin to McCain's Batman. No one else is more in sync with the Arizona senator on Iraq. During the hearing, Graham can easily use his time during questioning to elaborate a McCain point or address another point McCain may have left out.

McCain also has Sen. Joe Lieberman to carry his torch in the Armed Services hearing. He's an independent who votes with the Democrats on virtually every issue but the Iraq war.

Together they turn Washington in to Gotham City.  McCain and Graham are the Caped Crusaders, with Lieberman filling in as Commissioner Gordon — he may not be a full-fledged Republican crime fighter, but he’s certainly a strong supporter of the cause.

That's not to say Clinton is by her lonesome. She has the endorsement of three members of the panel: Bill Nelson, Evan Bayh, and Mark Pryor. But the most prominent senators on the panel are either neutral (Carl Levin, Jack Reed, and Jim Webb), or support Obama (Ted Kennedy and Claire McCaskill).

Iraq war timeline Key political and military moments since the 2003 invasion

Obama's solo stage
As for Obama, he will not have to share the stage with either his Democratic or Republican rivals when the Foreign Relations Committee meets later Tuesday afternoon. And although he sits toward the bottom of the seniority totem pole, he enjoys the backing of half of the group's Democrats, lead by former opponent Chris Dodd and '04 nominee John Kerry.

But he won't be getting a pass to the front of the line either. Expect Obama also to chime in toward the end of questioning. "The biggest mistake we could make is politicizing, looking at this in terms of political advantage or disadvantage," said committee chairman Joe Biden. "The American people are sick of this crap."

So, the corners have been chosen and the order is set. But what are the candidates expected to say?

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