Today on the Ticker

Compiled By Mark Preston
CNN Political Editor

Bush, Al-Maliki to meet in Jordan next week

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush will hold talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki next week in the Jordanian capital of Amman, the White House announced Tuesday.

The upcoming meeting, scheduled for Nov. 29-30, will focus on the progress of the 3-year-old war in Iraq, the transfer of security duties to Iraqi forces and "the role of the region in supporting Iraq," according to a joint statement from the two leaders.

"We reiterate our common commitment to building the foundations of a peaceful, democratic, secure, and unified Iraq, and to strengthening the partnership between our two nations," the statement said. Bush and al-Maliki have met once before, during the president's surprise visit to Baghdad in June.

Next week's talks come as Bush is under increased pressure to make changes in U.S. strategy in the conflict, which is now widely unpopular with the American public. An independent commission led by former Secretary of State James Baker is expected to deliver its recommendations on the future of the war by the end of the year. But Democrats, who won control of both houses of Congress in midterm elections earlier this month, have called for a "phased redeployment" of U.S. troops as a way to spur al-Maliki and other Iraqi leaders to take political steps toward ending the insurgent attacks and sectarian killings that have wracked the country this year.

More than 2,800 U.S. troops have been killed in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion that toppled former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in 2003. Gen. John Abizaid, the commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East, told a Senate committee last week that a phased withdrawal would lead to an increase in Sunni-Shiite violence, which surged after the bombing of a revered Shiite
Muslim mosque in February. But he said it might be possible to increase "the pace of transition" to hasten what has been envisioned as a 12- to 18-month transition to Iraqi control.

Also making news:

* Texas Gov. Rick Perry has named Dec. 12 as the runoff date between Rep. Henry Bonilla, R-Texas, and former Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, D-Texas.

* America's mayor tells the Federal Election Commission that he is interested in running for president. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has filed paperwork for an exploratory committee with the FEC as he ponders a bid for the GOP nomination. Previously, Giuliani had opened a New York state based presidential exploratory committee.

* And what other New Yorker is taking serious steps at making a run for the Republican presidential nomination? Check out below in Political Hot Topics.

President's schedule:

* President Bush begins the day by pardoning the National Thanksgiving Turkey at 10:30 a.m. ET. What is the turkey's name? We will find out at the ceremony.
Bush and first lady Laura Bush head to Camp David at 2 p.m. ET.

On Capitol Hill today:

* The Senate Radio-Television Correspondents' Gallery Daybook

* The House Radio-Television Correspondents' Gallery Daybook

Thanksgiving Day

* Traveling for the holidays? A CNN poll released this morning shows that 45 percent of Americans will be having Thanksgiving dinner at home this year. Check ahead before you hit the road.

* The CNN Political Ticker returns on Monday, Nov. 27. Happy holidays.

===============================================================Political Hot Topics (Today's top political stories from news organizations across the country)

Washington Times: Pentagon cites alternative to Baker report
The Pentagon is drafting its own new options for winning in Iraq, in part, to give President Bush counterproposals to fall back on in case the Iraq Study Group comes up with ideas he does not like, defense officials say.

WP: Reno Joins Criticism of Anti-Terror Strategy
Former attorney general Janet Reno has taken the unusual step of openly criticizing the Bush administration's anti-terrorism strategy -- joining seven other former Justice Department officials in warning that the indefinite detention of U.S. terrorism suspects could become commonplace unless the courts intervene.

WP: Report Finds DHS Lax on Contracting Procedures
Private consultants hired by the Department of Homeland Security have found widespread problems with its contracting operation, including nearly three dozen contract files that could not be located.

WSJ: Will Bush Bargain to Save Social Security?
WASHINGTON -- President Bush tried and failed to fix Social Security's long-term finances with his own party in control of Congress. His determination to keep trying, even as Democrats take over, is fueling speculation that he is ready to meet their price for coming to the bargaining table: dropping his goal of letting workers create private retirement accounts.

SF Chronicle: Pelosi readying a pre-emptive House agenda
Washington -- House Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi made clear Tuesday she's not willing to cede the public spotlight to President Bush in the weeks before his State of the Union speech.

NY Daily News: Hil ♥ N.Y. - for '08 Dem convention
Sen. Hillary Clinton, the early front-runner for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, is pushing to have her party's nominating convention held in New York City, the Daily News has learned.

NYT: Spoils of Prime Office Space Go to Democrats
WASHINGTON, Nov. 21 — Forget those pesky leadership fights. The folks who run Congress are now getting down to what really matters on Capitol Hill: dividing up the office space.

Houston Chronicle: Runoff set for congressional race
A runoff between Republican U.S. Rep. Henry Bonilla and his Democratic challenger will be held Dec. 12, Gov. Rick Perry said Tuesday.

AP: N.M. House Challenger Concedes
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- More than a week after Republican Rep. Heather Wilson claimed a razor- thin election victory, her Democratic challenger conceded Tuesday, saying a recount would cost too much and there was no guarantee it would reverse the result.

NY Post: GOV PAC$ UP AND MOVES FOR PREZ BID
ALBANY - On the day New York Republicans suffered their worst electoral disaster in decades, Gov. Pataki transferred almost $2 million in campaign cash to his Virginia PAC for a possible presidential run, The Post learned last night.

NYT: Dodd’s Balancing Act to Get Tougher
WASHINGTON, Nov. 21—As Senator Christopher J. Dodd prepares to take over the leadership of the Senate Banking Committee while also considering a run for the presidency, lobbyists and lawmakers are all asking the same question.

Chicago Sun-Times: Clinton or Obama? Emanuel may hide under desk in '08
What worse scenario could there be for Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), who fiercely values loyalty, then to have to choose between the 2008 presidential candidacies of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.)?

CNN: First daughter's purse swiped, source said
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (CNN) -- First daughter Barbara Bush's purse was stolen while she was in Argentina with her twin sister Jenna, a law enforcement source who was briefed on the incident told CNN Tuesday.

Boston Globe: GOP group at BU offers aid to whites
Boston University's Republican students group has started a scholarship for white students, to spark debate about race-based programs.