Washington in 60 Seconds: Senate Starts Health Debate; Salahis Skip the Crystal for Plastic

Good morning, Capitolists! We hope you got your rest over the Thanksgiving holiday, because with the schedule ahead in Washington, you're going to need it.

On the docket before the Christmas holiday: Health care reform; appropriations bills that should have been passed by Oct. 1; a legally required vote to increase the federal debt ceiling; a possible debate on the president's Afghan war strategy; prepping for the climate-change conference in Copenhagen; and Nancy Pelosi's top priority -- "jobs, jobs, jobs."

Will it all get done? Nobody knows, but let's worry about today first. Here's what's making news under the Capitol dome this morning:

* A Uniter, Not a Divider. After years of infighting, the GOP has Barack Obama to thank for finally uniting the party -- against the president, according a Washington Post poll. But the poll also shows that even though Republicans agree that they're against Obama, they're not on the same page about whom or what they would support instead.

* G'day, Obama. The president meets today with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in the Oval office.

* West Point Prep. You can bet the president will also spend some time today rehearsing his speech on Afghanistan that he'll deliver at the U.S. Military Academy tomorrow night. That's when he'll announce his new strategy for the war, including how many additional troops he'll send.

* Jobs, Jobs, Jobs. On Thursday, the president will hold a "jobs summit" at the White House and will then head to Allentown, Pa., to kick off a "White House to Main Street Tour." While Obama is away, watch for House Democratic leaders to float the idea of passing a second stimulus bill, which they'll call a "jobs package."

* Healthy Debate? At 3 p.m., the Senate begins debating its version of health care reform. Just a few of the issues that Democrats will grapple with internally before they ever deal with Republicans are the public option; the 40 percent excise tax on high-end health plans (on the union hit list); whether abortion can be covered in the public option; whether illegal immigrants can access the exchange with their own money; how high taxes should go; and a few other odds and ends like how much it all will cost. Check out www.C-SPAN.org for the floor debate.

* The Plastics. And finally, they may be auditioning for "The Real Housewives of D.C.," but are alleged White House gate-crashers Michaele and Tareq Salahi real socialites, or even real vintners, as they suggest? Fox News Channel's Chad Pergram, a wine aficionado himself, reports that on his own visits to the Salahis' Oasis Winery in northern Virginia, the wine was served in . . . plastic Solo cups. Keep it classy, Salahis!