James Baker flies under the radar

I’m surprised there hasn’t been more media hype of James Baker’s upcoming visit to the Hill today:

James A. Baker III, the co-chairman of the Iraq Study Group, has ended weeks of resistance and today will testify before Congress on the war, avoiding a split with his fellow co-chairman, former Rep. Lee Hamilton (D-Ind.). 

Sources familiar with the efforts to persuade Baker to testify said he did not want to appear to be lobbying against President Bush at the height of his push for 21,500 additional troops in Iraq.

Baker will answer senators’ questions today during a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which includes three Democratic presidential hopefuls and Sen. Chuck Hagel (Neb.), the chamber’s most forceful Republican critic of the war, who also is mulling a White House bid.

I suppose a combination of Baker’s desire to keep a low profile and the general understanding that the surge is a foregone conclusion explains the lack of coverage. Baker knows he got outmaneuvered. The hearing will be this afternoon at 1 p.m. My only question is whether Baker will push back on National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley’s attempt to claim that the surge is, in fact, what the Iraq Study Group recommended.

Also in progress this morning: a pro forma nomination hearing on John Negroponte’s move to the State Department, where he will become Condi’s deputy and her potential successor.