After outlining a safe agenda of its first 100 hours, Democrats in Congress are being forced to become more aggressive in challenging President Bush on the Iraq war and may have to address growing complaints that they are moving too slowly in developing an urban agenda.

Democrats regained control of Congress not because of a masterful political strategy, but largely because of the public’s disenchantment with our military presence in Iraq. Until this week, Democrats had been reluctant to challenge Bush on the war for fear of being depicted as being unsupportive of U.S. combat troops. Republican propagandists have repeatedly described Democrats as offering a “cut and run” strategy in Iraq and gun-shy, fragmented Democrats have been content letting Republicans mis-define them.

Even after voters repudiated George Bush’s “stay the course” policies in the Persian Gulf, Democrats were still hesitant to act on the central issue that swept them into power in the first place – the war. But Bush’s planned Wednesday night speech on the war in which he is expected to announce a plan to send more troops into Iraq, changed that. It forced Democrats to abandon their intention of focusing only on safe domestic issues, such as raising the minimum wage, expanding college aid, and funding stem cell research.

Voters have made it clear at the polls in November and in subsequent public opinion polls that they want the new Congress to deal with the war. A recent CBS News poll showed that 45 percent of the public wants Democrats to focus on the war; a distant second at 7 percent was an emphasis on the economy and jobs.

With Bush going on the offensive with a nationally-televised speech to the nation, Democrats have shifted into second-gear by quickly arranging a series of public hearings. On Wednesday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is expected to have Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice discuss Bush’s strategy in Iraq. On Thursday, Rice is expected to testify before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. And on Friday, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joints Chief of Staff, are expected to appear before the House Armed Services Committee.

All of the jockeying by Democrats and Republicans is done with an eye cast toward the 2008 presidential election. Democrats want to show before the next election that they can lead effectively. Republicans want to portray them as being weak on terrorism, paving the way for them to return to power in 2008. Both sides are making their moves while claiming to be interested bi-partisan cooperation.

As Democrats step up their involvement in addressing the war and continue to champion their announced 100-hour agenda, they are facing criticism from Jesse Jackson and others who charge that Democrats have no urban agenda.

At his 10th annual Wall Street conference this week in New York, Jackson assembled Congressional leaders, mayors and civil rights leaders in an effort to pressure Congress to pay more attention to Urban America.

“We need an economic agenda that corresponds with our political victory in November,” Jackson said. He noted that while it is important to raise the minimum wage, that action alone does not address the needs of the unemployed or other serious problems facing cities.

Indeed, the new leaders in Congress could help revitalize urban America by simply restoring the cuts in domestic spending. There is no question that cities need more help. A survey released in December by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, for example, showed that overall requests for emergency food assistance increased in 2006 by an average of 7 percent over the previous year; 74 percent of the surveyed cities registering an increase.

“This survey represents real people with real needs in cities all across our nation,” U.S. Conference of Mayors President Douglas H. Palmer, mayor of Trenton, N.J., said at the time. “As mayors of cities in the richest and most powerful nation in the world, we cannot simply stand by as our residents -- families with children -- continue to suffer. We have a responsibility to work together with our federal partners, as well as the private sector to turn the tide of those most in need in America.” Palmer also noted that cities are having difficulty providing shelter for the homeless.

President Bush has essentially slashed domestic spending to fund an unnecessary war and unnecessary tax cuts that largely benefit the wealthy.

If Democrats want to make their mark, they should start by repealing the tax cuts and quit funding the war. They can’t credibly say they’re against the war yet continue to provide the financing.

Bush has forced Democrats to finally deal with the war. Now, Democrats should force him to deal with a strong domestic agenda.