Good Tuesday morning, I'm Jake Sherman and welcome to your Politico Playbook Audio Briefing, sponsored by the Better Medicare Alliance.

Washington is snapping back into action in this shortened week. The Senate's in, the House is out, and President Donald Trump is back in D.C.

Tomorrow, Speaker Paul Ryan, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, and Mitch McConnell head to the White House to begin to untangle the mess of

issues on Washington's calendar this month. What's up in January? Funding government,

stabilizing Obamacare, renewing a children's health program, hashing on a plan to prevent

hundreds of thousands of people from deportation and boosting border security. Also,

busting spending caps and lifting the debt limit are possible.

It seems like Democrats have the advantage here.

Most of these issues are in Democrats' wheelhouse.

And as Congress barrels towards January 19th when government funding runs out, Democrats have a clear advantage and lots of leverage.

Ileana Johnson, Annie Carney, and Andrew Astuccia report that the White House is anxious

about 2018. They don't know

what's coming down the pike. They have a lingering investigation and they are losing staff.

Dave Weigle of the Washington Post reports that Donald Trump is sinking in Iowa. Just 35% of the state

that he won thinks he's doing a good job. 34% say they will back Republicans for Congress in

2018. Not great numbers.

Despite the tax bill, U.S.-based Caterpillar is fighting to protect its Swiss-made profits,

the Wall Street Journal reports. Nine people died overnight in Iran where protests continued to

rage. Thomas Erbrink, the New York Times Bureau Chief in Tehran, says the atmosphere is tense in

the country. In Tehran, says the atmosphere is tense in the country.

In Tehran, he says, the protests are small, but the discontent is widespread.

Royers reports that the Pakistani government has summoned the U.S. ambassador because Donald

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