"Behind the Curtain" is a new column by Axios CEO Jim VandeHei and co-founder Mike Allen, based on regular conversations with White House and congressional leaders, CEOs and top technologists.

President Biden, despite full-throated support for Israel and its right to strike Hamas, has methodically and meticulously delayed the expected invasion of Gaza, U.S. officials tell us.

• Biden dangled high-level visits (including his own), military support and public backing to buy time in Gaza. He also made plain that America doesn't want Israel to act impulsively, or without considering U.S. concerns.

Why it matters: The slow-walking strategy flows from five strategic worries, U.S. officials tell us and Axios Middle East expert Barak Ravid.

1. Biden wants more aid delivered to as many Palestinians as possible, to limit a humanitarian crisis and massive global backlash.
2. He wants the estimated 500+ U.S. citizens trapped in Gaza to get out before the fighting intensifies. Half a dozen attempts to get them out since the Hamas attack have failed — partly because Hamas prevented Americans from leaving, officials say.
3. He needs more time to fortify America's military presence in the Middle East, given rising fears that Iran or Iran-backed terrorist groups will attack Israel.
4. He fears a quick, impulsive assault on Gaza will land Israel in a long, bloody street battle that could kill tens of thousands of people — and still not destroy Hamas. It could also push Hezbollah and other Iranian proxies to join the war — with deployed Americans likely in harm's way.
5. He wants to buy time for Benjamin Netanyahu, who has his own reasons to delay. Netanyahu, despite political pressure to move fast against Hamas, has always been risk-averse. He has a somewhat skeptical view of the Israeli military plans — and wants time. So he's entertaining other opinions. He's also willing to give more time for hostage-release talks while the Israel Defense Forces better prepare for a ground assault.

🖼️ The big picture: Israeli military leaders are growing impatient with the delay. IDF chief of staff Herzi Halevi said Tuesday the IDF is ready for the ground operation and only awaits an order from the government.

• Biden wants to free the remaining American hostages and win the release of more captive Israelis. U.S. officials feel progress is being made.

Between the lines: Biden shares Bibi's concerns about Israel's plan. Biden wants an Israeli invasion to be more Mosul 2016 and less Fallujah 2004. That's why he sent three-star Marine Lt. Gen. James Glynn — a veteran of Mosul — to advise the Israelis on their military planning, U.S. officials say.

• Axios has learned that Secretary of State Tony Blinken told a group of Jewish American leaders on Monday: "We're not limiting Israel or telling it what to do. We're asking hard questions and giving our best advice based on our own experience."

Share this column ... Read our first and second columns.

Secretary of State Tony Blinken told a group of American Jewish community leaders Monday that he asked the Qatari prime minister less than two weeks ago to tone down Al Jazeera's rhetoric about the war in Gaza, attendees tell Axios' Barak Ravid.

• Why it matters: Blinken's comments suggest the administration, which has asserted its support for the independent press globally, is concerned Al Jazeera's framing of the conflict could escalate tensions in the region.

Catch me up: The Al Jazeera Media Network is funded by the Qatari government but maintains that it operates independently. Critics have said it reflects the foreign policy position of Qatar, which has faced scrutiny over its ties to Hamas.

• Israel has accused Al Jazeera of being "a propaganda mouthpiece" for Hamas.
• Blinken appeared to be talking about Al Jazeera Arabic, not Al Jazeera English.

Al Jazeera has been described by the CFR as one of the Qatari government's soft power tools that allows it to have political influence in the Middle East and around the world.

• The Al Jazeera press office didn't respond to requests for comment.

Keep reading.

At 9:55 p.m. ET, House Republican Conference Vice Chair Mike Johnson (R-La.) won an internal vote to become the fourth GOP nominee for speaker since Oct. 11. Now he faces a floor vote.

• Why it matters: The House speaker vacancy has torpedoed Congress' ability to pass legislation during a period of global upheaval and as a government shutdown draws near.

Johnson, 51, a conservative lawyer who is son of a Shreveport firefighter, said he plans to advance to a full House floor vote this afternoon, saying "this group is ready to govern."

• Johnson won with 128 votes to 29 for Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) + 44 for "other" — including 43 for former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who wasn't formally running.

Go deeper: Who is Mike Johnson?!

Mark Meadows, former President Trump's final chief of staff in the White House, was granted immunity to testify under oath by special counsel Jack Smith, ABC News reports.

• Why it matters: Meadows told Smith's team "that he repeatedly told Trump in the weeks after the 2020 election that allegations of significant voting fraud ... were baseless," and that Trump had been "dishonest" with his quick claim of victory right after polls closed, ABC says.

Nearly a quarter of Americans agree that "patriots may have to resort to violence in order to save our country" — the most in the nearly three years the question has been asked since Donald Trump's presidency, Axios' Russell Contreras writes from a new survey.

• Why it matters: The wide-ranging survey by Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) and the Brookings Institution sheds light on the religious, racial and political differences that are shaping America's increasingly tense politics.

The report found there's one thing the vast majority of Americans agree on: People across the political spectrum — 75% of all Americans — agree that American democracy is at risk in the 2024 presidential election.

• Democrats (84%) are the most likely to agree that the future of American democracy is at risk. 77% of Republicans and 73% of independents agree.

🧮 By the numbers: The survey found that 23% of Americans agree that "because things have gotten so far off track, true American patriots may have to resort to violence in order to save our country."

• One-third of Republicans believe "patriots" may have to resort to violence to "save the country," compared with 22% of independents and 13% of Democrats.
• Explore the data ... Share this story.

Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy said yesterday during a visit to the Axios newsroom in Arlington, Va., that he expects his campaign to deliver a "surprise result" at the Iowa GOP caucuses on Jan. 15 — 82 days from now.

• "If not an outright victory, I think we have a good shot at an outright victory, something close to it," said Ramaswamy, 38. "A solid second or third in Iowa."

Ramaswamy, the field's youngest candidate, has sought to appeal to younger voters by joining TikTok, Axios' Erin Doherty and Sophia Cai report.

The Ohio native and biotech founder got a bump in polls after the first GOP primary debate. He averages over 5% support in national polls, putting him at about fourth, according to FiveThirtyEight.

• He averages 5% in early Iowa polls, according to FiveThirtyEight, which has him in fifth.

Share this story.

The White House scrapped plans to have the new-wave band the B-52s perform at tonight's state dinner for Australia's prime minister after deciding it would be inappropriate at a time when "so many are facing sorrow and pain," in the words of first lady Jill Biden.

• Without directly referencing the devastation of the Israel-Hamas war, the first lady announced that "we've made a few adjustments to the entertainment portion" of the dinner, AP's Darlene Superville reports.

Instead of the band best known for "Love Shack" and other hits, the entertainment will be instrumental music provided by the Marine band and the Army and Air Force Strolling Strings.

• Members of the B-52s instead will be guests at the dinner honoring Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who is being accompanied by his partner, Jodie Haydon.

Keep reading.

The Arizona Diamondbacks will face the Texas Rangers in the World Series starting Friday after an improbable run through the National League bracket.

• In an epic Game 7, the D-backs beat the Phillies 4-2 last night in Philadelphia, writes Jeremy Duda of Axios Phoenix.

World Series storylines ... Get Axios Phoenix ... 30 Axios Local cities.