A year ago, we predicted Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s re-election, Democratic capture of the House and gains in the Senate. Of course, we also predicted the Texas Rangers would reach the World Series and the first U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq.

Nobody’s perfect!

Here’s what’s in the crystal ball for 2007.

January – President Bush proposes increases of 20,000 troops in Iraq. His job approval drops to 28. Noting slumping voter support for war, Sen. John McCain delays his presidential announcement. But Democratic Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama say they’ll run, joining ex-Sen. John Edwards who announced his candidacy in December. Ohio State wins the college football title. Condoleezza Rice resigns as secretary of state and is replaced by James Baker. Bush devotes his entire State of the Union speech to defense of his Iraq policy.

February – After polls show American reluctance to elect a Mormon president, ex-Gov. Mitt Romney delays his candidacy. Democratic Sens. Joseph Biden and Chris Dodd announce they’ll run. San Diego beats New Orleans in the Super Bowl. The Bush budget urges further tax cuts and $100 billion more for Iraq. His approval drops to 26 percent.

March – A bipartisan congressional majority rejects ethics reform and a proposal by Democratic leaders to ban all provisions earmarking spending of funds. Secretary of State James Baker undertakes a secret mission to Iran and Syria to get help in dealing with Iraq; when news surfaces, he is fired by Bush and replaced by former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

April – After polls show Americans won’t elect a thrice-married candidate, former Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Mayor Rudy Giuliani announce they won’t seek the GOP nomination. Former Democratic Sen. John Kerry enters the race. Bush says he hopes to begin troop withdrawals from Iraq within the next year. His job approval rises to 33.

May – With no Republicans yet announced for president, former Sens. Rick Santorum and George Allen say they are considering White House bids. Two more Democrats, Gov. Bill Richardson and ex-Gov. Mark Warner, join the field. Bush names a bipartisan panel headed by former Texas Rep. Dick Armey and former Georgia Sen. Zell Miller to study reform of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

June – The Anaheim Ducks win the Stanley Cup, and the Dallas Mavericks win the NBA title. Vowing to end U.S. involvement in Iraq, Jeb Bush becomes the second Republican to announce his candidacy for president, joining Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas in the GOP field.

July – Roger Clemens joins Andy Pettite with the New York Yankees. Former Rep. Tom DeLay announces he’ll challenge Sen. John Cornyn as insufficiently conservative in the 2008 GOP primary. With the situation in northern Iraq deteriorating, Bush announces the transfer of 20,000 troops there from Baghdad.

August – The White House says Bush cannot support brother Jeb for president, calls Brownback too conservative and urges Allen to run. Jeb Bush edges Brownback in a GOP Iowa straw poll. The White House says Iowa Republicans want to “cut and run.” Congress passes an economic package including a raise in upper income taxes. The White House vetoes it. McCain says he won’t run for president but declines to rule out 2012.

September – Allen vows victory in Iraq as he announces he’ll run for president. The White House hails his candidacy. For the first time since 1994, Congress passes all appropriations bills by the start of the fiscal year. A move to cut off Iraq funds narrowly fails in the House.

October – President Bush vetoes four appropriations bills as too big, forcing Congress once more to adopt a stop-gap spending measure. With the situation in Baghdad deteriorating, Bush moves 20,000 troops there from northern Iraq. The Yankees lose to the Mets in the World Series.

November – Iowa’s Jefferson-Jackson Dinner features 11 Democratic candidates. In the GOP race, Jeb Bush routs Allen and Brownback in a Florida straw poll. Rice announces she’ll carry the Bush banner in the presidential race.

December – In the earliest New Hampshire primary ever, McCain wins the GOP contest on a write-in; Clinton edges Obama on the Democratic side. McCain then announces that he has reconsidered his decision and will run for president. President Bush says he hopes to withdraw some U.S. troops in 2008.