Wonkette

• Rove told the grand jury that he may have learned of Valerie Plame from “Scooter” Libby; their conversation “was confined to information the two men heard from reporters.” [WP]
• Leahy and Specter complain Miers‘ answers on questionnaire are insufficient; they seek elaboration. Leahy: “[T]he comments I’ve heard ranged from incomplete to insulting. Certainly it was inadequate and did not give us enough to prepare for a hearing. We will need to have more.” [WP, LAT, NYT, WT, USAT]
• Libby “appears to be deeply enmeshed in the leak investigation.” [WSJ]
• Rice fields criticism about Iraq war from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; she refuses to offer a timeframe for troop withdrawal. Lugar (R-Ind.): “Permanent instability or civil war in Iraq could set back American interests in the Middle East for a generation — increasing anti-Americanism, multiplying the threats from tyrants and terrorists and reducing our credibility.” [WP, NYT]
• Chertoff admits to House panel that FEMA was “overwhelmed” by Katrina and pledges to “re-engineer” emergency preparedness. [WP, NYT, USAT]
• Judith Miller testifies in favor of national shield law for reporters and sources; Specter visited her in prison and recalled she could not explain why she was there. [NYT]

• Senate Energy and Commerce Committee approve opening of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; Senate vote expected within two weeks. [NYT]
• House Republicans delay vote on increased budget reductions to garner support. [WP, NYT, WT]
• DeLay pitches his case to 150 representatives from conservative interest groups in an effort to solidify support. DeLay: “So, what kind of month have you had?” [WT]
• Bush “overestimated his postelection capital and underestimated his opposition” on Social Security; Democrats “were even more vehemently opposed to any privatization than the White House imagined” and Republicans “faced deep divisions of its own.” [WSJ]
• Supporters and foes of “faith-based initiatives” get boost from recent developments. [WP]