Daily Briefing: ‘Don’t Tell Us’

• Cheney urged to address the hunting accident “as early as today.” [WP]
• Scott McClellan did not disclose hunter’s heart attack to reporters during White House press briefing; hunter’s death could spark a grand jury investigation, possibly with criminal charges. [WP, NYT, NYT, W$J, USAT]
• Reporters cornered McClellan at the briefing. David Gregory: “Don’t tell us that you’re giving us complete answers when you’re not actually answering the questions.” David Sanger: “This is our briefing; we get to ask the questions.” [WP]
• Tension between the White House and Cheney’s staff is “palpable”; Cheney “plays by rules of his own making.” [NYT, USAT]
• White House successfully suppressing House investigation of NSA eavesdropping. [WP]
• Jack Abramoff’s “reputation for close relationships with the White House and congressional officials enabled him to charge stratospheric fees from his lobbying clients”; lobbyist’s successful work for Malaysia “suggests closer ties than previously acknowledged between the disgraced lobbyist and the highest levels of the Bush White House.” [LAT]
• Sen. Reid (D-Nev.) wrote at least four letters on behalf of tribes that Abramoff represented; staffers were in frequent contact about legislation. [LAT]

• The rise of the Lincoln Group “has been built in part by exaggerated claims about its abilities and connections.” Associate of the company: “They appear very professional on the surface, then you dig a little deeper and you find that they are pretty amateurish.” [NYT]
• “Organizational chaos” of the Senate is worsening, likely due to politics. [NYT]
• National Counterterrorism Center manages database of 325,000 names with suspected links to terrorism. [WP]
• Asbestos bill falls short of needed votes in the Senate. [WP, NYT, W$J]
• Proposed restructuring of FEMA “only scratch the surface of needed changes.” [WP]
• Harry Whittington has always been “a die-hard Republican.” [NYT]
• Sen. Hillary Clinton: “We are approaching a real turning point” on Medicare. [WT]
• George Lucas helps Democrats with “innovation agenda.” [LAT]
• Firstgov.gov — upgraded. [WP]

READ MORE: Democrats, Republicans, White House, asbestos, david gregory, david sanger, dick cheney, eavesdropping, fema, george lucas, george w. bush, harry reid, harry whittington, hillary clinton, homeland security, hunting, jack abramoff, lincoln group, nsa, scott mcclellan, senate