Daily Briefing: A Rising Tide?

• Recent good news, including the killing of Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi and the non-indictment of Karl Rove, may lift President Bush’s poll numbers, allowing the White House and the GOP to get off the defensive. [WP; WP]
• Democrats pick Vietnam War veteran and former Reagan Navy Secretary James Webb to run against Sen. George Allen (R-VA). [WP; WP; NYT]
• At the Take Back America conference, liberal activists boo and hiss at Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), after she reiterates her opposition to a timetable for Iraq withdrawal. Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) denounces the war, to cheers and applause. [WP]
• Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) pleads guilty to driving under the influence of prescription medication, gets a year of probation. [WP; NYT]
• Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV), currently under federal investigation, acknowledges numerous mistakes in his financial disclosure forms. [WP; NYT]
• Fraudulent claims for Hurricane Katrina and Rita assistance may total as much as $1.4 billion; FEMA paid for “season football tickets, a tropical vacation and even a divorce lawyer.” [WP; NYT; USAT]
• Tropical Storm Alberto weakens before making landfall, failing to reach hurricane strength; “a splash in the panhandle.” [WP; NYT; USAT]
• Core consumer prices rose against last month, making another rate hike from the Fed likely. [WSJ]
• Family of Guantanamo prisoner questions whether he committed suicide. [WP]

READ MORE: 2006, Republicans, White House, abu musab al-zarqawi, alan mollohan, campaigns, dramatic overreations to mildly inclement weather, fema, george allen, guantanamo bay, hillary clinton, hurricane katrina, james webb, john kerry, patrick kennedy