Daily Briefing: Raise the Roof

• Senate approves $2.8 trillion budget as the debt ceiling is raised to $9 trillion; House moves ahead on $92b for war and the Gulf
  Coast. [WP, NYT, W$J]
• Discontent between White House and Republican lawmakers has been stewing for years. [WP]
• Republican proposal would allow warrantless eavesdropping with added oversight. [WP]
• Some Republicans worry that democracy-building has reduced the overall strength of America. [NYT]
• House approves $4.2b in hurricane relief for Louisiana. [NYT]
• Congressional leaders want to tweak nuclear agreement with India. [NYT]
• Bush selects Idaho governor to lead the Interior Department. [WP, NYT]
• Sen. Frist produces immigration bill without Bush’s guest worker program. [WP, NYT]
• Ashcroft is “setting himself up as something of an anti-Abramoff.” [NYT]

READ MORE: Republicans, White House, bill frist, budget, eavesdropping, hurricane katrina, john ashcroft, katrina, nsa, nuclear arsenal, nuclear weapons

Iran to U.S.: “Not Tonight, We Have a Headache”

What is it about oil that makes us think of sex? Consider what a reader shared with us (in response to our earlier post about “tight hole operations):

For those with dirty minds, the oil patch is full of possibly suggestive terms: stripper well, squeeze job, acoustic coupler, backscatter, toolpusher, blowing the drip, flocculate, tank dike, mud up, rod elevators, thrust fault, and polished rod. I think you could write an entire xxx-rated short story using only oilfield terms in place of actual naughty words.

Iran Renews Threat to Withhold Oil [WP]
Oilfield Glossary [OilOnline]
Oilfield Glossary [Schlumberger]

Earlier: Dick Cheney Engaged in “Tight Hole Operations”?

READ MORE: addicted to oil, iaea, iran, nuclear arsenal, nuclear weapons, oil, security council, un, united nations

“Sunny Day, Sweeping the Mushroom Cloud Away”

Alternate Bonus Caption: “Now we can really flip Pakistan the Big Bird!”

Our tipster observes: “The expression on Laura Bush’s face is disturbingly similar to that of the large feathered creature she’s standing next to.”

Laura Bush Visits the Indian version of Sesame Street - Galli Galli Sim Sim [BBC]

Earlier: Because Nuclear Weapons Are the Ultimate Aphrodisiac

READ MORE: Funny Pictures, india, laura bush, nuclear arsenal, nuclear weapons, sesame street

Because Nuclear Weapons Are the Ultimate Aphrodisiac

“Manmohan, my man, don’t look now — but Condi Rice is totally checking you out! She’s single, y’know…”

“Mr. President: I don’t date women who can bench press more than I can.”

U.S., India Seal Nuclear Deal [WP]
U.S. and India Reach Agreement on Nuclear Cooperation [NYT]

[Photo: Getty Images]

Earlier: Condicise: Day 2

READ MORE: bush, condicise, condoleezza rice, dating, exercise, george w. bush, india, manmohan singh, nuclear arsenal, nuclear weapons

Daily Briefing: A Day Late and a Dollar Short

(Henry the Intern is out sick today, so please blame your editors for this somewhat tardy and shorter-than-usual newswrap.)

• Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have struck a nuclear power deal. Under the terms of the agreement, the U.S. will provide nuclear power assistance to India in exchange for new inspections of India’s civilian nuclear facilities. India will not sign the international non-proliferation treaty, and it will be allowed to keep its nuclear weapons, with military nuclear reactors not be subject to inspection. [NYT, WP, USAT, WT]
• A leaked video shows Bush receiving dire warnings about Hurricane Katrina the day before it hit. [WP, NYT, USAT]
• In a federal lawsuit, a defunct Saudi charity cites classified government documents that may contain evidence of NSA eavesdropping. The organization is seeking private review of the documents by the judge hearing the case. [WP]
• Justice Samuel Alito’s letter to James Dobson is described by a Court spokesperson as nothing more than a thank-you note expressing a “standard sentiment,” reflected in other such notes by the justice. [NYT]
• The Bush administration is investigating a Dubai-owned company that is set to acquire plants in Georgia and Connecticut that manufacture components for military equipment. [WP]
• Saddam Hussein admits that he ordered the trials of 148 Iraqis who were subsequently executed, but argues that his actions were a lawful response to an assassination attempt. Violence continues in Iraq, with nearly a dozen people killed in bombings and drive-by shootings. [WP, NYT]

READ MORE: bush, eavesdropping, george w. bush, henry the intern, india, james dobson, manmohan singh, nsa, nuclear arsenal, nuclear weapons, saddam hussein, samuel alito, wiretapping

Daily Briefing: ‘A Stick in McCain’s Eye’

• Pentagon commits $300m to “psychological warfare operation” that “includes plans for placing pro-American messages in foreign media outlets without disclosing the U.S. government as the source”; bumper stickers and t-shirts are also being considered. [USAT, USAT]
• Army approves new, classified rules for interrogation. Official: “This is a stick in McCain’s eye. It goes right up to the edge. He’s not going to be comfortable with this.” [NYT]
• Pentagon is reportedly monitoring the activities of “peaceful anti-war and counter-military recruitment groups.” [NBC, Reuters]
• Administration is debating the need for new nuclear warheads; “the U.S. could someday spend billions of dollars replacing much of the current arsenal.” [WSJ]
• Democrats press for subpoenas of White House officials regarding government response to Katrina. [WP]
• Texas prosecutors are investigating possible ties between Rep. Tom DeLay and lobbyist Brent Wilkes, who was linked to former Rep. Randy Cunningham. [NYT]
• House nears passage of tough border security bill. [NYT]
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce splits with Republican leadership over immigration bill. [WP]

• Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), vice chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee, will return $67,000 in donations from tribes: “Even though those contributions were legal and fully reported as required by law, I will not knowingly keep even one dollar in contributions if there is even a remote possibility that they could have been the result of any action Mr. Abramoff might have taken.” [WP, NYT, WT]
• Pentagon upgrades nation-building missions to the same status as combat operations. [WT]
• Sen. Frist signals that Congress will not take on the “so-called patch for the alternative minimum tax” this year. [NYT]
• Bush says registering for the new Medicare drug plan is a “daunting task” but “a good deal for our seniors.” [USAT]
• Samuel Alito confirmation hearings “will pit [Sen. Arlen Specter’s] deeply held political beliefs against his personal ties to the judge and his loyalty to the Republican Party.” [USAT]
• Conservative Christians remain “on the sidelines while liberal Christians protest domestic spending cuts.” [WP]
• Environmental groups announce opposition to Samuel Alito. [WSJ]

READ MORE: Democrats, Pentagon, Republicans, SCOTUS, White House, alternative minimum tax, anti-war movement, arlen specter, army, bill first, brent wilkes, byron dorgan, christians, environmentalists, george w. bush, iraq, jack abramoff, john mccain, katrina, medicare, nation-building, nuclear arsenal, propaganda, randy cunningham, samuel alito, tom delay