port deal

Daily Briefing: Political Hot Potato

House Republicans set vote on Dubai port deal for next week despite White House resistance. House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio): “This has become a very hot political potato.” [WP, NYT]
Military spending for Iraq and Afghanistan will reach $117.6b this fiscal year. [W$J]
Harold Ickes, with George Soros, are sidestepping the DNC to create a massive nationwide voter list. Ickes: “The Republicans have developed a cadre of people who appreciate databases and know how to use them, and we are way behind the march.” [WP]
Congress renews Patriot Act by vote of 280 to 138. [WP, NYT]
Senate Select Committee on Intelligence rejects Democratic calls for inquiry of NSA eavesdropping; White House agrees to new oversight rules. [WP, NYT, W$J]
The CIA is not interested in cooperating with the Libby investigation by providing classified documents. [WP, NYT]
Sen. Clinton moves to tie up money and talent for '08 race. [NYT]
Cato Institutes vents beef with Bush. [WP]
Rep. DeLay wins Republican primary in Texas. [AP]

Video shows Bush was warned about the potential for a levee breach, despite denials after the fact: “Was the president misinformed, misspoken or misleading?” [WP, USAT]
Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco hesitantly told Bush that the levees were safe on the morning of Aug. 29th. [AP]
U.S. and India announce deal for nuclear cooperation, for energy and weapons; “new plan would allow India enough fissile material for as many as 50 weapons a year.” [WP, NYT, W$J]
Senate passes renewal of the Patriot Act by vote of 89 to 10. [NYT]
54% disapprove of Bush's handling of the war on terrorism and 64% say the country is on the wrong track, according to LAT-Bloomberg poll; findings echo new Gallup poll. [LAT, Bloomberg, USAT]
Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee,vows to stop Dubai port deal. [WP, W$J]

Bush and McCain have become the only internationalists. [WP, NYT]
Gonzales denies broader warrantless eavesdropping. [WP]
Patrick Fitzgerald says Lewis Libby is “not entitled to know everything that government investigators learned about other leaks to reporters ” about Valerie Plame. [WP]
Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs rejects proposal for ethics office. [WP]
SEC will set guidelines for subpoenaing journalists. [NYT]
Contracts with Pentagon intelligence agency are investigated after possible links with former Rep. Randy Cunningham (R-Calif.) surface. [WP]
Senators call for higher fines for mining violations. [USAT, NYT]

Administration and Sen. Frist (R-Tenn.) agree on 45-day review of Dubai port deal. Scott McClellan: “We believe, however, the additional time and investigation at the request of the company will provide Congress with a better understanding of the facts, and that Congress will be comfortable with the transaction moving forward once it does.” [WP, NYT, NYT, W$J, USAT]
States make decisions on the “morning-after” pill as the FDA wavers. [WP]
Army will reimburse Halliburton subsidiary for nearly $2.4b despite findings of overcharges. [NYT]
Bush sets off on whirlwind two-day tour of India. [NYT]
Mike McCurry on the White House press briefings: “It has turned into a theater of the absurd.” Ari Fleischer: “The public perceives the press not as watchdogs but as attack dogs.” [NYT]

American Red Cross dropped $500,000 on public relations expenses over the past three years. [WP]
Sen. McCain's vote to extend Bush tax cuts is viewed as strategic move for '08 — and a “political flip-flop.” [WT]
Governors complain the administration has reduced the effectiveness of the National Guard. [NYT]
Texas nonprofit critical of Rep. DeLay is cleared by the IRS. [WP]
RNC begins e-mail blitz against Sen. Clinton. [WT]