Category: Rita

Daily Briefing: The 'Cool' Governor

• Bush, visiting New Orleans, fields complaints about government's response. [WP, NYT]
• White House dismisses doubts about Miers. Thune: "It has been my expectation that President Bush would nominate someone in the mold of Justices Scalia and Thomas and it is my hope that Harriet Miers will prove to be such a person." [WT]
• Michael Leavitt outlines flu pandemic fears: "What if it weren't just New Orleans. What if it were Seattle, San Diego, Corpus Christi, Denver, Chicago, New York? Make your own list." [USAT]
• Documents related to Miers from 1995-2000 released by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission "provide a glimpse into her views on the proper separation of powers and the debate over making the civil justice system more fair and predictable." Miers considered Bush to be "cool" and "the best governor ever." [WP, NYT]
• Fitzgerald considered relentless, aggressive, and apolitical. [USAT]
• Military considers special force for natural disaster relief. [NYT]

• Cuts in programs proposed by Republicans will likely to be scaled back due to Katrina and rising energy prices. [WP]
• Liberals worried the window of opportunity to tackle issues of health care, housing, jobs, and poverty has closed with conservatives winning out. [NYT]
• Angela Merkel to become first female chancellor of Germany. [USAT, FT]
• Rice calls for "elections that are free and fair" in Central Asia. [NYT]
• FBI may loosen hiring standards to accept applicants who used marijuana in their youth. [WP]
• Lawmakers take up blogging. [WP]
• McCain stumps for Schwarzenegger. [LAT]
• Medicare Q&A. [NYT]

READ MORE: Democrats , Republicans , Rita , SCOTUS , White House , angela merkel , arnold schwarzenegger , asia , avian flu , blogging , condoleezza rice , disaster response , fbi , george w. bush , germany , harriet miers , john mccain , john thune , katrina , leak investigation , marijuana , michael leavitt , military , new orleans , patrick fitzgerald , texas

Daily Briefing: 'Just Trying to Avoid Trouble'

• Bush defends selection of Miers: "I picked the best person I could find." Brownback, Grassley remain skeptical; Hatch, Sessions are supportive. [WP, NYT, WT, LAT, USAT]
• White House and RNC campaign to convince conservatives that Miers is a wise pick; uncertainties about Miers mutes "rapid response" from advocacy groups. [WP, WSJ, USAT]
• Bush asks Congress to offset costs of hurricane relief with "substantial" cuts in entitlement programs; says there is need for new oil refineries. [WSJ, NYT]
• Bush implies he will use executive privilege to withhold Miers documents. [NYT]
• Miers reportedly told a former boyfriend that "life begins at conception" and abortion is "taking a life"; turned to faith and conservative causes in her mid-30s. [WP, NYT, WT]
• Bork: "I think [Bush] is just trying to avoid trouble -- but the message comes through: Do not be controversial, do not express strong opinions that arouse opposition." [LAT]

• Texas prosecutor says new information sparked money laundering indictment against DeLay; "quick justice" would most benefit DeLay. [WP, NYT]
• Katrina, Rita failures highlight consequences of weak executive branch oversight. [WP]
• Miers' workaholic nature fit into White House culture. [LAT]
• Miers seems moderately supportive of gay rights. [WT]
• Bush willing to "effect a quarantine" by military means if flu pandemic hits the U.S. [WP, NYT, WT]
• Bush admits "diminished appetite in the short term" for his Social Security plans. [LAT]
• Next Federal Reserve chairman likely to come from outside of Bush's inner circle. [WSJ, NYT]
• Clinton acts in command during visit to Louisiana. [NYT]

READ MORE: Democrats , Pentagon , Republicans , Rita , SCOTUS , White House , abortion , alan greenspan , bill clinton , budget , charles grassley , fema , flu outbreak , george w. bush , harriet miers , jeff sessions , katrina , oil , orrin hatch , rnc , robert bork , sam brownback , social security , tom delay

Daily Briefing: 'An Astute Mind and a Kind Heart'

• John Roberts confirmed as chief justice by vote of 78 to 22. Bush: "The Senate has confirmed a man with an astute mind and a kind heart." [WP, NYT, WSJ, LAT]
• Judith Miller is released from jail after she agrees to testify in leak investigation; she received a waiver of confidentiality from I. Lewis Libby. [WP, NYT]
• Senior military officials fear anarchy in Iraq if constitution is not approved as they expect. [NYT, WP]
• House Republicans elbow for leadership posts in wake of DeLay news; "there is no guarantee that his colleagues will want him back." [NYT, WP, WP]
• DeLay proclaims innocence on media blitz; GOP fundraising expected to take a hit. [NYT, NYT, LAT]
• 71% approve of Bush's response to Hurricane Rita, Gallup poll finds. [USAT]

• Republicans move forward with Roberts, backward with DeLay, writes Brownstein. Matthew Dowd: "Republicans only have to win home games. Democrats have to win all their home games and away games too. That's the difficulty." [LAT, WT]
• DeLay case centers on movement of $190,000. [WP]
• Democrats and liberal groups sift through Roy Blunt's record now that he is House majority leader. [NYT, LAT]
• Sandra Day O'Connor's replacement expected to be nominated next week. [WT]
• House approves "one of the most far-reaching reversals of environmental policy in more than a decade," say environmentalists. [NYT, WT]
• Hughes surprised by perception of the United States in the Middle East. [WP, NYT]
• The first session of the "Roberts Court" begins Monday. [NYT, WP, USAT, USAT]
• House, Senate approve $32b budget for Homeland Security. [WSJ]
• Senate committee begins investigation into resignation of FDA commissioner. [NYT]
• Schwarzenegger vetoes gay marriage bill. [WP]
• William Bennett criticized for saying, "If you wanted to reduce crime, you could -- if that were your sole purpose -- you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down," though it would be "an impossible, ridiculous and morally reprehensible thing to do." [WP, NYT]

READ MORE: 2006 , Democrats , Republicans , Rita , SCOTUS , White House , arnold schwarzenegger , environmental policy , fda , george w. bush , homeland security , house , iraq , john g. roberts , judith miller , karen hughes , leak investigation , lewis libby , matthew dowd , middle east , poll , ron brownstein , roy blunt , sandra day o'connor , senate , tom delay , william bennett

Happy Happy Joy Joy

Over the weekend, the WaPo reported on "HappyNews.com," a website determined to find the bright silver lining around every dark cloud of information. Hurricane Katrina got ya down? Well, "Hurricane Katrina lessons helped in Rita." And what about those long lines out of Houston? "Rita spurs new evacuation strategies." We look forward to headlines such as "Trent Lott has shiny new porch," "FEMA chief more experienced than predecessor," and "Iraqis marvel how car bombs shorten wait in lines." Also, now we know where all those Bush administration officials read that "New Orleans Dodged a Bullet."

Happynews.com, Where the Beat Is Always Up [WP]
RELATED: Gray Skies Are Gonna Clear Up [Gawker]

READ MORE: Rita , gawker , katrina , trent lott , washington post

Daily Briefing: Wet Weekend

• Bush packs for Texas as Hurricane Rita approaches. [NYT]
• Senate Judiciary Committee approves Roberts by vote of 13 to 5. [WP, NYT, WSJ, LAT, WT, USAT]
• Defying White House calls to control spending, the Senate passes $100b bill for farm and rural development and approves $82.9b military bill. [WSJ]
• Department of Homeland Security is playing hands-on role in preparations for Hurricane Rita. [WSJ]
• Bush says pulling out of Iraq "would allow the terrorists to claim an historic victory over the United States" and "make that country a source of terror and instability. . . for decades." [USAT]
• Jack Abramoff bragged about his close relationship with Karl Rove, says Tyco executive. [WP]

• Biden, Hatch captured the confirmation hearings on their camera phones. [WP]
• Minority business owners in the Gulf Coast complain that no-bid contracts block them from Katrina-related contracts. [WSJ]
• Over 100,000 are expected at anti-war rally on Saturday; Sheehan set to speak. [USAT]
• Goss still faces uphill challenge at reforming the CIA. [NYT]
• SEC is interested in Frist's stock sale. [NYT]
• 43 countries have promised aid totaling $800m for Katrina relief. [WT]

READ MORE: CIA , Democrats , Republicans , Rita , White House , anti-war rally , bill frist , cindy sheehan , george w. bush , gulf coast , homeland security , iraq , jack abramoff , joesph biden , john g. roberts , katrina , orrin hatch , porter goss , sec , senate , texas , war on terrorism

They Call the Wind ...

Hurricane Rita; Cumulative wind distribution [NOAA]

READ MORE: Funny Pictures , Rita , noaa

Daily Briefing: Terrorists & Katrina

• Leahy, Baucus, Johnson will support Roberts; Kerry, Kennedy, Corzine, Boxer, Reid will vote no. [NYT, LAT, USAT]
• Bush multitasks over second Supreme Court nomination, hurricanes, Iraq, and Social Security; talks of Katrina and terrorists, "They're the kind of people who look at Katrina and wish they had caused it. We're in a war against these people." [NYT, USAT]
• Republicans propose spending cuts as Congress passes $6b in Katrina-related tax breaks. [WSJ, WP, USAT]
• Next Supreme Court nominee will face heightened scrutiny. [WP]
• House Republicans will pursue inquiry of government's response to Katrina in spite of boycott by Democrats. [WP, NYT]

• Senators want answers, not obstruction from the Pentagon about Able Danger's pre-9/11 knowledge of Mohamed Atta. [NYT, USAT]
• Lawyer of arrested official accuses Justice Department of coercion. [NYT]
• Democratic activists are united against Roberts. [NYT]
• Frist deflects ethical questions by explaining sale of stock that subsequently lost value. [WP, NYT]
• Gold Star Families For Peace launch $1m television and print campaign; anti-war rally will be held on Saturday. [WP]
• Karen Hughes begins "listening tour" trip to Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. [USAT]

READ MORE: Democrats , Pentagon , Republicans , Rita , SCOTUS , able danger , barbara boxer , bill frist , cindy sheehan , congress , george w. bush , harry reid , john g. roberts , john kerry , katrina , max baucus , mohamad atta , patrick leahy , ted kennedy , terrorists , tim johnson , war in iraq

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