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