Daily Briefing: A New Marital Arrangement
•Administration will request additional $80b for wars. [ NYT ]
•CBO estimates 10-year deficit at $855b, excluding wars and Social Security plan. [ WP ]
•Senate Democrats threaten to stall approval of cabinet nominees if demands are not met; leaders denounce plans for Social Security.Durbin: "The honeymoon is over and we are now in the full throes of our new marital arrangement here." [ NYT ]
• Hillarydeclares "respect" for those who are pro-life and tells abortion rights activists to seek "common ground"; says abortion is a "sad, even tragic choice." [ NYT ]
• Bushtells pro-life marchers, via phone: "This is the path of the culture of life that we seek for our country." Tens of thousands of pro-life supporters hit the Mall: "Hey ho, hey ho! Roe v. Wade has got to go!" [ WP , WP , WT ]
•Senate Republicans' priorities do not include immigration or gay marriage; emphasis on Social Security, tax cuts, tort reform, and domestic oil drilling. [ WP , WT ]
•Conservative organizations warnBushhe needs to push gay marriage ban for their support on Social Security reform: "Is he prepared to spend significant political capital on privatization but reluctant to devote the same energy to preserving traditional marriage?" [ NYT ]
•Army plans to keep number of troops in Iraq stable at 120,000 through 2006. [ NYT ]
•Pentagon shifts from "big-ticket weapons systems" for traditional warfare to supplies for guerrilla wars and terrorist attacks. [ WSJ ]
•White House intends to frame Social Security debate as it advances, gaining support in the process. [ NYT , WT ]
•Social Security damaged by early retirements. [ USAT ]
•Three possible scenarios for U.S. withdrawal from Iraq. [ WSJ , ]
• Mehlmanwants ongoing drive for new voters. [ WT ]
• Ashcroftsays goodbye; everyone will missAshcroft, writesMilbank. [ WP , NYT ]
• Bush, Chiracto share "working dinner" in Brussels. [ WT ]
• Hutchinsonexits DHS. [ WT ]