Daily Briefing: A Sour Time
Bush, seeking a "rational middle ground" on immigration to rescue his second term, announces the deployment of 6,000 National Guard troops to the southern border;Karl Roveindicates thatBushsupports the Senate's immigration plan.Bush: "We do not yet have full control of the border, and I am determined to change that." [ WP , NYT , USAT , WSJ ]
Immigration issue could go from "opportunity to expand the Republican Party" to a "historic liability";Bushsought to "define the middle ground in a debate where consensus has been difficult." 74% of Americans, in poll conducted before the presidential address, supported the use of Guard troops on the border. [ WP ]
BellSouth denies "any link" with the NSA for the logging of phone calls; USA Today stands by its story. [ USAT , NYT , WSJ ]
Pentagon releases the full list of those detained at Guantanamo Bay after the Associated Press files a FOIA request. [ AP ]
Roveis optimistic for the GOP's chances in November: "Look, we're in a sour time. I readily admit it. I mean, being in the middle of a war where people turn on their television sets and see brave men and women dying is not something that makes people happy and optimistic and upbeat. But I'm absolutely confident [that] we're going to be just fine in the fall elections." [ WP ]
Emergency spending bill has yet to be slimmed toBush's specifications. [ WP ]
Bushmaintains that the border will not be militarized: "The Border Patrol will remain in the lead." [ WP ]
Bush's speech "reflected the more subtle approach of a man shaped by Texas border-state politics and longtime personal views." [ NYT ]
Tom Shalesreacts: "The speech itself was like an anticlimax, a mere technicality positioned amid the clatter and clamor that preceded and followed it -- and will continue to follow it perhaps for the entire week." [ WP ]
TheBushesreport assets totaling between $7.2M and $20.9M; theCheneysreport assets up to $94.6M. [ NYT ]
House resists request from the Justice Department for committee documents related to former Rep.Randy Cunningham. [ NYT ]
Rep.William Jefferson(D-La.), under investigation for bribery, says he will not resign. [ USAT ]
Recent rumors about the possible indictment ofRoveillustrate how bloggers have "changed both the dynamics of the reporting process and how political rumors swirl." [ WSJ ]