Daily Briefing: 'An Astute Mind and a Kind Heart'
• John Robertsconfirmed 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 Milleris released from jail after she agrees to testify in leak investigation; she received a waiver of confidentiality fromI. 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 ofDeLaynews; "there is no guarantee that his colleagues will want him back." [ NYT , WP , WP ]
• DeLayproclaims innocence on media blitz; GOP fundraising expected to take a hit. [ NYT , NYT , LAT ]
•71% approve ofBush's response to Hurricane Rita, Gallup poll finds. [ USAT ]
•Republicans move forward withRoberts, backward withDeLay, writesBrownstein.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 ]
• DeLaycase centers on movement of $190,000. [ WP ]
•Democrats and liberal groups sift throughRoy 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 ]
• Hughessurprised by perception of the United States in the Middle East. [ WP , NYT ]
•The first session of the "RobertsCourt" 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 ]
• Schwarzeneggervetoes gay marriage bill. [ WP ]
• William Bennettcriticized 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 ]