Daily Briefing: Bush Eats French Fries In Bed With Ruskies
• Bushtells Europeans "no power on earth will ever divide us"; urges EU to support democratic reform in Russia: "We must always remind Russia, however, that our alliance stands for a free press, a vital opposition, the sharing of power, and the rule of law."Chiracspeaks of "common values and common vision." [ WP , NYT , WSJ , USAT ]
• Rehnquistexpected to resign by June. [ NYT ]
•Conservatives consider possibility of tax increases.Gingrich: "At the end of the [Social Security] fight, there will be a tax increase on the core Republican base." (!!!) [ WSJ ]
•NATO announces increased involvement in Iraqi affairs: "All 26 allies are working together to respond to the Iraqi government's request for support by training Iraqi security forces, providing equipment and helping to fund NATO's efforts." [ AP ]
• Bush, dining withChirac, welcomes return ofFrenchfries; French headline reads, "The mission: a night kiss forChiracbefore bedtime." [ NYT , USAT ]
•Budget cuts guided by three pillars: "'Does the program meet the nation's priorities'? Is it an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars? And does it 'produce the intended results?'" Budget includes 50% cut in housing budget for people with disabilities. [ WP , NYT ]
•Lawmakers find constituents skeptical of ideas for Social Security. [ WP , NYT ]
• Hillary's negative ratings among New York residents down to 2 in 10; approval rating at 69%. [ NYT ]
•Idea of private accounts credited to "persistence of conservative operatives, the explosive growth of the stock market in the 1990s and the eventual adoption of the idea by big business." [ WP ]
•Some Republicans rethink restrictions on emissions. [ WSJ ]