Daily Briefing: Castaway
• Bush's "political authority appears to be ebbing"; Social Security plan could cause a "fiery wreck." Historian: "The Democrats don't fear him anymore, and they're getting greedy, because they think they can beat him. The attitude you see among Republicans in Congress is, my lifeboat first." [ NYT ]
• Bushunder pressure from all sides to act on global warming; Senate Energy ChairmanPete Domenici (R-NM)steps out front in debate. [ WSJ ]
• Clintonsays close Gitmo or reform it: "I still don't think you can just hold these people forever. I think sooner or later you've got to move or let them go, you can't say, 'we know' because its all secret. It is just inimical to a free society." [ FT , FT ]
•Advocacy groups and politicians gear up for Supreme Court vacancy.Reid's flack: "We're discussing a 24-hour plan and a 72-hour plan because there is a recognition we need to move quickly right out of the box." [ NYT , LAT ]
• Durbinurged to apologize for Nazi comparison. [ LAT ]
• Bidenwill seek '08 nomination if he has a chance. [ WP ]
• Stevensquiet on details and expenses of recent trip to the Paris Air Show. [ WT ]
•Senators move to define detainees. [ WT ]
•State Department post-Boltonhas been more willing to find common ground. Former official: "[E]ven when there was obvious interest by the president in moving things forward,Boltonoften found ways of stopping things by tying the interagency process in knots." [ WP ]