• Success of President's Dinner fundraiser seen as an indicator of Bush's influential role in '06 campaigns; Bush says Democrats "stand for nothing but obstruction." [WP, NYT, LAT, WT]

•Frist wants to bring vote on Bolton this week. Durbin responds: "Instead of calling the vote, Senator Frist ought to call the White House." [NYT, WP, WT]

• Administration "increasing doubts" North Korea is serious about setting aside its nuclear weapons program; Lugar, Biden criticize administration's policy on North Korea as ineffective. [NYT, NYT]

• Administration is rethinking future of Gitmo, despite public comments of support. [LAT]

•Stevens (R-Alaska) found to have reaped $822,000 from shady real estate deal with special interest developer. [LAT]

• Conservative Christians reach out to other groups, including ACLU and CBC, in bid to widen agenda. [USAT]

• Exxon hires former White House official who reworked environmental reports. [NYT, WSJ]

•Bush enjoys meeting dissidents. Gerson: "He likes to talk to people who have experienced these things firsthand, but there clearly is a signal here and a symbol that human rights is central to our approach, that there is a kind of moral concern." [WP]

• Emissions issue likely to stall energy bill. [NYT]

• Senators from both sides defend their outsourcing of travel expenses to private groups. [WP]

•Clintons report having over $10m in assets and over $3m in income, minus royalties from "My Life." [NYT]

•Edwards is back in Iowa with "undiminished ambition"; his central issue is poverty. [WP]

•Al Franken hasn't decided to enter Minnesota's Senate race. [NYT]