Daily Briefing: I Know His Heart
• Bushstands byRumsfeld, criticizes Iraqi troops, and blames car bombings in Iraq for dashing hopes: "No one can predict every turn in the months ahead, and I certainly don't expect the process to be trouble-free, yet I am confident of the result." [ WP , NYT , WSJ , USAT , BG ]
• BushonRumsfeld: "Beneath that rough and gruff, no-nonsense demeanor is a good human being who cares deeply about the military and deeply about the grief that war causes."Rumsfeldissues defense in USAT . [ NYT , WT ]
•Majorities in two polls believeRumsfeldshould go and war was a mistake; 70% say casualties are "unacceptable";Bushdisapproval rating at 49%. [ WP , USAT ]
• Brownback, Coburnnamed to Judiciary Committee. [ WP , WT ]
•9/11 Commission members urge restructuring of Congress for better oversight of intelligence.Cox: "If Congress insists on treating them forever as separate entities answerable to separate Congressional committees under separate authorizing legislation, they will be forever segregated." [ NYT ]
•FBI memos detail abuses in Iraq.Muellerwas warned lit cigarettes were placed in detainees' ears in June 24th "Urgent Report." [ NYT ]
• Bushturns hawkish on deficits: "It's going to be a tough budget, no question about it, and it's a budget that I think will send the right signal to the financial markets and those concerned about our short-term deficits." [ WSJ ]
• Bushmastered the dodge at yesterday's presser. [ WP ]
• Bushintends to stay friendly withPutin. [ WP , USAT ]
•U.S. aid to Ukraine considered bankroll of government's opponents. [ NYT ]
•New intelligence chief faces deep bureaucratic challenges;Hamilton, Franks, Goss, Loymentioned;Loyresigns from DHS. [ WSJ , USAT ]
•Wall Street quietly lobbies for private Social Security accounts. AFL-CIO director: "Our sense is there is a lot of activity behind the curtain. There is a dangerous confluence between the industry and the ideologues of the right. These groups can't do it by themselves - they need the covert and overt support of the financial services industry." [ NYT , USAT ]
•GAO assails federal book-keeping. [ WP ]
•FAA to hire 12,000 new air-traffic controllers over next decade. [ WSJ ]
[ AFP/Pool/File ]