Daily Briefing: 'Manna from Heaven'
•Lawyers at the Justice Department warned that Rep.Tom Delay's (R-Texas) redistricting plan was illegal under the Voting Rights Act but senior officials vetoed their findings. [ WP ]
•Senate Armed Services Committee seeks answers about Pentagon's propaganda campaign in Iraqi media.Scott McClellan: "We're very concerned about the reports. We have asked the Department of Defense for more information." [ NYT ]
•Revelations aboutSamuel Alito's views on abortion "are stiffening Democratic resistance and complicating the nomination for moderates in both parties." Sen.Charles Schumer(D-N.Y.): "Certainly the chance of a filibuster is greater today than it was the dayAlitowas nominated." [ WP , NYT ]
•Conversation in 2004 withTime'sViveca Novakis said to have motivatedRoveto change his testimony in the leak investigation. [ NYT ]
•Prosecutors are investigating whetherJack Abramoff"brokered lucrative jobs for Congressional aides at powerful lobbying firms in exchange for legislative favors." [ NYT ]
•Rep.Nancy Pelosi(D-Calif) breaks from most in her party with support of Rep.John Murtha's (D-Pa.) plan for withdrawal. Strategist: "IfKarl Rovewas writing the timing of this, he wouldn't have written it any differently, with the president of the United States expressing resolve and the Democratic leader offering surrender. For Republicans, this is manna from heaven." [ WP , WT ]
• Bushmarks World AIDS Day: "I believe America has a unique ability, and a special calling, to fight this disease."Deansays the administration has "stood in the way of important global efforts to curb this disease." [ WP ]
•Republican governors ready for challenging '06 campaigns. [ LAT ]
• Ken Mehlmanurges opposition to anti-immigrant policies: "Throughout our history, there have always been Americans who believed that coming to these shores was a right reserved only for them and their ancestors, but not for others. . . that was wrong then and those who argue that now are wrong today." [ WP ]
• Bush, honoringRosa Parks, supports extension of the Voting Rights Act. [ AP ]
• Murthadescribes the Army as "broken, worn out" and "living hand to mouth." [ WT ]
•Committees that former Rep.Randy Cunninghamwas a member of start investigations into his conduct. [ USAT ]
•White House works for bipartisan support of trade deals. [ WSJ ]
•The NSA "deliberately skewed" evidence to claim that North Vietnamese ships had attacked American destroyers on Aug. 4, 1964. [ NYT ]
•White House officials have received $2.3m worth of free travel over the past six years, study finds. "These trips are often indirect conduits to influence policy," says director of watchdog group. [ NYT ]
•Federal judge sides with the FBI, noting that running a fake candidate on election day was necessary to combat corruption. [ WP ]
• Bushwas summoned for Texas jury duty.McClellan: "The president has other commitments." [ NYT ]