• Congressional Republicans stand in way of Bush's big plans; Graham says malpractice bill is "one of the worst." Pence: "This White House will have a more difficult time convincing conservative members to vote for more government." [WP, USAT, USAT, USAT]
•Lugar, Hagel, Warner voice support of Rumsfeld. Levin: "If I thought a change at the top of the Pentagon would change the policy of this administration, I'd be all for it." [NYT, WT]
•Card: "Many of the questions that have been raised in the media were well understood by the White House when they considered Bernie Kerik." [USAT]
• White House reduces job projections for 2005 by 1.5m and lowers six-year forecast. [WSJ]
• Malpractice likely to be first campaign issue to hit Senate. Frist: "I am convinced that over this Congress, we will have a meaningful federal solution." [NYT]
•McCain's recent feistiness renews suspicion of presidential ambitions; PAC to be reestablished. [WP]
•Bush makes appointments who embody American dream because he identifies with them, it is anti-establishment, and illustrates core values of ownership, opportunity, and individualism. [NYT]
•Card defends FDA: "I've got great confidence in the FDA." [WP, USAT]
• Administration to crack down on Medicaid spending; accountability on states aimed to cut waste. [NYT]
• New Medicare drug benefits will cost $6-8t over 75 years. [WSJ]
•Kristol denies White House encouraged him to dis Rumsfeld. [WP]
•Beinart blames "party's liberal base": the challenge "is to transform the party at its grass roots so that a different kind of presidential candidate can emerge." [WT]
• Anti-porn activists disappointed by Ashcroft. Ashcroft: "Most Americans do not want their homes besieged by an avalanche of obscenity and they support overwhelmingly vigorous enforcement of federal laws against Internet obscenity." [WT]
• Congress to regulate Fannie and Freddie Mae. [WP, WP]
• Administration torn over keeping chairman of SEC. Scholar: "The White House cannot be happy with what's going on there." [WSJ]
