Daily Briefing: One of the Biggest Political Hacks of All Time
• Frist now sees glass half-full: "We need to do [Social Security] this year -- not next year, but this year." Rove, meanwhile, says Bush is "winning the debate." [WP, NYT, WT]
• Senate Republicans agree to support $82b war appropriations --including controversial construction of world's largest embassy in Baghdad-- following presentation by Rice. [WP, WSJ, NYT, WT]
• White House targets Democratic demographics, particularly Latinos, in push for Social Security overhaul; Spanish-language op-ed by Gutierrez. [LAT]
• Bush utters Osama's name during Chertoff's swearing-in: "We're keeping the pressure on him, keeping him in hiding." [WP, WT]
• Reid calls Greenspan "one of the biggest political hacks we have here in Washington." [WP]
• Bush tells CIA their role will not be diminished by DNI. [NYT, LAT, WT]
• Bush may yet join Europe for strategy over Iran. [NYT]
• House approves measure for emergency elections in effect of catastrophe. [NYT]
• Blair government bypasses Bush administration on global warming by targeting Texas energy companies: "We have to convince them it's in their own interest to do this. We can't expect them to do this for the greater good of mankind." [WSJ]
• MoveOn.org announces ad contest to attack overhaul of Social Security. [WP]
• Administration prepared to implement regulations that mirror Clear Skies bill if legislation stalls. [LAT]
• Bush-Cheney media advisor R. Gregory Stevens found dead in home of Carrie Fisher. [WT]