Daily Briefing: Rove on the Record
• Bush, Fristnow want a deal to bringBoltonto a vote.Rove: "The Democrats continually are changing the goal posts. It is clear their object is to obstruct." [ WP , NYT , LAT , WT , USAT ]
•Congressional Democrats increasingly critical ofBush's handling of Iraq.Feinstein: "There is rising concern that everything seems to be going the wrong way."Rove: "[The insurgents] have misjudged the American people, though. And they have certainly misjudged this president." [ WP ]
•Email released byAbramoffshows ethics lawyer approved his support ofDeLay; lobbyists can't pay, but lobbying groups can. Aspen Institute is top sponsor of congressional travel. [ WP , USAT , USAT , NYT ]
• Bushgreen-lights Republicans in Congress to propose reforms for Social Security that do not include personal accounts. Cato analyst: "Shuffling the deck and getting some new ideas on the table offer a chance to open this debate up again." [ LAT , WSJ , NYT ]
•Senators believe the elimination of the estate tax for most tax brackets can pass this summer. [ WSJ ]
• Durbinexpresses "heartfelt apologies" after Nazi comparison. [ WP , WT ]
•Democrats, some Republicans irked by Halliburton's disputed billing. [ NYT ]
•Senate passes amendment to voluntarily reduce emissions. [ NYT ]
• Bushwill visit Vietnam next year in show of support. [ WP , USAT ]
•Democrats sticking to all-for-one mentality.Brazile: "I think the party will be much better positioned for the 2006 election than 2002." [ LAT ]
• Rice, in the Middle East: "We need to continue to draw attention to the fact that we do think that a democracy is not a democracy if women are not fully included in it." [ WP ]
• Durbin, Deanheadlined fundraiser last night. [ WT ]
•Republicans in the West break withBushover drilling. [ NYT ]