Daily Briefing: 'Rudderless White House'
•Administration officials contemplate a presidency withoutKarl Rove; effort is underway to isolateBushfrom "further damage" and design contingency plans.Andrew Card, said one GOP strategist, "looks totally burned out." White House is now coping with consequences of a "lost year." [ WP , USAT ]
• Fitzgeraldis reportedly investigating whetherRoveand"Scooter" Libby"sought to conceal their actions and mislead prosecutors" and/or leaked "garden-variety classified information"; both "have been advised that they may be in serious legal jeopardy." [ NYT , WSJ , USAT ]
•Aide says former FEMA DirectorMichael Brownignored eyewitness accounts from New Orleans as levee broke. [ WP , NYT , USAT ]
•White House was blind-sided by reaction toMiers, say observers. Professor: "You're seeing evidence of a profoundly disorganized and demoralized White House. If you are looking for evidence of a rudderless White House, the slipshod manner in which Harriet Miers' papers were prepared is really Exhibit A." [ WP , LAT ]
• Miershas been practicing with mock confirmation hearings; tour of Capitol Hill is over. [ NYT , WT ]
• DeLayis booked by police, then released on $10,000 bond; says flack, "I just may use that photographer for my family Christmas photo." House Republicans seek to "heal leadership divide." [ WP , NYT , WSJ ]
•House approves protection for gun manufacturers and dealers from liability lawsuits;Bushexpected to sign bill. [ WP , NYT , LAT ]
•After bickering, $453m for two Alaska bridges is approved;Stevens(R-Alaska) threatened to resign. [ WP , NYT , WT ]
•9/11 panel members attack institutional culture of the FBI for not advancing needed reform. [ NYT ]
• Pelosiseeks investigation into Rep.Bob Ney's (R-Ohio) dealings with a wireless company linked toJack Abramoff. [ NYT ]
•Senate Commerce Committee approves legislation to roll out digital television by 2009. [ NYT ]
• Gregg(R-NH) wins $853,492 in Powerball lottery. [ NYT ]
•U.S. attorney in Alexandria suspected to be first choice for second-ranking Justice Department position. [ NYT ]
• Powell's former chief of staff,Lawrence Wilkerson, says administration's foreign policy is run by "Cheney-Rumsfeldcabal." [ NYT , LAT ]