Daily Briefing: The Red Line
• Cheneywas first to tellLibbyaboutPlame, but not necessarily by name; notes taken byLibbycontradict his own testimony.Cheney's information came fromTenet; it's unclear whetherCheneyorLibbyknew ofPlame's undercover status. [ NYT ]
•White House advisors use lessons learned byReaganandClintonto survive the "darkest days of theBushpresidency";Bushwill reiterate the necessity of staying on the offensive in Iraq and will urge fiscal discipline at home. [ WP ]
• Ben Bernanke, senior White House advisor and renowned economist, nominated to succeedGreenspan; noted as "the economic equivalent" ofJohn Roberts. [ WP , NYT , LAT , USAT ]
• Bernankehas "unassailable credentials and enough distance from the White House to blunt charges of cronyism or ideological motivations." [ WP , LAT ]
• Bushwill not release documents related toMiers' White House work.Bush: "It's a red line I'm not willing to cross." [ NYT , LAT , WT ]
•Coalition of conservative groups calls forMiersto withdraw in a "dramatic escalation in the battle over her nomination." [ WP , WSJ , WT ]
•Iraq approves draft constitution; American death toll reaches 1,999. [ WP , WP ]
• Frist"has also been deeply involved in legislation affecting his family's business" since arriving on Capitol Hill. [ NYT ]
•Parties ready talking points for possible indictments. [ WSJ , WT ]
•CIA leak scandal is rooted in disagreements over Iraq between administration officials and the "permanent bureaucracy of Washington";Brent SnowcroftandLawrence Wilkersonprovide details of administration's decision-making process. [ WP ]
•White House wants to exempt the CIA from ban on abuse of detainees;CheneyandGosstried to persuadeMcCain. [ WP , NYT ]
• Joseph Wilson"helped propel the unmasking of his wife's identity as a CIA operative into a sprawling, two-year legal probe that climaxes this week with the possible indictment of key White House officials." [ WP ]
•Congress urged to increase oversight of the FBI. [ NYT ]
• Chertoffwants to reform DHS: "This is a job where an actuary would say that the risk of being criticized and having unpleasantness is extremely high. I did not go into this for pats on the back." [ NYT ]
• Hutchisonchanges her tune on perjury; did not wantClintonto cause a "lessening of the standard." [ WP ]
•House Republicans want oil companies to put profits into increasing capacity and improving infrastructures. [ WT ]
• Paul Hackett, Iraq war veteran, will seek Democratic Senate nomination in Ohio. [ LAT ]
• Mike Johannsloves his Saturday chores. [ WP ]