Daily Briefing: Wet Weekend
• Bushpacks for Texas as Hurricane Rita approaches. [ NYT ]
•Senate Judiciary Committee approvesRobertsby vote of 13 to 5. [ WP , NYT , WSJ , LAT , WT , USAT ]
•Defying White House calls to control spending, the Senate passes $100b bill for farm and rural development and approves $82.9b military bill. [ WSJ ]
•Department of Homeland Security is playing hands-on role in preparations for Hurricane Rita. [ WSJ ]
• Bushsays pulling out of Iraq "would allow the terrorists to claim an historic victory over the United States" and "make that country a source of terror and instability. . . for decades." [ USAT ]
• Jack Abramoffbragged about his close relationship withKarl Rove, says Tyco executive. [ WP ]
• Biden, Hatchcaptured the confirmation hearings on their camera phones. [ WP ]
•Minority business owners in the Gulf Coast complain that no-bid contracts block them from Katrina-related contracts. [ WSJ ]
•Over 100,000 are expected at anti-war rally on Saturday;Sheehanset to speak. [ USAT ]
• Gossstill faces uphill challenge at reforming the CIA. [ NYT ]
•SEC is interested inFrist's stock sale. [ NYT ]
•43 countries have promised aid totaling $800m for Katrina relief. [ WT ]