Daily Briefing: "Cause for Alarm" Edition
• Bushmaintains optimism about Social Security overhaul;Cheneyand administration officials to host 60 events in 60 days.Snow: The "scope and scale goes way beyond anything we have done." [ WP , NYT , WSJ , WT , USAT ]
•Respondents more supportive of Iraq, but increasingly skeptical of broaderBushagenda, according to NYT/CBS poll. Support of private accounts split; 42% would have dealt with North Korea before Iraq; 63% thinkBush's priorities differ from "most Americans." [ NYT ]
• Greenspanwarns inaction on Social Security could lead to "stagnation"; calls deficits "unsustainable." [ WP , NYT ]
• Gossoverwhelmed at CIA: "The jobs I'm being asked to do, the five hats that I wear, are too much for this mortal. I'm a little amazed at the workload." [ WP ]
• Chertoffpromises to reduce wasteful spending: "Our philosophy, our decision-making, our operational activities and our spending must be grounded in risk management." [ NYT ]
• Byrdunder fire for this comment: "We, unlike Nazi Germany or Mussolini's Italy, have never stopped being a nation of laws, not of men. But witness how men with motives and a majority can manipulate law to cruel and unjust ends." [ NYT ]
• Santorumis the lone carrier ofBush's dropped plan to offer tax breaks for charitable giving. [ WP ]
•Supreme Court seen to deliver split decision on display of Ten Commandments. [ LAT , WT , USAT ]
• Brazilesays Republican inroads into black community "should be cause for alarm" among Democrats. [ WT ]
•Republican senators reject Democrats' amendments to bankruptcy bill, expected to pass next week. [ LAT ]
•House approves bill enabling faith-based groups receiving federal funds to make hiring decisions based on candidate's faith. [ LAT ]
•Thrift Savings Plan isn't accurate model ofBush's Social Security idea. [ WP ]
• Armstrong Williamsto co-host New York radio show. [ NYT ]
• Asa Hutchinson, formerly of DHS, joins firm that represents domestic security contractors. [ NYT ]
• Frank Rich: "We've now entered a new twilight zone: in 1972, at least, the press may have been stacked with jokers but not with counterfeit newsmen. Today you can't tell the phonies without a scorecard." [ NYT ]