Daily Briefing: It's Alito
• Bushwill nominate conservative appeals court JudgeSamuel Alitoto the Supreme Court; his resume is similar toJohn Roberts' and he has upheld restrictions on abortion. [ WP , AP , Reuters ]
•Filibuster fight may loom.Harry Reid: "If he wants to divert attention from all of his many problems, he can send us somebody that is going to create a lot of problems."Arlen Specter: "There could be a real tough battle here and a real tough fight, depending on whom the president puts up." [ WP , NYT , WSJ , LAT ]
•55% in Gallup Poll believe theBushpresidency is a failure;Bushstarts a busy week of his comeback strategy with Supreme Court nomination.Nicolle Wallace: "We'll be going around the [media] filter to communicate directly with the American people about the things they care about." [ USAT ]
• Reidcalls forRove's resignation and an apology fromBush;Rove, meanwhile, "remains in significant [legal] danger." [ WP , NYT , WT ]
• Bushpays tribute toRosa Parksat Capitol Hill ceremony.Condoleezza Ricein Montgomery: "I can honestly say that without Mrs. Parks, I probably would not be standing here today as secretary of state." [ NYT ]
• Scooter Libby"has no sense of entitlement, no sense that he's been victimized. Just an attitude of 'circumstances have to be dealt with,'" saysMary Matalin; friends plan on establishing legal fund as his defense expands. [ WP , NYT , WSJ ]
• Tim Russert's testimony helped indictLibby.Russert: "We hate being in the middle of what we're reporting on, but it is what it is." [ NYT , USAT ]
• Bushis losing influence overseas. [ WSJ ]
•Congressional showdown seen over fiscal restraint. [ NYT ]
• John Snowis ready and willing for far-reaching tax overhaul. [ WSJ ]
• Gerald Fordset precedent forCheneyto testify. [ WSJ ]
• Clintonadministration alumni sympathize with current White House scandal victims. [ NYT ]
• Ted Koppelon the American death toll in Iraq passing 2,000: "The whole mood of the country has changed." [ NYT ]
•Parties and candidates take in posthumous donations. [ WP ]
•The phrasing of another Washington scandal: "Government scandals allow ordinary people to use important-sounding language. They let us talk like insiders." [ WP ]