Daily Briefing: Pre-Spin Cycle
•Documents showFristwas aware of his investment in HCA Inc.; his statements about "blind" trust are questioned. [ WP , USAT ]
•Republicans preview response to possible indictments.Hutchison(R-Texas) hopes "that it is an indictment on a crime and not some perjury technicality where they couldn't indict on the crime and so they go to something just to show that their two years of investigation was not a waste of time and taxpayer dollars." [ NYT ]
•Leak investigation "likely to accelerate second-term turnover in theBushadministration"; White House officials said to have "grim determination to conduct business as usual, even though it's clearly not possible."Bushreportedly frustrated and angry. [ WSJ , NYT , NYDN ]
•Criticism ofMierslacks modern precedent; senators demand release ofMiers' White House files.Brownback(R-Kan.): "If we're to give advice and consent, we've got to have a full picture." [ NYT , LAT , WT , USAT ]
•Senate Judiciary Committee may callJames Dobsonto testify aboutMiers.Specter: "I don't think the nomination is in trouble." [ WP ]
• Allen(R-Va.) expectsRove, Libbywill resign if indicted. [ WP ]
• Fitzgeraldseen as "a special counsel with no discernible political bent who prepared the ground with painstaking sleuthing and cold-eyed lawyering." [ WP ]
• Abramoffsought White House connections for his business interests throughRalph Reed. [ WT ]
•Republicans unable to reach consensus on post-Katrina budget cuts. [ LAT ]
•FBI has repeatedly ignored oversight rules. [ WP ]
• Deanintends to run candidates on national platform in '06. [ WT ]
• Bonoaims to increase the political clout of The Campaign to Make Poverty History and other organizations with similar intentions. [ LAT ]
• Ricegets personal on trip south. [ NYT ]