Daily Briefing: Refresher Courses for White House Staff
• KaineandCorzinewin gubernatorial races in Virginia and NJ; Texas approves ban gay marriage. [ WP , WP , NYT , USAT ]
• FristandHastertseek investigation into the disclosure of CIA's "black sites" to the Washington Post.McClellan: "The leaking of classified information is a serious matter and ought to be taken seriously." [ WP , NYT , WT ]
• Alito"has signaled he would be highly reluctant to overturn long-standing precedents" such as Rove v. Wade.Sen. Susan Collins(R-Maine): "At this point, I see no basis for invoking 'extraordinary circumstances' and for anyone to mount a filibuster." [ WP , NYT , LAT ]
• Schwarzenegger's initiatives are rejected; his "celebrity may not be the tonic it once was." [ LAT , LAT , USAT ]
•Election came at a sensitive time for both parties, especially the GOP. [ NYT , WSJ , LAT , USAT ]
•House to decide fate of ANWR; Senate approves drilling by vote of 51 to 48. [ WP ]
• Grassley(R-Iowa) proposes $70b in tax cuts. [ NYT , WSJ ]
• Bushhas White House staffers take mandatory refresher courses on ethics and the handling of classified information. [ WT ]
•As professor,Alitoprodded his students and kept his opinions to himself. [ WP ]
• Robertshas found his place after "dizzying" transition. [ NYT ]
• Negroponteannounces creation of a center for the analysis of unclassified information. [ NYT ]
• Chalabiexpected to meet withCheney. [ NYT ]
•"The Sissy Six" --Rockefeller(W.Va),Levin(Mich.),Feinstein(Calif.),BondandLott(Miss.), andRoberts(Kan.)-- must muscle-up,Milbankwrites. [ WP ]
•Ads aboutAlitowill hit the airwaves in January. [ USAT ]
• Libbystarts defense fund. [ NYT ]