Daily Briefing: Sit Down and Talk
• Bushwarns critics of Social Security plan: "I believe there will be bad political consequences for people who are unwilling to sit down and talk about the issue."McCainchimes: "The longer we wait, the more draconian the changes will have to be." [ WP , NYT , LAT , USAT ]
• Cheneysays nominations ofBolton, Wolfowitzshow administration's commitment to reforming the system: "If we are going to be successful long-term in the war on terror and in the broader objective of promoting freedom and democracy in that part of the world, we have to get the public diplomacy piece of it right. Up until now, that has been a very weak part of our arsenal. [ WP ]
• Schiavolegislation shows rift between "social conservatives" and "process conservatives."Warner: "In the ranks of the Republican Party, there is not a unanimous view that Congress should be taking this step."Shays: "My party is demonstrating that they are for states' rights unless they don't like what states are doing." [ NYT ]
• Schiavocase sits in contrast to looming Medicaid cuts.DeLayflack responds: "The fact that they're tying a life issue to the budget process shows just how disconnected Democrats are to reality." [ WP ]
•Liberal civil-rights advocates and conservative libertarians join to voice opposition to Patriot Act. [ NYT , WP ]
• Schiavocase adds fuel to fire of conservatives' anger with judgeships. [ NYT ]
• Frist, Weldon, Gingrey, doctor-lawmakers, in unique position forSchiavocase. [ NYT ]
•Canada and U.S. are only close geographically;Prime Minister MartinandVicente Foxto visit Crawford today. [ NYT , USAT ]
•Most Americans know little about investing. [ USAT ]
•Republican media adviserR. Gregory Stevensdied from overdose of cocaine and OxyContin. [ WT ]