Daily Briefing: We Try Harder?
Sen.Specter(R-Pa.) proposes to giveBushthe choice of getting a warrant from a special court for surveillance programs; proposal would specifically not limit presidential powers.Specter: "I think he [Cheney] is serious about trying to work something out. For the first time, he said they are willing to consider legislation." [ WP ]
Cheneysays his communications with Sen.Specter"are not unusual."Specter: "He does not face head on; he does not deal with his not having taken it up with the chairman. This isn't me personally; this is institutional. This is not the way government works, to deal with a committee without going through the chairman." [ WP , NYT ]
Rep.DeLay(R-Tex.) gives "defiant retirement speech": "I did a good job... Given the chance to do it all again, there's only one thing I'd change. I'd fight even harder." [ WP , NYT , LAT ]
Death ofAbu Musab al-Zarqawiwill provide little reprieve for Republians feeling political heat. Official: "We don't want another 'Mission Accomplished' moment." [ WSJ ]
Troop levels in Iraq will not be down to 100,000 by the end of this year. [ NYT ]
Senate is three votes shy of repealing the estate tax. Sen.Lott(R-Miss.): "The conservative base will appreciate the fact that we are trying." [ NYT , LAT , WSJ , USAT ]
House and Senate negotiators agree on $94.5B for Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Gulf Coast;Bushgets his way on hurricane relief. [ WP ]
Congressional Black Caucus opposes leadership move to get Rep.William Jefferson(D-La.) off of the Ways and Means Committee. [ LAT ]
Police suspect computer containing Veterans Affairs data was stolen for parts, not names. [ WP , NYT ]
Rep.DeLay's former chief of staff was a top recipient of privately funded travel; cost of trips totaled $85,000. [ WP ]
Congress is aging; the average age in the Senate is 60.4 years. [ USAT ]