Political Posturing: Como Se Dice "Geneva Conventions"?
• Gonzales, longtime associate ofBush, likely to be confirmed as first Hispanic attorney general;Bushchose loyalty over ideology;Gonzalesdescribed Geneva Convention treatment protocols as "obsolete" in war on terror.Leahyhopes Senate and public can use hearings to press administration on "its use of the Patriot Act, the lack of cooperation with Congress on oversight, and the policies that have been rejected by the courts on the treatment of detainees." [ WP , WP , NYT , NYT , WSJ , LAT , BG ]
• BushseesArafat's death as opportunity to create moderate leadership in Palestine that could herald new era of peace: "The vision is two states, a Palestinian state and Israel, living side by side in peace. I think we've got a chance to do that, and I look forward to being involved in that process." [ WP ]
•Evangelical Christians set priorites: limits on abortion; ban on gay marriage; and appointments of conservative judges. Response toSpecterseen as indicator ofBush's conservatism. [ WSJ ]
•Republican attacks onSpecterviewed as revenge for defeat ofBork. Republican consultant: "I would be shocked if conservatives don't extract a pound of flesh fromSenator Specter." [ NYT ]
•GOP advisor callsBush's faith-based election strategy divisive: "From now on, anyone who belongs to the Republican Party will automatically find himself in the same group as the opponents of abortion, and anyone who supports abortion will automatically be labeled a Democrat." [ NYT ]
•DNC flack steps on fire of conspiracy theory thatKerryactually won. [ WP ]
• Bushasked to intervene on intelligence reform to break deadlock. [ WP ]
• Frank Rich: Democrats "should wake up and smell the Chardonnay" because blue has upper hand on moral values.Rich: "If the Republican party's next round of leaders are all cool with blue culture, why should Democrats run after the red?" [ NYT ]
•New organization called Third Way directed at fostering moderate Democratic messages.Bayh: "The answer to the ideological extremes of the right has to be more than rigid dogma from the left." [ WP ]
• Falwellestablishes new coalition to expand "values voters." [ WT ]
• Bushreceived largest number of votes ever but the fifth smallest margin of victory by percent since 1920. [ WP ]
• Tenetgrosses $500,000-plus on off-the-record speaking tour; multi-million dollar advance expected for book. [ NYT ]