Daily Briefing: You're Pre-Approved
• Fristtakes onBushby endorsing bill to expand stem-cell research; his support is crucial butBushhas promised to veto such legislation.Frist: "I believe the president's policy should be modified." [ NYT ]
• Bushlikely to sign energy bill today. [ WP , WSJ , LAT , USAT ]
•Democrats issue request for specific files related toRoberts. [ NYT , LAT ]
•Attorney-client privilege may not protectRoberts. [ LAT ]
•Electronic error means the House approved of Cafta by only one vote, lawmaker insists. [ NYT , LAT , WSJ ]
•Pool reporter on the scene ofBush's finger incident: "I think the video is inconclusive but leaning toward thumb. It's just hard to imagine." [ WP ]
• Boltondid not come clean to senators during confirmation hearing. [ NYT ]
• Negroponte's deputy says intel community has learned from mistakes about Iraq. [ NYT , USAT ]
•July turned out "pretty good" forBush. [ NYT ]
•Approval of two major bills gives lawmakers a sense of accomplishment. [ NYT ]
•Republicans cautious about troop withdrawal, though many privately welcome the news. [ WSJ ]
•Liberals worried aboutRoberts' conservative past. [ WP ]
•Legislation that protects gunmakers from civil suits is likely to pass. [ WP , WSJ ]
• Bush's nominee for deputy attorney general has links toAbramoff. [ LAT ]
• Hastertwants ethics panel to pre-approve lawmakers' privately funded trips. [ LAT ]
•Federalist Society has "become a source of legal talent for Republican administrations" and is "credited with popularizing methods of legal analysis now widely advocated by many conservatives." [ WP ]
• McCainreestablishes his PAC. [ WP ]