• Oil tops $70 a barrel as Hurricane Katrina hits the Gulf. Analyst: “The amount of lost production is equal to almost all the spare capacity in the world.” [Bloomberg]
• Administration officials admit disappointment with Iraq; focus shifts to providing life support for the political process. Bush: “As democracy in Iraq takes root, the enemies of freedom, the terrorists will become more desperate, more despicable and more vicious.” [NYT, WT]
• Al Sharpton lands in Crawford, calls Cindy Sheehan “the conscience” of the country; Martin Sheen also makes an appearance. [WP, USAT]
• States are stepping-up restrictions on abortions, with South Dakota leading the way. [WP]
• Scuffle over military-base closings is likely to continue even if Bush and Congress approve the commission’s recommendations. [WSJ]
• With $1.6m in the stock market, Roberts will have plenty of finanical conflicts. [USAT, USAT]
• Documents show Roberts was anal about grammar and spelling: a “cheerfully ruthless copy editor over the years.” [NYT]
• John Warner plans to question Rumsfeld at a Congressional hearing about the war: “Our nation has given so much to the Iraqi people, and what are they giving us in return?” [NYT]
• Mothers and wives add dimension to the debate over war in Iraq. [NYT]
• Stability in the Middle East is dependent on locals, officials and experts concede. [WP]
• Conservative groups and business interests begin major lobbying effort to permanently repeal estate taxes. [USAT]
• Economic indicators from the Census Bureau are questioned. [WP]
• 66 journalists have died covering the war in Iraq, surpassing the number killed during two decades of warfare in Vietnam. [CNN]
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