Daily Briefing: Venting Ahead
•White House shuffles list of possible successors toSandra Day O'Connor; intention is to find nominee who will survive confirmation fight.Specter: "I think that there's been a lot frustration on this one, and it's been commented upon very broadly and I think that frustration may well be vented on the next nominee." [ NYT ]
•Administration's former lead federal procurement official arrested for allegedly lying and obstructing the investigation ofJack Abramoff. [ WP , NYT ]
•Administration's nominee to head the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency is faulted for having nominal experience. [ WP ]
•Domestic Security AdvisorFrances Townsendwill oversee the White House inquiry of the administration's response to Katrina. [ NYT ]
•Al Qaeda takes credit for London bombings.Zawahri: "The blessed London attack was one which al Qaeda was honored to launch against the British Crusader's arrogance and against the American Crusader aggression on the Islamic nation for 100 years." [ WP ]
•Approval ofBushremains at 40% in USAT/Gallup poll; a record 66% of independents disapprove. [ USAT ]
•Response to Katrina strains trust between GOP and black clergy. Pastor: "The strategic question is whether or not the White House senior staff are smart enough to seize this historic and strategic opportunity. If they fail to practice the compassionate conservatism that they have preached, history may not be kind to them." [ LAT ]
• Bushproposes school vouchers for students relocated by Katrina. [ WP ]
• Kerry, Edwardsjoin chorus in criticizing the administration's response to Katrina. [ WP , LAT ]
•Republicans give up on join House-Senate investigation of Katrina response. [ LAT ]
•FEC sues the Club for Growth to limit political contributions. [ NYT ]
• Bushprefers free-market approach to fisheries. [ WP ]