Daily Briefing: 'From Incomplete to Insulting'
• Rovetold the grand jury that he may have learned ofValerie Plamefrom"Scooter" Libby; their conversation "was confined to information the two men heard from reporters." [ WP ]
• LeahyandSpectercomplainMiers' answers on questionnaire are insufficient; they seek elaboration.Leahy: "[T]he comments I've heard ranged from incomplete to insulting. Certainly it was inadequate and did not give us enough to prepare for a hearing. We will need to have more." [ WP , LAT , NYT , WT , USAT ]
• Libby"appears to be deeply enmeshed in the leak investigation." [ WSJ ]
• Ricefields criticism about Iraq war from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; she refuses to offer a timeframe for troop withdrawal.Lugar(R-Ind.): "Permanent instability or civil war in Iraq could set back American interests in the Middle East for a generation -- increasing anti-Americanism, multiplying the threats from tyrants and terrorists and reducing our credibility." [ WP , NYT ]
• Chertoffadmits to House panel that FEMA was "overwhelmed" by Katrina and pledges to "re-engineer" emergency preparedness. [ WP , NYT , USAT ]
• Judith Millertestifies in favor of national shield law for reporters and sources;Spectervisited her in prison and recalled she could not explain why she was there. [ NYT ]
•Senate Energy and Commerce Committee approve opening of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; Senate vote expected within two weeks. [ NYT ]
•House Republicans delay vote on increased budget reductions to garner support. [ WP , NYT , WT ]
• DeLaypitches his case to 150 representatives from conservative interest groups in an effort to solidify support.DeLay: "So, what kind of month have you had?" [ WT ]
• Bush"overestimated his postelection capital and underestimated his opposition" on Social Security; Democrats "were even more vehemently opposed to any privatization than the White House imagined" and Republicans "faced deep divisions of its own." [ WSJ ]
•Supporters and foes of "faith-based initiatives" get boost from recent developments. [ WP ]