Daily Briefing: Shame and Sorry
*Libbyreveals thatBush, Cheneyauthorized the leaking of classified information to defend the war in Iraq;Rove, Fleisher, Powell, Armitage, Tenetwill likely be called to testify.Bushin 2003: "If there's a leak out of the administration, I want to know who it is. And if a person has violated law, the person will be taken care of." [ WP , NYT , WSJ , USAT ]
* Development makesBusha central player in leak story; court papers "implicateBushas knowing about efforts to disseminate sensitive information -- and also as orchestrating them." Senior White House official saysBushsees a difference between leaks and what he reportedly condoned. [ WP ]
*Bushhad the legal authority to approve disclosure, say experts, but "the leak was highly unusual and amounted to using sensitive intelligence data for political gain." [ WP ]
* Senators leaders agree on immigration legislation --a "shot at citizenship" for most of the country's illegal population, a guest-worker program, and tougher security-- though passage is "uncertain." [ WP , NYT , USAT ]
*GonzalessaysBushcould authorize warrantless eavesdropping of domestic calls: "I'm not going to rule it out." [ WP , NYT ]
*McKinney: "I am sorry that this misunderstanding happened at all, and I regret its escalation. And I apologize." [ WP , WP , USAT ]
*Bushwill have to "guide his fractured party to a final compromise" on immigration. [ WP ]
*Bushnominates acting director of FEMA to be permanent director. [ WP ]
* House Republicans fail to reach compromise on budget. [ WP ]
* Liberal audience member tellsBushduring Q&A, "I would hope, from time to time, that you have the humility and the grace to be ashamed of yourself." [ WP , NYT ]
* Advisors believeGiulianicould "assemble a team and raise tens of millions of dollars in a relatively short time" for '08 race. [ NYT ]