Wonkette

* Bush will reaffirm strategy of preemption: “When the consequences of an attack with WMD are potentially so devastating, we cannot afford to stand idly by as grave dangers materialize.” [WP, NYT]
* Concern about Iraq pushes Bush’s approval rating to 37% in NBC/WSJ poll; only 32% have positive view of Democrats. [WSJ]
* Ethics package proposed by House Republicans includes limits on 527 groups. [WP, NYT]
* Dubai Ports World to sell American port operations to “an unrelated U.S. buyer.” [WP, NYT]
* Talk of censure and impeachment used to rally Republican voters. [NYT]
* Michael Brown ignored plans and circumvented Michael Chertoff during Katrina response, House report concludes. [WP]
* Bush nominates family friend to head FDA as Plan B threatens to stall vote. [NYT]
* Rep. Katherine Harris will drop $10m on her senate bid. [NYT]
* Rep. James Moran Jr. (D-Va.) says Gore should run in 2008. [WP]

John Warner, on the Senate floor a little while ago: MORE »

To prove that they, too, are just like us, Dubai Ports World has a very helpful, very informative, very half-assed kids site, explaining who they are, what they do, and why we should let them run our ports. As connoisseurs of Federal Government Websites For Kids, we have to call this effort merely serviceable. While we do like stories, and want to hear stories of little Afghani Arab girls learning about the operations of government from a totally cool cartoon mascot, this website is not only missing an anthropomorphic talking animal character, it also promises a “Game Zone,” but definitely doesn’t deliver. MORE »

Hello, I’m Rich Cohen. MORE »

You know, we haven’t come out strongly one way or the other on this whole UAE ports controversy (”Zzzzzzzzzzzz”), but if this is true, then, uh, we have to say we’re starting to come around to Dubai Ports World. MORE »

* Reliable Source: Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) worked with indicted film producer. . . Laura Bush attends birthday party for Mary Ourisman. . . Brady Campaign sends orange “Innocent Bystander” shirts to the White House. [WP]
* Inside the Beltway: Bush named a Dubai Ports World senior executive as U.S. maritime administrator on January 25th. [WT]
* Rush & Molloy: Bob Woodward fears that the next domestic terror attack will make 9/11 “a footnote” and will make us a police state; he also continues to peddle rumor of Cheney running in ‘08. [NYDN]

* White House acknowledges that Bush was informed of the Dubai port deal from the media, after it was approved; Bush sounds “conciliatory” in the eye of an “unprecedented Republican revolt.” Some Republicans “have been looking for ways to distance themselves from Bush without appearing to be soft on terrorism.” Scott McClellan: “This is one where we probably should have consulted with or briefed Congress on sooner.” [WP, NYT, WT, LAT]
* Administration had secret deal with Dubai Ports World that stated the company would “cooperate with future U.S. investigations”; White House insists safeguards are in place though some “routine restrictions” were relaxed. [AP, W$J]
* Bush “is on the defensive on national security for the first time in his presidency.” [WT, USAT]
* South Dakota Senate passes abortion ban designed to challenge Roe. NARAL president: “When you see them have a ban that does not include exceptions for rape or incest or the health of the mother, you understand that elections do matter.” [WP, NYT]
* Attorneys for Lewis Libby will argue that he had no intention to lie, he was just preoccupied. [WP]

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In this edition of Chatology, Department of Homeland Security head Michael Chertoff pulls a half-Ginsburg, spinning through both Meet the Press and This Week. On various issues, Chertoff blames Michael Brown, Mary Matalin blames the media, Joe Lieberman blames Chertoff, Evan Bayh blames the Democrats, and David Gregory blames himself. Random wisdom from Ari Fleischer: “You can be right and still be bonkers.” Speaking of which: Cheney is “almost like the wizard dealing with the muggles” — Howard Fineman.

Full rundown and highlights after the jump.

[Ed. note: Don't miss Ana Marie Cox's appearance at the National Press Club, this Wednesday, February 22, at 6:30 PM. For more details, as well as information about how to obtain tickets to this free event, click here.]

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