To the Point
Libby Indictment
President Bush has changed the subject in Washington, at least for the moment, by naming a new nominee to the US Supreme Court. Judge Samuel Alito has a 15-year appellate court record that is hailed by the right and denounced by the left as "extreme." Meantime, on Thursday, Lewis "Scooter" Libby will make his first appearance in a court proceeding that ultimately might feature testimony from Vice President Cheney. The indictment of a high-level White House aide is nothing new. Some call it a function of the "second term jinx." Will a fight with Democrats in the Senate distract from the war in Iraq, Katrina relief and the continuing investigation? What's the relationship between the Washington press corps and "confidential sources?" We hear from experts in political damage control, former White House staffers and journalists who have covered pervious Presidential scandals.Making News: President Bush Taps Alito for Supreme Court VacancyLast Thursday, Harriet Miers withdrew from consideration for the US Supreme Court. Today, President Bush nominated Appellate Court Justice Samuel Alito to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. In dramatic contrast to Mier's lack of judicial service, Alito's lengthy judicial record is so well known that all sides were quick with their public comments. Jim Kuhnhenn of Knight Ridder newspapers has more on the new nominee.Reporter's Notebook: Who is Patrick Fitzgerald?Last week, most Americans got their first look at Patrick Fitzgerald, whose investigation led a grand jury to indict the Vice President's Chief of Staff. While Fitzgerald's news conference went on for more than an hour, people who know him say he hates having the spotlight turned on him. Kirsten Scharnberg of the Chicago Tribune has more on the man who has taken on the Bush White House.
By Warren Olney • • 1h 0m ListenPresident Bush has changed the subject in Washington, at least for the moment, by naming a new nominee to the US Supreme Court. Judge Samuel Alito has a 15-year appellate court record that is hailed by the right and denounced by the left as "extreme." Meantime, on Thursday, Lewis "Scooter" Libby will make his first appearance in a court proceeding that ultimately might feature testimony from Vice President Cheney. The indictment of a high-level White House aide is nothing new. Some call it a function of the "second term jinx." Will a fight with Democrats in the Senate distract from the war in Iraq, Katrina relief and the continuing investigation? What's the relationship between the Washington press corps and "confidential sources?" We hear from experts in political damage control, former White House staffers and journalists who have covered pervious Presidential scandals.
President Bush Taps Alito for Supreme Court Vacancy
Last Thursday, Harriet Miers withdrew from consideration for the US Supreme Court. Today, President Bush nominated Appellate Court Justice Samuel Alito to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. In dramatic contrast to Mier's lack of judicial service, Alito's lengthy judicial record is so well known that all sides were quick with their public comments. Jim Kuhnhenn of Knight Ridder newspapers has more on the new nominee.
Who is Patrick Fitzgerald?
Last week, most Americans got their first look at Patrick Fitzgerald, whose investigation led a grand jury to indict the Vice President's Chief of Staff. While Fitzgerald's news conference went on for more than an hour, people who know him say he hates having the spotlight turned on him. Kirsten Scharnberg of the Chicago Tribune has more on the man who has taken on the Bush White House.
President Bush names Judge Samuel A. Alito as Supreme Court Justice
Judge Samuel Alito, profile on
Kuhnhenn-s article on Alito nomination
Cannon's column on lessons of past political scandals
Patrick Fitzgerald, Office of the US Special Counsel
Scharnberg's article about Independent Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald