Breaking News! 10 February 2006

Breaking News!
White House Burns Midnight Oil As President Loads Up On "Unvarnished Advice"

With Former FEMA Head Set To Testify Today, The Race Is On; Miers Rejects Brown's Request For Exec. Privilege

Pennsylvania Avenue, and surrounding roadways have been gridlocked since late yesterday afternoon, as President Bush and the White House have called in advisors, by the hundreds, to brief the President with "unvarnished advice" before former FEMA Director Michael Brown testifies today in Congress.

It's been a non-stop stream of visitors, brought in to provide briefings and advice to President Bush and key staff members before today's hearing. White House lights were burning throughout the night, as taxis and official government vehicles poured in and out of the White House grounds.

"It's been a madhouse over there," said David Aaronson, editor of 'What Color Is My Coat Today?', the Capital Hill Newsletter that tracks politicians who turn on their own party.

Aaronson says that "around 4:30PM" yesterday, the call went out that Brown's request would not be granted and the calls and emails "began flying", to bring the advisors to the President.

Earlier this week, Brown, who was hailed by President Bush in New Orleans, following Hurricane Katrina, with the non-infamous "You're doing a heck of a job, Brownie", sent a letter to the White House, asking for "presidential support" and the promise of "legal defense" if he refused to testify. The inference there being, Brown would provide the committee with possible damaging and embarrassing testimony about the White House's response and actions in the days following the disaster.

Brown, whose background was that of being director of horse trade group, had been lambasted over the slow response to New Orleans and the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina demolished and flooded the area and subsequently resigned from his position as the head of FEMA.

The White House has fought with House and Senate investigative committees looking into the governments response to Hurricane Katrina, refusing to give requested correspondence and making available key aides, citing the 15,000 pages of documents given should be sufficient to their investigation.

In a news conference last month, the President, without naming any specific advisors, defended the White House's actions, saying "If people give me advice and they're forced to disclose that advice, it means the next time an issue comes up I might not be able to get unvarnished advice from my advisers … that's just the way it works..."

Mr. Brown's lawyer, Andrew W. Lester, said, disappointingly, that without such protection Brown "intends to answer all questions fully, completely and accurately."

Aaronson reports unconfirmed rumors that Brown and Miers had a "vicious" argument before having his request rejected.

"According to those who saw it," said Aaronson, "it was pretty heated. Brown was badgering her, rattling off things he would tell the panel. Miers was firing back and then, finally cut him off, allegedly saying "he wouldn’t nominate me to the Supreme Court, you think he's going to save your ass!."

Just what advice the President has been getting throughout the evening is not known.

"We can only speculate, based on who we see going in and out," said Aaronson. "Late last evening, the Republican leadership from Congress was brought in … We've seen other officials that would lead to getting advise on the War In Iraq, the building situation with Iran and Syria, the environment, labor, energy … It looks like the White House is loading up, getting all the unvarnished advice they can, that will carry them to the end of the President's term."

The White House official refused any comment on the all-night advice activity.

When asked by reporters about it, and the pending testimony of Brown, White House Press Secretary reiterated that "this is old news. The President has already accepted responsibility and it's time to move on."

"Right now," added McClellan, "the President is focued on monitoring the Iran-Syria Surveillance Program, and the threats that poses to the citizens of the United States."













No telling what former FEMA Director Michael Brown will have to look over his shoulder for, if he gives the expected damaging testimony today against the Bush Adminstration, to the Congressional Commitee investigating their response to Hurricane Katrina