Novak, Woodward & Hadley

* laura notes that MZM's first contract was deep in abramoff terrain - indian affairs and interior.

* amcon (via scott): "The biggest surprise from the shooting of Harry Worthington was Dick Cheney’s announcement that he is entitled to declassify national security secrets. Such declassifications raise the question of whether the president and vice president possess unlimited discretion to manipulate the information Americans receive. And if Cheney does not actually possess the new prerogative he claims, he could risk impeachment if he invokes this power as a shield in the trial of his former chief of staff."

* froomkin: "Tom Raum writes for the Associated Press: "President Bush says he's spending his remaining 'political capital' on the war in Iraq. The trouble is, he may have little left.""

* froomkin: ""Asked about his lost 'political capital' by Gerstenzang, Bush replied that he had just listed a series of accomplishments, offering, 'I'd be glad to repeat them if you like.' Bumiller waved her hand to indicate such a recitation would be unnecessary. 'Please,' Bush responded, 'no hand gestures.' ""

* maguire: " I will be entering an indeterminate period of radio silence (or, in Bauer-speak, "going dark")."

* leopold has a new hadley piece:

"White House officials who are sympathetic to Libby say "official one" is former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage. But numerous senior officials at the State Department, the CIA, and the National Security Council have said that "official one" is National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley. []
One thing is for sure, neither Hadley nor Armitage are commenting, not even to issue a denial. Last week, Armitage's assistant at his lobbying firm, Armitage International, said last week that Armitage would comment on the "rumors" once Fitzgerald completed his investigation. "

he also says that there is only one Mr X - and that person spoke to both Woodward and Novak