Wide Angle

Before I delve into some of the stories I missed yesterday as well as all the ones on the horizon for today, I wanted to just try briefly to set out one of those "where we stand" big picture maps.

- The Senate will begin confirmation hearings for John Roberts next Monday, and it's becoming increasingly likely that the president won't name his second Court nominee at least until Roberts' name is sent to the Senate floor (he may even hold off until after the full Senate vote). Bush said yesterday "I want the Senate to focus not on who the next nominee is going to be, but the nominee I've got up there now." I have to say - and I hope I'm wrong - that this waiting strategy indicates to me that Bush is probably not going to go the safe, somewhat centrist route with the next Court pick. And that's worrying.

- Chief Justice Rehnquist's funeral will be held today at St. Matthew's Cathedral in Washington; President Bush and Justice O'Connor are scheduled to speak. Rehnquist will then be buried next to his wife in Arlington National Cemetery. There will be no video or still photos from either the funeral or the burial ceremony. All of the Supreme Court justices, as well as the rest of official Washington, will be in attendance.

- The Katrina repercussions continued to bounce around Washington and the country yesterday, with Congressional leaders pledging more funds along with some accountability, and the president saying he'll personally oversee an investigation into "what went right and what went wrong" (I'll leave aside my immediate reaction to that for the moment). The House and Senate may act as early as today to pass additional legislation for Katrina relief funding, possibly to the tune of another $40 million. That'll still be only the beginning - most estimates suggest that the total funding necessary will be somewhere north of $100 billion.

- While the questions of responsibility remain unresolved, the cleanup and recovery efforts continue with New Orleans, as local officials still try to empty the city of survivors so that the reclamation process can begin. The mayor said last night that all residents must leave the city, even if they don't want to go. The Times today discusses the coming environmental disaster from the horrid water, as does the Post.

- Congress is indeed back in town, and hearings (as well as disagreements) already began yesterday on Katrina-related issues, high gas prices, and the overall legislative strategy for the next few months. The original plans for the fall have been seriously shaken up now, and everything is pretty much in flux for the time being. Just how it will all end up remains very much to be seen.