Confirmation hearings started Monday in the Senate Judiciary Committee to decide whether to approve Circuit Court Judge John Roberts for Supreme Court chief justice.
Democrats on the committee claimed they would be sure to thoroughly question Roberts on all issues, while committee Republicans said Roberts had the right to refuse to address controversial issues.
Roberts himself, however, said he had 'no agenda' for serving on the court and would approach each case with an open mind.
Although there have not been hearings for a new chief justice in over 19 years, cable networks had only made plans to dip in and out of the confirmation hearings in between coverage of Hurricane Katrina's aftermath.
Sean Rushton, executive director of the pro-administration Committee for Justice, said the diminished coverage of Roberts is 'a problem for the liberal groups and senators who want to turn this into a spectacle. ... When the media have other serious things to focus their attention on, they tend to spend less time and less ink on the tit-for-tat, he said/she said elements that frequently accompany a confirmation hearing.\
Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Mike Brown resigned Monday in response to criticism of his management of Hurricane Katrina's destruction.
David Paulison, the director of FEMA's preparedness division, is now the interim director after being appointed by President Bush. Brown's announcement came three days after being called back to Washington by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. Adm. Thad Allen, chief of staff of the Coast Guard, took over Brown's spot after he was recalled.
A Time magazine article published Friday questioned whether Brown's r??sum?? was padded to overstate his experience in emergency management. President Bush declined to comment on Brown's resignation.
A group of Madison area residents are set to drive to Louisiana to help animals left destitute by Hurricane Katrina. Shelter from the Storm, a Madison organization that rescues animals, has been following Hurricane Katrina's aftermath. Tracy Hageny, co-director of the group, said the group feels compelled to go after seeing the shortage of resources available for animals after the hurricane.
""The Hattiesburg shelter, the latest estimate that we had was 1,300 animals under one roof,"" Hageny said.
