White House Blocks E-Mail Delivery

James Rowley writes for Bloomberg: "Limited immunity would have to be granted by a federal judge.

"A grant of immunity does not protect a witness from being prosecuted for lying to Congress. A refusal to testify under a grant of immunity would subject a witness to prosecution for criminal contempt of Congress, which carries a maximum one-year prison sentence.

"'There is much skepticism as to whether she even meets the rather low standard' for a 'valid Fifth Amendment claim as opposed to simply invoking the Fifth as a way of getting out of testifying,' said Charles Tiefer, a former deputy House of Representatives counsel who teaches law at the University of Baltimore.

"'This isn't the situation where the person' subpoenaed 'is the well-known target of an investigation,' such as Oliver North in the Iran-Contra scandal, Tiefer said."

Bush at Virginia Tech

President Bush traveled to the scene of the mass shooting at Virginia Tech University yesterday, speaking briefly at a university-side convocation before meeting with grieving families.

Here is the text of his nine-minute remarks, in which he sounded more like a preacher than a president.

"This is a day of mourning for the Virginia Tech community -- and it is a day of sadness for our entire nation. We've come to express our sympathy. In this time of anguish, I hope you know that people all over this country are thinking about you, and asking God to provide comfort for all who have been affected," he said.

"Across the town of Blacksburg and in towns all across America, houses of worship from every faith have opened their doors and have lifted you up in prayer. People who have never met you are praying for you; they're praying for your friends who have fallen and who are injured. There's a power in these prayers, real power. In times like this, we can find comfort in the grace and guidance of a loving God. . . .

"May God bless you. May God bless and keep the souls of the lost. And may His love touch all those who suffer and grieve."

Michael A. Fletcher writes in The Washington Post: "In another era, a nation's grief at such a ceremony may have been conveyed by religious leaders, some White House veterans said.

"'In the television age, there are only so many voices you can hear, and the president has the megaphone,' said David Gergen, who served as an adviser to four presidents. 'At times like this, he takes off his cap as commander in chief and puts on the robes of consoler in chief.'

"Leon Panetta, Clinton's chief of staff, agreed: 'In many ways, he is our national chaplain.'"