President Bush will address the nation live tomorrow night at 8:30 PM during the 12th televised press conference of his presidency about the large-scale war of independence brewing in Iraq and his handling of 9/11.

“WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush will work to defuse two issues in his prime-time news conference on Tuesday: rising casualties in Iraq and his response in 2001 to a terrorism warning the White House had in hand before the Sept. 11 attacks.

Both issues are critical to Bush’s re-election strategy, which is focused on the president’s record on national security.

Bush plans to open the 8:30 p.m. EDT news conference – the 12th of his presidency, but only his third televised in prime evening viewing hours – with a statement on Iraq, White House communications director Dan Bartlett said Monday. He said the president will be prepared to address questions about a memo, titled “Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S.,” that Bush received on Aug. 6, 2001. … “

> AP Story on Mlive.com, and in The Guardian of London

Also, a state board which has previously accepted the language on the anti-affirmative action ballot initiative petition has reversed their decision, which “likely places the fate of the proposed ballot initiative in the hands of the Michigan Court of Appeals.”

> See AP: “State boarresendsds approval of anti-affirmative action petitions”