G.O.P. Plan Would Allow Spying Without Warrants  —  WASHINGTON, March 8 — The plan by Senate Republicans to step up oversight of the National Security Agency's domestic surveillance program would also give legislative sanction for the first time to long-term eavesdropping on Americans without …

Senator Resumes Lobbyist Huddles  —  After saying in January that he would end his regular meetings with lobbyists, Sen. Rick Santorum (Pa.), the third-ranking GOP leader in the Senate, has continued to meet with many of the same lobbyists at the same time and on the same day of the week.

Western sources: Iran has covert nuclear channel  —  In concurrence with growing diplomatic tension over Iran's nuclear program, on Thursday it emerged that intelligence services in the West are convinced that Iran is taking covert means to develop nuclear weapons, in addition …

Vanity Fair: Bush Had Ties to Abramoff  —  WASHINGTON - Convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff says President Bush knew him well enough to joke with him about weightlifting.  "What are you benching, buff guy?"  Abramoff said Bush asked him.  The president has said he doesn't know Abramoff.

Men's Rights Group Eyes Child Support Stay  —  NEW YORK - Contending that women have more options than they do in the event of an unintended pregnancy, men's rights activists are mounting a long shot legal campaign aimed at giving them the chance to opt out of financial responsibility for raising a child.

Boy in a Bubble  —  What George Clooney doesn't know about life.  —  Memo to: The Academy  —  From: Just another viewer  —  Re: Advice, as if you wanted more  —  I cannot remember a time when, in the days after the Academy Awards show, it was not criticized, and even blasted.

Negative Perception Of Islam Increasing  —  Poll Numbers in U.S. Higher Than in 2001  —  As the war in Iraq grinds into its fourth year, a growing proportion of Americans are expressing unfavorable views of Islam, and a majority now say that Muslims are disproportionately prone to violence …

The Three Stooges  —  Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and Howard Dean.  —  According to the latest CBS News poll, George W. Bush's approval rating hit a personal worst of 34 percent in February, making him the most unpopular president since Nixon during Watergate.

HEALTHCARE HACKERY....Clive Crook takes a sledgehammer to single-payer national healthcare in the Atlantic this month, but here's all you need to read to know that you can safely ignore his rant.  American healthcare has its problems, he says, but: … This is the grubbiest and most venerable trick …

Costly Gestures  —  South Dakota has enacted a ban on abortion except to save a woman's life.  Pro-choice forces in the state have not decided whether to try to repeal the law by referendum or to file a lawsuit in federal court.  If the latter, the court will surely strike the law …

Bush: Congress 'Shortchanged' New Orleans  —  Touring Gulf Coast, President Calls for Restoration of $1.5 Billion for Levee Repairs  —  NEW ORLEANS, March 8 — President Bush, on a Gulf Coast inspection tour that included his first visit to this city's storm-shattered Lower Ninth Ward …

HR 1606 - Hearing Markup  —  I am at the House Administration Committee markup of HR 1606, the Online Freedom of Speech Act.  The committee hopes to report the bill out of committee today.  Majority Leader John Boehner has indicated his desire to move the legislation quickly.

Official Says Shiite Party Suppressed Body Count  —  BAGHDAD, March 8 — Days after the bombing of a Shiite shrine unleashed a wave of retaliatory killings of Sunnis, the leading Shiite party in Iraq's governing coalition directed the Health Ministry to stop tabulating execution-style shootings …