Daily Briefing, Part II: Naming Names
•Source ofNYTstory on NSA eavesdropping steps forward and says spying is widespread: "We need to clean up the intelligence community. We've had abuses, and they need to be addressed." [ ABC News ]
• Abramoffscandal probe centers on Sens.Conrad Burns(R-Mont.),Byron Dorgan(D-N.D.),Harry Reid, (D-Nev.) and Reps.J.D. Hayworth(R-Ariz.) andBob Ney(R-Ohio), sources say. [ WT ]
•NSA begins internal investigation into eavesdropping; probe will not determine legality of program. [ WP , NYT ]
• Bushattacks Democrats "who claim that we acted in Iraq because of oil, or because of Israel, or because we misled the American people." [ NYT , USAT ]
•Reps.John BoehnerandRoy Bluntare both tied closely to lobbyists;Boehneris criticized for last month's vote on immigration bill. [ NYT , WT ]
• Howard DeanseesAbramoffscandal as a "Republican finance scandal." [ WT ]
•House Republicans may ban travel paid by lobbyists. [ NYT , WSJ ]
•Approval ofBushrests at 46%; support of eavesdropping is divided along partisan lines. [ WP ]