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.

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 Daily Muck  —  Sen. Santorum's (R-PA) Operation Good Neighbor has been the subject of unwelcome publicity lately, and rather than stand and fight, he's decided to cut and run.  Says he: "I do not have a personal charity."  He just founded the thing - but he's had nothing to do with it since.

Students say church arsons meant as 'a joke'  —  Third suspect arrested in torchings of nine Alabama places of worship … BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Three college students, including two aspiring actors known around campus as pranksters, were arrested Wednesday in a string of nine church fires across Alabama.

U.S.: Iran remarks 'provocative'  —  VIENNA, Austria (CNN) — The United States has dismissed Iran's comments that it can inflict "harm and pain" on Washington for its role in pushing for U.N. Security Council action over Tehran's refusal to halt its nuclear program.

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.

Build a Fence — And Amnesty  —  It's time to build a real fence or a wall along every foot of the 1,989 miles of the U.S.-Mexican border.  There can be only two arguments against this approach to keeping out illegal immigrants: (1) it won't work — possible, but we won't know unless we try …

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 …

Defending All Your Ground  —  Back to the great health care debate.  This is a good post from Kevin Drum, but it concedes rather too much.  It's true, as Kevin says, that Canada and the UK aren't the best examples of national health care policy and that using them as examples of government- financed health care are a bit unfair.

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.

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.

Gallup: More Than Half of Americans Reject Evolution, Back Bible  —  NEW YORK A Gallup report released today reveals that more than half of all Americans, rejecting evolution theory and scientific evidence, agree with the statement, "God created man exactly how Bible describes it."

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 …