NSA has massive database of Americans' phone calls  —  The National Security Agency has been secretly collecting the phone call records of tens of millions of Americans, using data provided by AT&T, Verizon and BellSouth, people with direct knowledge of the arrangement told USA TODAY.

Rove revamps the Republican strategy  —  With ratings down and an election coming up, the GOP take a new tack  —  President Bush and his longtime confidant and adviser, Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove.  —  WASHINGTON - This fall's election season is going to make the past three look like episodes of "Barney."

Abramoff's White House visits  —  Secret Service records released today under court order show that convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff made only two visits to the White House since President Bush took office in January 2001.  —  On March 6, 2001, Abramoff entered at 4:23 p.m. and left at 4:49 p.m. On Jan. 20 …

Murdoch Defends Plan to Host Hillary Fundraiser; Calls Her 'Effective, Good Senator'  —  News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch, owner of Fox News and the New York Post, said today that he his standing by his decision to host a political fundraiser for Sen. Hillary Clinton later this year.

IRAQ INDEX SHOWS PROGRESS BEING MADE  —  The Brookings Institution released its latest Iraq Index this week.  I would encourage you to read it all, but here are some notable items:  — Per Capita GDP (USD) for 2005 is forecast to increase from the previous year to $1,051.  In 2002 it was $802.

Bill Shifts Oversight of Some Iraq Aid  —  Political Dispute Over Funds  —  Comes at a Transition Point  —  For Bush's Reconstruction Effort  —  WASHINGTON — The Bush Administration's effort to rebuild Iraq is winding down, but the political battle over the money's oversight has flared anew.

FBI Looks Into Link Between CIA Agent, SD Defense Co.  —  The national scandal that began with Randy "Duke" Cunningham's bribery is once again pointing to San Diego.  —  The number three man in the Central Intelligence Agency is stepping down.  —  They are two buddies who graduated …

Brother Jeb would make 'great' US president: Bush  —  President George W. Bush praised his brother, Florida governor Jeb Bush, as an "excellent" leader who would make a "great president" of the United States, according to news accounts.  —  "I think Jeb would be a great president.

Hard-Core Republicans Are Fleeing President  —  Conservatives Point to Spending, Immigration  —  Disaffection over spending and immigration have caused conservatives to take flight from President Bush and the Republican Congress at a rapid pace in recent weeks, sending Bush's approval ratings …

Juan Williams: An Interview  —  I am very excited to share my interview with Fox News Contributor and Senior NPR Political Correspondent Juan Williams with you today.  Mr. Williams is one of my favorite pundits on the liberal side of the aisle.  You may not always agree with his arguments or reasoning but you do have to respect him.

Pitying Darfur, Ignoring Iraq  —  It's not easy to be an enlightened liberal internationalist these days.  —  An enlightened liberal internationalist wants to send troops to the Sudanese region of Darfur to protect a majority Muslim population against murderous Islamic extremist militias.

April Tax Revenue 2nd-Highest in History  —  A flood of income tax payments pushed up government receipts to the second-highest level in history in April, giving the country a sizable surplus for the month.  —  In its monthly accounting of the government's books, the Treasury Department …

Christianists Fight Back  —  Two leading Christianists have just fought back against my recent essay in Time magazine.  Ramesh Ponnuru and Hugh Hewitt are two of the most articulate advocates for fusing Republicanism with religious fundamentalism.  I can see why they would dissent.

Does Michael Hayden Understand the Fourth Amendment?  —  Over at National Review Online, Adam White defends the new nominee to lead the CIA, General Michael Hayden, for his statements about the meaning of the Fourth Amendment.  The statements have apparently become an important issue in the debate over Hayden's nomination.

A. M. Rosenthal Is Dead at 84; Innovative Editor of The Times  —  A. M. Rosenthal, a Pulitzer Prize-winning foreign correspondent who became the executive editor of The New York Times and led the paper's global news operations through 17 years of record growth, modernization and major journalistic change, died yesterday in Manhattan.

HUD chief says story on contract cancellation was not true  —  Alphonso Jackson, secretary of the Housing and Urban Development Department, told a Dallas audience last month that he personally canceled a minority businessman's contract award in response to negative comments about President Bush.