Senator's Number on 'Madam' Phone List  —  Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) apologized last night after his telephone number appeared in the phone records of the woman dubbed the "D.C. Madam," making him the first member of Congress to become ensnared in the high-profile case.

Bush Plans To Stress Next Phase In Iraq War  —  GOP Dissent Spurs Change In Message but Not Course  —  President Bush, facing a growing Republican revolt against his Iraq policy, has rejected calls to change course but will launch a campaign emphasizing his intent to draw down U.S. forces next year …

'SiCKO' Truth Squad Sets CNN Straight  —  DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN: "(Moore says) the United States slipped to number 37 in the world's health care systems.  It's true. ...  Moore brings a group of patients, including 9/11 workers, to Cuba and marvels at their free treatment and quality of care.

Gonzales Was Told of FBI Violations  —  After Bureau Sent Reports, Attorney General Said He Knew of No Wrongdoing  —  As he sought to renew the USA Patriot Act two years ago, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales assured lawmakers that the FBI had not abused its potent new terrorism-fighting powers.

Official: Report Says Baghdad Lagging  —  A progress report on Iraq will conclude that the U.S.-backed government in Baghdad has not met any of its targets for political, economic and other reform, speeding up the Bush administration's reckoning on what to do next, a U.S. official said Monday.

Republicans cool to presidential forum at Cobo  —  Up to nine presidential candidates will take the stage at Cobo Center on Thursday morning to woo the African-American vote.  At most, there will be one Republican.  —  It's not for lack of an invitation.  The National Association …

THE PIRATES' CODE … When Bob Dylan sang, "To live outside the law you must be honest," he probably wasn't thinking of seventeenth-century pirate captains.  Nonetheless, his dictum seems to apply to them.  While pirates were certainly cruel and violent criminals, pirate ships were hardly the floating tyrannies of popular imagination.

Congress, Bush near a court fight  —  President balks at request for files on firings  —  WASHINGTON — President Bush refused yesterday to turn over documents and urged two former aides to refuse to testify before congressional committees about the firings of nine US attorneys …

For Democrats, Pragmatism On Universal Health Care  —  In a conference call in January, the health-care debate within the Democratic Party played out before former senator John Edwards of North Carolina, who was in search of policy advice for his presidential campaign, and his wife, Elizabeth.