The Washington News In An Appropriate Nut Shell

This Nut Shell Is Full Of Washington Crap!

The Washington Post leads, and the Wall Street Journal tops its world-wide newsbox, with the Senate's last-minute approval of a Republican plan to overhaul terrorist surveillance laws, following a bitter row between the White House and Democratic lawmakers.

The Los Angeles Times leads, and the New York Times off-leads, heightening tensions on the Hill, as Democrats wrestle with stalled legislation and struggle to contain the fallout from allegations of vote-stealing.

The NYT leads with the stock market's continuing woes amid fears that ailing mortgage and debt markets could take a toll on the wider economy.

The new spy laws approved yesterday by the Senate would expand the government's authority to eavesdrop without a court order on overseas phone calls and e-mails. Democrats initially said the legislation was too sweeping, and accused the White House of trying to wreck an existing deal; President Bush warned that he might seek to keep Congress in session until they passed the legislation. Senators eventually caved in, earning swift condemnation from privacy campaigners who predicted the laws would be used to eavesdrop on U.S. citizens.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid accused Republicans of rubber-stamping a flawed proposal, but noted that the measure would need to be re-approved in six months' time. The LAT and the NYT both note that the House is expected to pass an identical bill later today.

The back-and-forth over the surveillance bill came as partisan tensions on the Hill reached new heights. With Democrats scrambling to pass legislation covering energy and defense spending, GOP lawmakers in the House staged a walk-out late on Thursday night, accusing the Democratic leadership of stealing a key vote.

The LAT argues that the rancor risks casting a shadow over the Democrats' first year of majority rule; the NYT traces the tension to an entrenched ideological standoff that has blocked progress throughout the year.

The Post reports that the House will launch a special committee with subpoena power to investigate the vote-stealing charge—an extraordinary measure usually reserved for issues like Watergate or the Iran-Contra scandal.