From PRI, Public Radio International and KCRW Santa Monica, this is To the Point.

President Bush, the Democrats, and the fear of terror.

Hello again, I'm Orman Alney, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International.

A daily look at the issues. Americans care about most.

President Bush may be a struggling lame duck,

but Democrats can still be outmaneuvered

if they think they'll be called soft on terrorism.

As Congress was leaving town,

both houses gave Mr. Bush the wiretapping authority he wanted,

despite opposition from the Democratic leadership.

The Bush White House denies its a broad expansion of the president's powers.

House Speaker Pelosi calls it unacceptable.

Other Democrats and some libertarians say the new majority buckled under intimidation and

pressure.

On To the Point, we'll look at the new law and the politics that led to its

passage. First, here's the news. Support for To the Point comes from subscribers of KCRW Santa Monica

and from the Public Radio International Program Fund, whose contributors include the Ford Foundation

and the John D. and Catherine T. McArthur Foundation.

Hello again. Marloni, back with To the Point. Alleged violations of privacy and the war on terror

helped the Democrats win last November. But last week, both houses of Congress expanded the

president's power for electronic surveillance. On To the Point, where the new Democratic

majorities outmaneuvered by a lame

...