55 PERCENT WANT TO ELECT SOMEONE ELSE IN NOV: Public confidence in GOP governance has plunged to the lowest levels of the Bush presidency, with Americans saying by wide margins that they now trust Democrats more than Republicans to deal with Iraq, the economy, immigration and other issues, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll that underscores the GOP's fragile grip on power six months before the midterm elections... When asked whether they were inclined to reelect their current representative to Congress or look around for someone new, 55 percent said they were open to someone else, the highest since just before Republicans captured control of Congress in 1994. That suggests that some Democratic incumbents could feel the voters' wrath, although as the party in power Republicans have more at risk. Washington Post: Confidence In GOP Is At New Low in Poll

Full poll results here.

VERIZON JOINS BELLSOUTH IN DENYING NSA COOPERATION: Verizon said in a statement Tuesday that it is not providing customer calling information to the National Security Agency. "One of the most glaring and repeated falsehoods in the media reporting," the statement said, "is the assertion that, in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, Verizon was approached by NSA and entered into an arrangement to provide the NSA with data from its customers' domestic calls. This is false." Last Thursday, USA TODAY reported that the NSA has been secretly collecting the phone call records of tens of millions of Americans, using data provided by AT&T, BellSouth and Verizon, citing people with direct knowledge of the program. On Monday, BellSouth denied providing records to the NSA. AT&T has refused to confirm or deny that it gave records to the NSA. USA Today: Verizon says it isn't giving call records to NSA

INTEL CMTES. TO BE BRIEFED ON WIRETAPS: Reversing a position it has held for months, the White House on Tuesday agreed to brief all members of the House and Senate intelligence committees on a controversial domestic wiretapping operation - just as the architect of the program is facing a contentious confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill. In making the concession, the Bush administration is seeking to improve the prospects of the president's nominee to be the next CIA director, Air Force Gen. Michael V. Hayden, by preempting attacks from lawmakers angry that they have been kept in the dark on domestic spying activities... Ever since news reports revealed last year that President Bush had authorized the NSA to eavesdrop on U.S. residents without court warrants, the White House has insisted it was too risky to reveal details of the program to more than a select group of lawmakers. Los Angeles Times: President Backs Off Wiretap Secrecy

PICK FOR CIA #2 IRKS INTEL CHAIRMAN: The chairman of the House intelligence committee, already opposed to President Bush's pick to lead the Central Intelligence Agency, said the president's choice for deputy director was guilty of "gross insubordination." Rep. Peter Hoekstra said yesterday that it is clear the White House did not want congressional input on the nominations of Air Force Gen. Michael V. Hayden as CIA director and Stephen R. Kappes as the No. 2 official at the agency. "You would think that on the No. 2 person they might have just said, 'Hey, what do you think of this guy,' but they never did," Mr. Hoekstra, Michigan Republican, said yesterday during a 90-minute meeting with editors and reporters at The Washington Times. New York Times: Divide Remains as Bush Pushes Immigration Plan

HOUSE WILL BE A HURDLE: A fragile Senate coalition backing a broad overhaul of the nation's immigration laws survived its first legislative test yesterday, beating back efforts to gut provisions to grant millions of illegal immigrants a path to citizenship and hundreds of thousands of foreigners a new guest-worker permit. But President Bush's efforts to win House conservatives to his immigration proposals still faced an uphill climb... House Republicans, who passed legislation last year to crack down on illegal immigration without offering new avenues to legal employment, were not budging. "I understand what the president's position is. I have made it pretty clear that I have supported the House position," said House Majority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio). Washington Post: Immigration Proposals Pass Test In Senate

WHO'S GOT THE POWER ON THE HILL? The best-known members of Congress aren't necessarily the most powerful. The Democrats' last presidential candidate, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, for example, is ranked 61st in terms of clout among the Senate's 100 members, according to a new analysis. A much junior colleague and likely competitor for the party's White House nomination in 2008, New York Sen. and former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, ranks 41st. Both are well behind lesser-known Republican Reps. Jerry Lewis of California and Don Young of Alaska, respectively chairmen of the House Appropriations and Transportation committees and listed as the third and fourth most powerful House members. AP via Yahoo! News: Not-So-Famous Among Capitol Power Brokers

Full power rankings by Knowlegis.

CASEY WINS PRIMARY... GET READY FOR A BATTLE: Bob Casey Jr. blew by two lesser-known challengers yesterday to secure the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate. That was the easy part. Although a dour electorate has helped Casey maintain a steady lead over U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum (R., Pa.), not everything will go as smoothly as yesterday's primary for the Democrat in what is expected to be the most fiercely fought contest in the country. For Democrats, the Pennsylvania race is a chance to take down the Senate's third-ranking GOP leader - the 2006 response to the 2004 defeat of Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D., S.D.). Philadelphia Inquirer: For Casey, fierce fight takes shape

NEW YORKERS DON'T LIKE HILLARY OR RUDY FOR PREZ: New Yorkers believe Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani will run for the White House but don't think either can win, a new poll shows. "Both of them are popular in New York but neither is getting a huge sendoff right now," said Marist College pollster Lee Miringoff. "There's a lot of skepticism about their electability." Sixty percent of the state's registered voters think Clinton, New York's junior senator, will run for President in 2008, but 66% - including 57% of Democrats - don't think she will get elected. Voters are split 45%-41% on whether former Mayor Giuliani will run; 52% think he's unlikely to be elected President. New York Daily News: Hil, Rudy bids panned

GORE FOR PREZ? "I'M A RECOVERING POLITICIAN ON ABOUT STEP 9": Al Gore is running to California, New York, Utah, Washington, France and points in between to promote "An Inconvenient Truth," a film chronicling his elaborate slide shows to educate people about global warming. But is the former vice president running for president again? The answer, he says, is no. Some Democrats are not so sure. "I'm a recovering politician on about Step 9," Gore told The Associated Press. "But I'm on a different kind of campaign now - to persuade people to take action to solve the climate crisis, and it's always easier when you're focused on one thing." AP via Yahoo! News: Is Al Gore Running for President Again?