White House steps up defense of domestic spying

The White House launches a political campaign this week, not for a candidate but for a controversial program: warrantless surveillance of some U.S. citizens by the National Security Agency.

President Bush plans to defend the program in a counterterrorism speech today at Kansas State University, aides said. The speech will kick off a flurry of administration activity leading to Senate hearings scheduled for Feb. 6.

"We are stepping up our efforts to educate the American people about this vital tool in the war on terrorism," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said. (Related story: Lawmakers say they will press administration on spying)

At the administration appearances, Bush and aides plan to repeat arguments they have made before: This is a limited program that kicks in only when one of the parties is beyond U.S. borders and has some kind of link to the al-Qaeda terrorist organization.

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