The Poll Driven President Battles a PR Disaster

President Bush has admitted he ordered domestic spying -- tapping phones and e-mails without seeking warrants. The admission came in a radio address to the nation on Saturday.

It was a quick turnaround from Friday when the President refused to say one way or another. The sudden exposure of the spying program touched off a political firestorm with Democratic and Republican leaders attacking it. The President is in a damage control mode with his quick change of direction, facing the criticism head on. This from the New York Times:

"In the war on terror, we cannot afford to be without this law for a single moment," Mr. Bush said forcefully from behind a lectern in the Roosevelt Room, next to the Oval Office. The White House invited cameras in, guaranteeing television coverage.

The President had just come off a four speech strategy to shore up support for his Iraq War plans when the spying issue emerged as a new PR disaster for the administration.

Keeping up his PR fight, President Bush addresses the nation again tonight at 9:00 EST with more on why he ordered the spying. (New York Times)