Federal Bailout » Pressured by waves of angry phone calls from constituents, congressional leaders are dialing back the political rhetoric in an attempt to advance a revised version of the $700 billion bailout, which the Senate is poised to vote on tonight ... meanwhile, the Bush administration attempts to stanch the bleeding of ailing banks ... the Dow Jones industrial average recovered from an initial plunge this morning as investors remained focused on Capitol Hill... and while many in Congress warned that the economy could crash without intervention, all the traffic from angry constituents did crash the House of Representatives' Web site. — The Washington Post, Wired

DHS Advances Spy Program » The Department of Homeland Security will proceed with the first phase of a controversial satellite-surveillance program, even though an independent review found the department hasn't yet ensured the program will comply with privacy laws. — The Wall Street Journal

AIG's Influence » American International Group founder Maurice R. "Hank" Greenberg wielded a personal influence in Washington that allowed his insurance company to grow into the 18th-largest corporation in the world. — The Washington Post

White House Tied to DOJ Firings » A recently released Justice Department report revealed new e-mail messages hinting at heightened involvement of White House lawyers and political aides in the firings of nine federal prosecutors two years ago. — The Washington Post

Rangel Ads » House Republicans have launched an ad attacking a freshman Wisconsin Democrat over his ties to embattled Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charlie Rangel (N.Y.), the first of a series of attempts to use Rangel's ongoing ethics woes as an anchor around the necks of vulnerable Democratic incumbents. — The Fix

Schwarzenegger Approves Hospital Oversight » Nearly four months after UCLA Medical Center discovered that one of its employees had been snooping through patient records (including those of first lady Maria Shriver), California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger approved legislation that imposes stiff penalties for such breaches of privacy. — Los Angeles Times