(Updates with Bush comment, reaction)
By Matt Spetalnick and Andy Sullivan
WASHINGTON, May 11 (Reuters) - President George W. Bush denied on Thursday the government was "trolling through" Americans' personal lives, despite a report that a domestic spy agency was collecting phone records of tens of millions of citizens.
Defending his administration's espionage program, Bush said intelligence activities he had authorized were lawful and the government was not eavesdropping on domestic phone calls without court approval.
But Democrats and Republicans alike demanded an explanation after USA Today reported the National Security Agency was secretly amassing phone records from phone companies to analyze calling patterns in an effort to detect terrorist plots.
"The privacy of ordinary Americans is fiercely protected in all our activities," Bush told reporters at a hastily called session aimed at damage control. "We're not mining or trolling through the personal lives of millions of innocent Americans."
Some Democratic senators suggested, however, the disclosure could complicate confirmation of Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden, who was nominated by Bush on Monday as director of the CIA.
USA Today said Hayden, who headed the NSA from 1999 to 2005, would have overseen the call-tracking program.
The White House said Hayden's nomination was going "full steam ahead." Hayden proceeded with meetings with individual senators who will be considering his nomination.
Despite that, the controversy could compound Bush's political problems as he struggles to lift public approval ratings that have fallen to new lows, putting his Republican party's control of Congress at risk in November's elections.
"The intelligence activities I authorized are lawful and have been briefed to appropriate members of Congress," a stern-faced Bush said before leaving for Biloxi, Mississippi.
Revelation late last year that the NSA was eavesdropping inside the United States without warrants on international phone calls and e-mails of terrorism suspects sparked an uproar. Continued ...© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.
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BU*SH*IT
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