Tales from the Trail

A battle appeared to be emerging in the U.S. Senate over extending terrorism surveillance methods versus bolstering privacy protections.

The Obama administration wants to extend three key surveillance techniques adopted in the Patriot Act law after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks to track terrorism suspects.

They are roving wiretaps to track multiple communications devices an individual may use; access business records; and what’s known as the “lone wolf” provision to watch an individual who may be hatching terror plots but isn’t part of a bigger group. Those three expire Dec. 31.

However, some Senate Judiciary Committee members, including chairman Patrick Leahy, want to add more privacy provisions. Any changes also have to go through the Senate Intelligence Committee which could raise more hurdles.

“It was my thinking simply to extend those three provisions until the Patriot Act is up for reauthorization, which is three years hence,”  Dianne Feinstein, head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said during a hearing with FBI Director Robert Mueller. “I believe Senator Leahy will submit a bill that does some other things as well.”

President Barack Obama began his summer vacation by sending a specific message to the White House press corps.

 ”He wants you to relax and have a good time,” Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton said as Air Force One carried the first family to the Massachusetts island where they are spending a week-long holiday. “Take some walks on the beaches. Nobody is looking to make any news, so he’s hoping that you guys can enjoy Martha’s Vineyard while we’re there.”

“I asked him if he had a message for the press corps, and that’s what it is,” Burton said.

The Obama effect was in full force again.

This time an appearance by President Barack Obama had G-Men fainting and the normally stoic director of the FBI handing out teddy bears.

What’s with that?

Shortly after Obama started a speech at FBI headquarters to employees gathered in an outdoor courtyard under the searing sun, at the point where he started reminiscing about the bureau “back in 1908,”  someone in the audience fainted.

“This happened during my political campaign all the time. I was talking too long, people would be falling out every which way,” Obama said to laughter.

Spoiler alert: Reading this may or may not (we don’t really know) spoil a surprise in a pilot for a new CBS action series called “Washington Field.”

But Washington-area residents probably should read this so they don’t get alarmed at the 20- to 30-foot fireball from a simulated explosion on Wednesday near a bridge that connects Georgetown to Virginia.

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments issued an advisory saying there will be a fake explosion on Wednesday between 9:30 a.m. and noon near Key Bridge that will produce a fireball that will last for about two minutes.