November 01, 2004, 8:46 a.m.
The Long View
By Rob Long

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article appears in the November 8, 2004, issue of National Review.

NSA Surveillance Records

EXTRACT 1: 11/02/04 23:47 EST

[cellphone static]

[background noise]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE VOICE #1: "Hello?"
UNIDENTIFIED MALE VOICE #2: "We're all wondering when your candidate is going to have the grace and good taste to concede."
UMV#1: "Concede? He's not going to concede. There have been voting irregularities and . . ."
UMV#2: "C'mon! He lost Ohio, he lost Florida, he lost Michigan . . ."
UMV#1: "He maybe lost Ohio, he may have actually won Florida and Michigan . . . well, okay, you get Michigan."
UMV#2: "C'mon! It's been a long night. Just do the right thing and get it over with. You know you lost. Ohio, Florida . . . c'mon. The networks are about to call the thing for our guy."
UMV#1: "Networks? As in plural?"
UMV#2: "Well, Fox."
UMV#1: "Gimme a break."
UMV#2: "It's over, okay? Give it up!"
UMV#1: "See you in court."

EXTRACT 2: 11/03/04 00:13 EST
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE VOICE #1: "Sioux City DoubleTree Suites Hotel, good evening, may I help you, please?"
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE VOICE #2: "I'd like to reserve some rooms, please."
UFV#1: "Certainly, ma'am, I'll connect you to room reservations."
[Unidentified hold music]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE VOICE #1: "Reservations, this is Sanjay, may I help you?"
UFV#2: "I'd like to reserve some rooms please."
UMV#1: "Certainly, ma'am. For which dates?"
UFV#2: "From January 2007 to January 2008."
UMV#1: "We are showing availability for those dates. May I ask how many rooms you're wishing to reserve?"
UFV#2: "26."
UMV#1: "Certainly, ma'am. That's 26 rooms in our Sioux City, Iowa, property for one year. May I have the name as it appears on the credit card?"
UFV#2: "Last name is Rodham. First name, Hillary."...

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