BLITZER: On Capitol Hill this hour, Republicans are stepping up their efforts to portray themselves as house cleaners to try to distance themselves from the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal. Democrats are trying equally hard to accuse the GOP of fostering what they call a culture of corruption. Let's go to Capitol Hill, our congressional correspondent, Ed Henry, is standing by -- Ed.</s>ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, Republicans are under heavy political pressure from Democrats, who are planning to roll out an aggressive reform plan of their own tomorrow and plan to beat this whole lobbying issue like a drum in the next election. That's why Speaker Dennis Hastert tried to get out ahead today. He took the dramatic step of saying he wants to ban all privately funded travel in the wake of the abuses, those golf trips for Republicans like Tom DeLay and Bob Ney. He also wants to cut down on the amount of gifts that lawmakers and staffers can accept, from $50 down to $20. That's obviously going to put a damper on those expense account lunches and dinners with lobbyists. It's quite interesting. John McCain, who's been pushing for these changes for years to no avail, is amused by the stampede on all sides, saying today, it proves to him, if you live long enough, almost anything can happen up here, Wolf.</s>BLITZER: Ed Henry on Capitol Hill, thanks for that update. Still ahead, a Republican Senator's long awaited decision about his political future. Is Trent Lott helping his party or hurting it? We're going to have details. And more fallout after Al Gore's attack on the president's domestic spying program. Senator John Kerry weighs in on our exclusive interview. And we'll get an update on the controversy online. Stay with us.
GOP Works to Distance Itself from Abramoff