George Washington's Electronic Spying

Testimony from Alberto Gonzales (Bush's Attorney General) last Monday on eavesdropping:

Gonzales: "President Washington, President Lincoln, President Wilson, President Roosevelt have all authorized electronic surveillance on a far broader scale."

Electronic surveillance? George Washington? Lincoln? Really?

And "on a far broader scale"? He repeated that last line at least two times and with emphasis.

Here's the video clip at Crooks and Liars: http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/02/06.html#a7043