To the Point

As the US launches a massive rescue effort in Haiti, right-wing critics are saying that resources and money are wasted in a country that's already too dependent on the rest of the world.  President Obama has promised to help "to the very end." We ask what that could mean.  Also, were official "suicides" at Guantanamo Bay really deaths caused by torture?

President Obama has made a desperate effort to save one Democratic vote in the Senate, which could mean life or death for healthcare reform and the rest of his agenda. We hear about tomorrow's special election to replace Ted Kennedy, the late Senator from Massachusetts. Also, Haiti’s vulnerability to natural and man-made disasters and the vicissitudes of foreign aid

When Haiti was struck by a massive earthquake, its fragile government was unprepared to respond. How did it get that way? Had there been real progress in recent months? What does the future hold for people who’ve shown extraordinary resilience despite corruption, neglect and continued natural disasters?  Also, how to distinguish effective charities from scams.

Gays and lesbians can raise children, but in most states they can't be married. California's ban on same-sex marriage is on trial in a case that may end up in the US Supreme Court. We get a progress report on the issues being raised in a San Francisco courtroom and the impact of the public proceedings on same-sex parents and their children. Also, disaster relief in Haiti.

The death toll may be as high as 500,000 in the biggest earthquake to hit Haiti in 200 years. We hear about US rescue and relief efforts. Plus, on Wall Street a disaster of a different kind. What caused the economic recession?

President Obama's "Race to the Top" in Education features charter schools and standardized tests to evaluate teacher performance. Will it improve the much-criticized "No Child Left Behind" or is it the same, only more so? Also, Iraq uncovers bomb and assassination plots. On Reporter's Notebook, abortion, manslaughter and first-degree murder in a Kansas courtroom.

One element of the "tea party" movement will stage a national convention next month where it’ll cost $549 to hear Sarah Palin make the keynote speech. Will the event help to organize a disparate political movement or alienate grassroots protesters who don’t have that kind of money? Who are the tea-partiers, anyway? Also, the Proposition 8 trail begins in federal court, and  the politics of race makes a comeback.

At the approach of this year's mid-term elections, Democrats are stepping down from the Senate and Congress—but so are Republicans.  Does either one have the advantage?  Will the results in November determine if President Obama succeeds or fails? Also, a glimmer of hope despite a disappointing December job report, and Arnold Schwarzenegger begins his last year as Governor of California.

When a double agent turned into a suicide bomber, seven US intelligence agents were killed. How much expertise did the CIA lose? What does the incident say about the abilities of al-Qaeda — and the quality of US intelligence? Also, the Obama Administration wants to crack down on smog.

Despite federal efforts to "modify" mortgages, America's housing crisis is getting worse. Without greater protection, will more people walk away from their loans? Should banks and other lenders take the hit? Is economic recovery at risk? Also, Democratic Senator Chris Dodd decides against running for a sixth term, and the world's largest trade show for consumer technology.