To the Point

The President's call for energy independence through alternative fuels is popular in the farm states, on Wall Street and with the American people. What are the down sides?  We hear about the food supply, greenhouse gases and government subsidies, as well as whether conservation is really the best way to cut back on gasoline.  Also, Ford Motor Company continues to hemorrhage, suffering its worst year ever. On Reporter's Notebook, secretly linking millions of computers for crime on the Internet.

With Congress now dominated by Democrats, last night's State of the Union speech was an opportunity to re-assert presidential authority. Will proposals on health insurance, immigration and energy get a real hearing or will the war in Iraq drown out everything else?   Plus, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee says no to the president, and on Reporter's Notebook, was Louis "Scooter" Libby a scapegoat for Karl Rove? 

President Bush will address the State of the Union tonight increasingly isolated from his own party in Congress.  We hear the latest on the troop buildup from the new general in charge and reaction on Capitol Hill.  Also, an update from Lebanon on violent protests an calls for a general strike in Beirut. On Reporter's Notebook, with Republicans driven away by the war, can the State of the Union address find support from Democrats on a domestic agenda?

With presidential candidates already lining up in both parties, will education be a defining issue in next year's campaign?  We assess the pros and cons of No Child Left Behind. Plus, more deaths in Iraq--including two US marines, and on Reporter's Notebook, the growing lineups in both political parties exactly a year before the primary voting begins.

Global warming has been added to rumors of nuclear war as the "Doomsday Clock" is moved two minutes closer to midnight. Are recent predictions of catastrophe equally credible? Are they more likely than scenarios human kind has already survived? Does popular culture promote understanding or increase unreasonable fears? Plus, violent storms have claimed lives and disrupted travel throughout Europe, and a tacky British TV show becomes an international incident.

Illinois Senator Barak Obama ways he will introduce legislation for a "phased redeployment" of US troops in Iraq. Is that the "new kind of politics" that Obama says will trump inexperience in his run for president? Will black Americans identify with a man who shares their color but not their culture? Plus, the White House makes concessions on its domestic eavesdropping program, and weather all over the country is just different enough to raise questions about global warming.

As President Bush sends more troops to Iraq, he's also doubling America's air and sea power in the Persian Gulf. Is it "gunboat diplomacy" against Iran?  What are the chances of a wider war in the Middle East? Plus, there's pressure on President Bush to take action on global warming, and Cuba's healthcare system has been called the envy of the world, but it's reported that a doctor from Spain has been called to treat Fidel Castro.

As Condoleezza Rice tours the Middle East, Egypt says it supports the President's New Way Forward. Saudi Arabia is decidedly lukewarm. We get a progress report on a delicate selling job.  How worried are Arab governments about Iran's rising influence and their own people?  Plus, jury selection begins the "Scooter" Libby trial, and California's cold snap means oranges will be more expensive--as soon as next week.

Dr. Martin Luther King's goal of equal opportunity is still controversial in 21st Century America. Are race preferences necessary--or unconstitutional--to achieve integration?  We'll look at pending Supreme Court cases that could mean the end of affirmative action. Plus, another grisly execution in Iraq, and Dr. Martin Luther King and the importance of non-violence.

The President's New Way Forward will not only increase American troops in Iraq, but get the civilian reconstruction effort out of the Green Zone. Is it about time or too little too late?  Also, Hugo Chavez claims he'll nationalize major industries and make Venezuela a socialist state. Can he accomplish his populist goals? Is he a threat to America's interests in Latin America?