Daily Briefing: Talk'n Texan
* House, by narrow 216 to 214 vote, approves steep cuts in entitlement programs; viewed as victory for Majority WhipRoy Blunt(R-Mo.). [ WP , NYT , W$J , USAT ]
* White House has scaled back their agenda; "Bushhas come around to the notion that a presidency can handle only one truly big thing at a time, and for now that thing is Iraq." [ WP , LAT ]
* Rep.Bluntexpected to win race for House majority leader today. [ LAT ]
* Many House Republicans believe their leadership is going too far with proposed reforms for lobbying. [ WP , NYT ]
* Administration is rejecting Senate requests for legal opinions on NSA eavesdropping. [ NYT ]
* "Disorganization of Senate Democrats" created smooth path forSamuel Alito's confirmation. [ WP ]
* U.S. Capitol Police chief apologizes for hasslingCindy Sheehan. [ WP , NYT ]
*Bush's rhetorical push for energy independence is greeted with skepticism and "a lack of enthusiasm" on the Hill. [ NYT , W$J ]
*Alitobreaks with conservatives in first vote as Supreme Court justice. [ USAT ]
*Bushbrings State of the Union themes to Nashville: "Let me put it to you in Texan. If al Qaeda is calling into the United States, we want to know." [ WP , NYT , USAT ]
*Michael Chertoffis chided by the GAO for incompetent response to Katrina. [ NYT , W$J , USAT ]
* Many Katrina victims disappointed with content of the State of the Union. [ USAT ]
* White House defends Texas redistricting. [ WP ]
* Special lobbying exemption for tribes has not been addressed. [ WP ]