To the Point

Are Centrists the New Players on Capitol Hill?

Earlier this week, literally hours before potential disaster in the Senate, seven Democrats and seven Republicans moved toward each other, away from their hard-core party lines. Then 50 Republicans in the House crossed party lines to approve expanded guidelines for stem-cell research. After months of polarization, has Congress rediscovered its center? With the vote for UN nominee John Bolton, federal judicial nominees, and Social Security on the political landscape, could the "Gang of 14" control much of the Senate's immediate future? Guest host Diana Nyad explores these new power brokers with pollsters, historians, progressive Democrats, and conservative and centrist Republicans. Making News: Palestinian President Abbas Goes to Washington Mahmoud Abbas met with President Bush today, with the mission of asking for aid as he prepares to face Hamas in upcoming Parliamentary elections. The Palestinian leader has welcomed the militant Islamic group to build local political power in Palestine even as he tries to orchestrate continued national power for his ruling Fatah Party. Jonathan Broder, foreign policy editor of Congressional Quarterly, has more on the meeting. Reporter's Notebook: US Suspends Search for Soldier Remains in North Korea Over the last ten years, recovery teams have discovered some 220 sets of remains of American soldiers killed in the Korean War, but further search, based on North Korea-s refusal to participate in nuclear disarmament talks, has been suddenly halted by the Pentagon. Frank Metersky, Washington liaison for the Korea-Cold War Families of the Missing, has fought for the recovery of soldiers- remains in North Korea for more than 20 years.