To the Point

Terrorism in Jordan; Republican 'Backlash Insurance'

Segment #1: Suicide Bombers Cause Death and Destruction at Hotels in AmmanOn a website used by Islamic extremists, a message purporting to be from Al Qaeda in Iraq claims responsibility for the coordinated bombings of three hotels in Amman Jordan yesterday that left 57 dead and at least 102 wounded. Al Qaeda in Iraq is led by a Jordanian, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. The government of Iraq says the attacks are a "wake-up call" for Jordanians who sympathize with supporters of Saddam Hussein. Earlier today, a suicide bomber killed at least 34 people in a Baghdad restaurant. We update the bombings and ask if public opinion is changing in Jordan, one of America's important allies in the Middle East. Segment #2: Is the GOP Pushing a Policy Agenda to the Right of Public Opinion?In Washington, Congress is completing work on the federal budget. While the Republican plan includes $54 billion in spending cuts that are being reported as "deficit reduction," with $70 billion in tax cuts also on the agenda, that's not what it really is. Are Republicans taking the country farther right than Americans realize? Are they protected from accountability by "backlash insurance" brought about by changes in the legislative process? We hear from political scientists, pollsters, scholars, experts on Congress and Republican strategists.