To the Point

USS Greeneville and US-Japanese Relations

The US apologized again today for the submarine accident that sank a Japanese fishery's training boat, leaving 9 presumed dead. This latest in a pattern of military incidents complicates President Bush's diplomatic agenda for strengthening relations between the two countries. While it's unlikely that the Japanese will demand withdrawal of American forces from Japan, the incident has serious implications for US-Japanese relations. We assess them with representatives of the US State and Defense Departments, a public policy expert, and Washington correspondent for Japan's largest daily newspaper. (Sara Terry guest hosts.) Newsmaker: President Bush Addresses Joint Session of Congress - President Bush will lay out his 1.9 trillion-dollar budget tonight before a joint session of Congress. The Los Angeles Times' Ron Brownstein speculates that Bush will use the spotlight to generate public support for a tax cut, lay the groundwork for social security reform and discuss his approach to debt reduction. Reporter's Notebook: Carl Reiner Awarded Mark Twain Prize for Humor Tomorrow night, PBS broadcasts a special Kennedy Center presentation of the Mark Twain Prize for humor, which was awarded last fall. Carl Reiner, who was honored for a lifetime of comedy, reminisces about Rob and Laura Petry, Mel Brooks, the 2000 year-old man, Mark Twain - and why we laugh.