President Obama earned himself a 53 percent favorability rating just in time for tonight's annual State Of The Union in which he will outline his agenda for the new year, granted if Congress will work with him instead of typically working against him to benefit their own agenda.

Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez sat down with Countdown guest host David Shuster to reflect her personal thoughts on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, whose announced hiatus highlights some major important issues regarding the failure to implement stricter gun laws.

Gee...I wonder why...

POLITICALLY ILLUSTRATED, CNN TRUTH SQUAD, FACTCHECK, THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE BOSTON GLOBE and WaPo have the latest updates fact checking the candidates' statements from Monday night's NBC Fear-Factor Republican debate between Willard M. Romney, INC., Newt "Anti-Alinsky" Gingrich, "Google" Rick (because even rape-pregnancies are a gift from God) Santorum, and Ron Paul (yes, THAT Ron Paul), who may be skipping the Florida primaries to continue collecting delegates; CNN and POLITICUS USA give their respective five-point analysis of Monday's night's Florida debate.

Underground hip hop radio host, political satirist, blogger and vlogger John Randolph (better known as Jay Smooth) shares his analysis of Monday night's NBC News debate, highlighting the entertainment value what now appears to be a two-man race in which the viewing public cannot lose, LOL!

MSNBC'SRachel Maddow sets some interesting insight into what Newt Gingrich's victory in South Carolina last weekend could mean for the Republican establishment, in spite of what the exit polls said at the time.

Like I said...interesting! Lol

SALON contributor Michael Lind has a new article in which he dissects and analyzes several right-wing memes and falsehoods that have been used to attack President Obama and his policies.

Political activist, author and MAD MIKE'S AMERICA contributor Erin Nanasi expands on an article written earlier this month at THINKPOGRESS, highlighting an election in the state of Arkansas now centered on the developing story of a vicious and cold-blooded murder of a Democratic aide's family pet.

Conservative politicians and pundits continue making awkward, and rather inappropriate comparisons to manipulate and distort the discourse on important issues.

With India off the hook, the European Union standing firm on its sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programs, and several military carriers ready at hand to keep the Strait Of Hormuz open, at least three European nations are working to continue to maintain negotiations with Iran, even as it threatens to hold the European Union, and the global economy hostage, using the Eurozone crisis as leverage.

U.S. Marine Frank Wuterich is the only one of eight men who will serve three months in the brig after entering a guilty plea for partaking in the 2005 massacre of up to two dozen Iraqi civilians, in which a few years afterwards, CBS aired an interview with Wuterich on "60 Minutes".

PBS NEWSHOUR has a new segment this week in a series of reports regarding the worldwide issue of food security, placing new focus on The Philippines, where contraception has become a substantive topic for discussion in dealing with the country's rising population.

AND finally, MEDIA MATTERS asks CNN why they allow this crackpot on their channel. (Maybe it's for the same reason they allow THIS crackpot on their channel!...)