The Diane Rehm Show

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney opened up a 20-point lead over Newt Gingrich in the upcoming Nevada caucus; the Obama Administration unveiled a new homeowner refinancing plan; and Senate Democrats formally introduced a "Buffett Bill" that would tax millionaires at a minimum rate of 30 percent. Naftali Bendavid of the Wall Street Journal, Jackie Calmes of The New York Times and syndicated columnist Steve Roberts join Diane for analysis of the week's top national news stories.

The Obama Administration announced the first cuts in the Defense Department budget since 1998; Republican presidential candidates squared off in the second Florida debate as polls showed a dead-heat between Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich; and the Federal Reserve announced it would keep interest rates at near zero until late 2014. Doyle McManus of the Los Angeles Times, Clarence Page of the Chicago Tribune and Ron Elving of NPR join Diane for analysis of the week's top national news stories.

Republican presidential candidates debated in South Carolina as polls showed former Governor Mitt Romney with a seven-point lead over former Speaker Newt Gingrich; the U.S. government charged seven hedge fund managers in a $62 million insider trading case; and several prominent websites "blacked-out" in protest of controversial anti-piracy legislation in Congress. Jerry Seib of The Wall Street Journal, Sheryl Gay Stolberg of The New York Times and Ryan Grim of The Huffington Post join Diane for analysis of the week's top national news stories.

Republican presidential candidates move on to South Carolina, as Gov. Romney faces criticism from within the GOP over his tenure at Bain Capital; White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley is leaving after just one year on the job; and a Federal Reserve survey showed the economy ended 2011 with the highest growth since last spring. David Chalian of Yahoo! News, Susan Page of USA Today and John Dickerson of Slate.com join Diane for analysis of the week's top national news stories.