Chinese Pianist Plays Propaganda Tune at White House  —  US humiliated in eyes of Chinese by song used to inspire anti-Americanism  —  Lang Lang the pianist says he chose it.  Chairman Hu Jintao recognized it as soon as he heard it.  Patriotic Chinese Internet users were delighted as soon as they saw the videos online.

Gov. Chris Christie declines to counter State of the Union speech  —  In 1995, Christie Whitman, a New Jersey governor who was a rising Republican Party star, delivered the GOP's response to President Bill Clinton's State of the Union address in front of a cheering crowd in the Assembly chamber.

BREAKING: Military Harassing David House, Jane Hamsher for Visiting Bradley Manning  —  Jane Hamsher is with David House who is trying to visit Pvt. Bradley Manning at Quantico today while carrying a petition with 42,000 signatures requesting humane treatment for Manning.

Now we know.  Israel had a peace partner  —  The classified documents show Palestinians willing to go to extreme lengths and Israel holding a firm line on any peace deal  —  Who will be most damaged by this extraordinary glimpse into the reality of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process?

Power, Baby, Power  —  Tim Lee says that American liberalism has incorporated libertarian critiques at a striking rate over the past few decades: … He's right!  And there are both benefits and drawbacks to this.  Still, Will Wilkinson points out that liberals and libertarians remain pretty far apart.

HAWAII GROUND REPORT: Could Hawaiian Governor Neil Abercrombie not be as incompetent and foolish as he appears, but orchestrating a deliberate birth certificate recovery dead end to cover his own papakole?  UPDATED: Mystery solved!  Reason Obama will not release birth certificate is because his name …

McConnell: I'll sit ‘where I usually sit’  —  Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) does not have a Democrat colleague to sit with during Tuesday's State of the Union.  —  Asked on “Fox News Sunday” whether he will sit at the Republican leadership table during President Obama's speech …

Clarence Thomas failed to report wife's income, watchdog says  —  Virginia Thomas earned over $680,000 from conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation over 5 years, a group says.  But the Supreme Court justice did not include it on financial disclosure forms.  —  Reporting from Washington —

Obama to Press Centrist Agenda in His Address  —  WASHINGTON — President Obama will outline an agenda for “winning the future” in his State of the Union address on Tuesday night, striking a theme of national unity and renewal, as he stresses the need for both government spending in key areas and an attack on the budget deficit.

The Blue Collar Life  —  A construction worker in Chicago, three days before Christmas, 2005.  (photo: gnevets88 via Flickr)  —  My husband got up at 5:00 a.m. to work outside in 7 degree F temperatures.  He sat on the end of the couch, head in his hands sipping his coffee telling me how much he hates his job.

Eavesdropping Laws Mean That Turning On an Audio Recorder Could Send You to Prison  —  Christopher Drew is a 60-year-old artist and teacher who wears a gray ponytail and lives on the North Side.  Tiawanda Moore, 20, a former stripper, lives on the South Side and dreams of going back to school and starting a new life.

George Allen to announce Senate bid Monday  —  Former Sen. George Allen will end weeks of speculation and formally declare his candidacy for U.S. Senate in Virginia on Monday, two Republican advisers tell POLITICO.  —  Allen, who has been making all the moves of a candidate in recent weeks …

This Week with Christiane Amanpour  —  Guests:  —  Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)  —  Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND)  —  Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX)  —  Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT)  —  Rep. Chris Gibson (R-NY)  —  Rep. Bobby Schilling (R-IL)  —  Amanpour: Obama is giving a State of the Union address - what will he say?!

Obama Marks Anniversary of Roe v. Wade  —  President Obama reaffirmed his support for abortion rights on Saturday, the 38th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade that established a woman's right to an abortion.  —  “I am committed to protecting this constitutional right,” Mr. Obama said in a statement.