In Today’s Times:
- The shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., appears to have swayed public opinion on guns, with a New York Times/CBS News poll showing that a majority of Americans now favor tightening gun control laws, Michael Cooper and Dalia Sussman report.
- Agreeing that President Obama will have to put everything into the effort to get stricter gun regulations passed, Congressional Democrats are divided on whether they can succeed by breaking up the president’s proposals into narrowly written bills or by taking a more guerrilla approach, Jennifer Steinhauer reports.
- Members of the United States Conference of Mayors at their winter meeting on Thursday shared with one another their experiences with theconsequences of gun violence, with many expressing support for the president’s call for tighter gun laws, Michael Cooper reports.
- Faced with the question of how to handle an imminent fight over raising the debt ceiling, Republicans are considering a short-term extension to allow more discussion about spending cuts, Ashley Parker reports.
Washington Happenings:
- Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. will meet with Gov. Dannel Malloy of Connecticut at the White House Friday.
- The 81st winter meeting of the United States Conference of Mayors continues Friday with remarks by several cabinet officials, including the secretary of health and human services, Kathleen Sebelius, and the transportation secretar! y, Ray LaHood.
