The Early Word: Drones - NYTimes.com February 8, 2013, 6:00 am The Early Word: Drones In Today's Times: John O. Brennan, President Obama's pick for director of the Central Intelligence Agency, faced questions on Thursday from the Senate Intelligence Committee about the secrecy surrounding drone strikes and their legal justification. It is the first time an administration official has engaged in an extended public discussion about their use for targeted killing, Mark Mazzetti and Scott Shane report. Divisions within the Obama administration over how to handle the violence in Syria were on display Thursday on Capitol Hill as Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, appeared before lawmakers, Michael R. Gordon and Mark Landler report. House Democrats are starting to appreciate a new political reality: With control of 200 seats in a chamber shared with deeply partisan Republicans struggling with their own internal divisions, Democrats matter again, Jeremy W. Peters reports. Roman Catholic bishops rejected the Obama administration's latest proposal on health insurance coverage of contraception Thursday, saying that while it seemed to address part of their concerns, it did not go far enough to protect religious organizations that object to the mandate, Robert Pear reports. Washington Happenings: Mr. Obama will speak at the Armed Forces Farewell Tribute in Arlington, Va., honoring Mr. Panetta on Friday.