The Midday Brief: Jan. 18, 2011

Your afternoon reading:

• "Gov. Rick Perry — who has repeatedly said he is not interested in running for president — will deliver today an inaugural address for his third full term as Texas governor that sounds a lot like a speech to lay the groundwork for a presidential bid." — Perry inaugural address sounds like a presidential candidate, Texas Politics

• "A buoyant Gov. Rick Perry seasoned his inaugural address Tuesday with numerous criticisms of the federal government, attacking Washington’s handling of the federal budget and the Texas-Mexico border." — Perry’s speech looks beyond Texas, Postcards

• "Before publicly taking the oath today for another term, Rick Perry had some private time with corporate interests and political supporters bankrolling the inauguration." — Donors, corporate interests footing bill for Rick Perry’s inauguration, The Dallas Morning News

• "Education will have to bear the brunt of budget cuts, conservative legislators said Tuesday, because the federal government has left them no other options." — Conservatives lay out plan for spending cuts, Postcards

• "Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins has forbidden his staff from speaking to the media, and some prosecutors say they fear they’ll be fired if they talk to a reporter without permission." — Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins forbids prosecutors from speaking to the media, The Dallas Morning News

New in The Texas Tribune

• We've posted the full text of Perry and Dewhurst's inauguration speeches. The Trib's Elise Hu was there to liveblog the events. And speaking of Elise Hu...