Vol. 171 No. 16

COVER

The Story of Barack Obama's Mother (The Well / Cover Story)
Barack Obama's greatest influence was a woman most Americans know nothing about. How her uncommon life shaped his views of the world

NATION

PA. Gets its Political Close-Up (The Well / CAMPAIGN '08)
Second in a series Pennsylvanians are next in line to cast votes for Clinton or Obama. How they decide may foreshadow the election in November

Philly Politicos Kick it Old-School (Viewpoint)
Ward leaders in Philadelphia will get out the vote in the primary, just as Grandpop did

ESSAY

Petraeus Meets His Match. (Commentary / In the Arena)
The general has made real progress in Iraq. But he doesn't have an answer for Barack Obama

TV Home Shows Learn to Love the Bust (Commentary / Tuned In)
Having soared with the housing bubble, TV home shows are now learning to love the bust

Writers Vs. Editors: A Battle for the Ages
Whtevr u say, Mike, but this hedlin didnt get editd and thts why it readz like this

WORLD

Zimbabwe's Opposition Leader Is This Close...Again (The Well / Profile)
Morgan Tsvangirai has been attacked and arrested for challenging Zimbabwe's despot Robert Mugabe. Now he may be on the verge of unseating him

China's Olympic Shame (The Well / World)
China's crackdown has emboldened critics around the world. Why Beijing is blowing it

Postcard: London (Postcard: London)
Among the travelers at Europe's busiest airport are a surprising number of homeless--and they're not going anywhere. A night with Heathrow's down-and-out jet set

NOTEBOOK

Milestones (Briefing)

Verbatim

Numbers

The Reckoning. (Briefing / The Moment)
As the Senate debates the war's future, the President confronts its cost

The Page (Briefing)

Briefing

Dashboard (Briefing / Washington Memo)

SCIENCE

An Unlikely Refuge for Hippie Apes (Conservation)
Conservationists fear for the survival of the sociable, sexual bonobos, but an answer may be found in war-torn Congo

SOCIETY

On the Colorado Beer Trail (Life: Travel - Design - Sport / Travel)
Who needs Napa? Colorado offers fans of craft brews their own playland of tours and tasting bars

Swinging for Female Golfers (Life: Travel - Design - Sport / Sport)
More golf clubs are being designed specifically for women. We put them to the test

1950s Furniture for Modern Babies (Design)
Parents are leaving the pastels behind and going for a more contemporary look in the nursery

BUSINESS

Don't Ditch the GDP (The Well / The Curious Capitalist)
Want to measure happiness? Great. Health? Swell. But don't ruin the best gauge we have of economic activity

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Reality TV Wants to Heal You (Arts: Television - Movies - Downtime / Television)
The current crop of reality TV is less about makeovers and competitions, and more about therapy

Hong Kong Kung-fu Stars Can't Be Stopped (Arts: Television - Movies - Downtime / The Big Picture)
Why Hong Kong kung-fu fighters Jackie Chan and Jet Li have outlasted a generation of Hollywood action stars

Ben Stein Dukes it Out with Darwin (Arts: Television - Movies - Downtime / Movies)
Ben Stein takes on the scientific establishment. Nobody wins

Charlton Heston: The Epic Man (Appreciation)
From iconic movie hero to gun advocate, Charlton Heston embodied both our grandest and our most ornery beliefs

(Web Watch)

(Arts: Television - Movies - Downtime / Downtime)
Three unusual women: one a prodigy, one pregnant and one made of polymer

PEOPLE

10 Questions for Randy Pausch (10 Questions)

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

The TIME 100
To help select the world's most influential people, previous honorees offer their nominations when asked, Who should be on this year's list?

LETTERS

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