Vol. 170 No. 24
COVER
In his new, more combative mode, the challenger has begun to dislodge the idea of Hillary Clinton's inevitability. But does going on offense put him on the defensive about changing politics as usual?
'I can make government and public service cool again.' (Cover Story / TIME Interview)
TIME managing editor Richard Stengel met with Senator Obama in Portsmouth, N.H., for a talk on their flight to New York City. Here are highlights of their conversation:
NATION
It's true; in the waning of his presidency, he has discovered some of his dad's old tricks
The Identity Card (Viewpoint)
Will Obama's mixed race make it harder for him to appeal to both white and black voters?
ESSAY
Viewpoint: Michael Kinsley doesn't think recent advancements can make up for the GOP's hypocritical stance on embryonic-stem-cell studies — or six years of lost research
Immigration Boils Over (Commentary)
illegal immigrants
Generation X-mas
How an upstart film became a holiday icon for the post-boomer set
WORLD
It's back in the news, as Islamic extremists fight U.S. allies and the risk of a regional war in the Horn of Africa grows. Is this the next front in the war on terrorism?
Postcard: Shenzhen (Postcard: Shenzhen)
As the Chinese middle class expands, so does its curious appetite for foreign-themed amusement parks. Behind the scenes at China's very own Swiss alpine resort
SCIENCE
What the big players want at the upcoming talks on global warming
HEALTH & MEDICINE
If you haven't heard of sensory processing disorder, or SPD, you're not alone. It's not in the medical books. So why are so many kids being treated for it?
NOTEBOOK
Exit Wound. (Briefing / The Moment)
Pakistan's leader leaves the army, but his war on the constitution continues
Numbers
Briefing
France's Next Fight (Briefing / World Spotlight)
Verbatim
Milestones (Briefing)
Politics (Briefing)
SOCIETY
Girls are getting more concussions than boys are. Why they are at risk
Absinthe Is Back (Life: Environment - Food - Power Of One - Fit Nation / Food)
After a 95-year ban, the supposedly hallucinogenic liqueur returns to the U.S. Absintini, anyone?
Blueprint Brigade (Life: Environment - Food - Power Of One - Fit Nation / Power of One)
An engineering professor is harnessing people power to build solutions for the developing world
The Diet-Pill Dilemma (Life: Environment - Food - Power Of One - Fit Nation / Fit Nation)
When willpower fails, are antiobesity drugs worth the risk of less-than-pleasant side effects?
BUSINESS
Consumers drive the U.S. economy. But we're maxed out on our debt, and the good times may be coming to an end
5 Ways to Survive a Downturn (The Well / Business)
Should a slowdown become a downturn, it pays to be ready. A commonsense guide to surviving in a volatile economy
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
How one man built a global movie-magnet machine
The Golden Compass vs. the Church (Arts: Movies - Books - Downtime / Books)
Behind a family-friendly new movie stands an author who casts a skeptical eye on religion
(Arts: Movies - Books - Downtime / Downtime)
What to seek out and what to avoid this week in entertainment
PEOPLE
Who Will Be Person of the Year in 2007?
TIME asked several prominent individuals whom they would choose for the 2007 Person of the Year. The nominations continue
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Willing to pay a million bucks for a bike? Get in line. The custom-cycle business is vrooming
Sharp's Way of Reshaping Television (Global Business: Energy - Top Business Teams - Life At The Top / Top Business Teams)
A radical rethinking of its design approach led Sharp down the path of innovation
Is Chavez Taking Too Many Oil Risks? (Global Business: Energy - Top Business Teams - Life At The Top / Energy)
Venezuela needs to invest to boost its oil output. But at $98 a barrel, why bother? Call it the Chávez conundrum
Business Books (Business Books)
colleagues. Plus, a $140 million mistake; Cramer on beating the market