October 2004

A prisoner's tale By Graeme Wood
The saga of a hapless New Zealander who ended up behind bars after seeking work in Iraq reveals the darker side of the U.S.-led coalition's operations. (10/31/2004)

Tarred with the L-word By Mary Jacoby
Inez Tenenbaum, a conservative Democrat vying for retiring Sen. Fritz Hollings' seat, counters charges that she's too liberal for South Carolina. (10/31/2004)

The battle for the Catholic vote By Joe Feuerherd
Facing a legitimacy crisis at home, American bishops have been trying to crack down on pro-choice politicians like John Kerry. But so far Catholic voters are siding with the Democrat. (10/31/2004)

Stars try to shine the way in Ohio By Michelle Goldberg
Paul Newman, Steve Buscemi, Matt Dillon and a cast of dozens dazzle Cleveland with a door-to-door drive to get out the vote. (10/31/2004)

Down to the wire By Tim Grieve
The Kerry and Bush campaigns both projected confidence as they raced toward the finish line, but the polls -- and a surge of new voters -- may give the Democrats the momentum. (10/31/2004)

Real sportsmen don't vote Bush By Kevin Berger
Worried there won't be any wilderness left to hunt or fish in, increasing numbers of American sportsmen are tuning out the NRA and turning to Kerry. (11/01/2004)

My hometown, battleground By Geraldine Sealey
On Tuesday, a city that's accustomed to being dumped on -- literally -- will have its chance to show America that nothing is the matter with Scranton. (10/31/2004)

The continuing agony By Ben Birnbaum
The sad lives of the undecided drag on long after the election is over. (10/31/2004)

Osama, uncut Katharine Mieszkowski
(10/31/2004)

The second coming of JFK Tim Grieve
(10/31/2004)

Colin Powell believes U.S. is losing Iraq war David Talbot
(10/31/2004)

Kerry surges in Minnesota Eric Boehlert
(10/31/2004)

In the polls Jeff Horwitz
(10/31/2004)

Kerry takes electoral vote lead David Talbot
(10/31/2004)

In the heart of Ohio Eric Rorer
(10/31/2004)

What race is ABC's The Note watching? Eric Boehlert
(10/31/2004)

Green Bay wins; Kerry fans survive freakish 4th quarter Andrew Leonard
(10/31/2004)

Prepare for a bloodbath in Iraq Mark Follman
(10/31/2004)

Dot.com, president, whatever Tim Grieve
(11/01/2004)

Cell phone landslide for Kerry David Talbot
(11/01/2004)

"60 Minutes" says soldiers are sitting ducks David Talbot
(11/01/2004)

Camille for Kerry! By Kerry Lauerman
Paglia says "this entire administration needs to be replaced" -- but finds time to unload on Edwards, O'Reilly and Franken, and many others. (10/30/2004)

Bestsellers
It is officially the week of the underdog -- coming in behind the Red Sox, Jon Stewart knocks Dan Brown to fifth place! (10/30/2004)

Letting down the Guard By Jeff Horwitz
With 200 dead in Iraq, morale in the tank and reenlistments threatened, the Army National Guard and Reserve are facing a crisis. (10/30/2004)

Remembering Spc. Tomas Garces By Amy Smith
The first Texas National Guardsman to fall in combat since WWII came from a poor family. His death shows how far we've come from the days when rich kids like George W. Bush gamed the system to avoid war. (10/30/2004)

Down with the Kerry haters By Michelle Goldberg
Outside the Bush-Arnold rally in Ohio, Republicans railed at demonstrators with apocalyptic fury. (10/30/2004)

Iraq explosives story detonates under Bush campaign Eric Boehlert
How team Bush has bungled the al-Qaqaa controversy -- with a new "60 Minutes" blockbuster coming on Sunday. (10/30/2004)

Kerry: Bush blew it on bin Laden By Tim Grieve
After initial hesitation, the Democratic candidate comes out swinging on the Osama video. (10/30/2004)

Time to hit the barricades? By Katharine Mieszkowski
What are you going to do if Bush wins? Sob? Start a revolution? Get leaner, meaner and tougher? Or move to Canada? (10/30/2004)

GOP vs. GOP in Ohio polling showdown Eric Boehlert
(10/30/2004)

Bill Maher on bin Laden David Talbot
(10/30/2004)

Richard Clarke: Osama is for Bush Mark Follman
(10/30/2004)

Bush dithers, Arctic withers Katharine Mieszkowski
(10/30/2004)

FDR's grandson: Bush is no war president Mark Follman
(10/30/2004)

In the polls Katharine Mieszkowski
(10/30/2004)

The GOP's own Nader nightmare Jeff Horwitz
(10/30/2004)

Tucker Carlson calls it for Kerry David Talbot
(10/30/2004)

GOP advisor thanks Osama Eric Boehlert
(10/30/2004)

Kerry camp encouraged by post-Osama polls Tim Grieve
(10/30/2004)

Breathe, people Geraldine Sealey
(10/30/2004)

Huge Ohio crowd wraps up Kerry's big day Tim Grieve
(10/31/2004)

Blair bashes Bush David Talbot
(10/31/2004)

"Ray" By Charles Taylor
Jamie Foxx rocks the house as the late, great Ray Charles. Can this one movie make America seem beautiful again? (10/29/2004)

"Birth" By Stephanie Zacharek
Nicole Kidman stars as a woman entranced by a 10-year-old boy who claims to be her late husband. So just how steamy is that scene where Kidman and the kid take a bath together? (10/29/2004)

The Fix
O'Reilly says he'll "never speak" of loofah scandal again; Rip Torn is cut loose; and are Bush and Kerry both related to Dracula? (10/29/2004)

Poison pens By Amelia Gentleman
Never before has a single writer attracted so many critical biographies in such a short period of time. But France's Bernard-Henri Levy, the target, isn't too concerned. (10/29/2004)

Letters
"I am going against my hometown baseball team and rooting for the enemy!" Readers tell Salon how politics is affecting them. (10/29/2004)

Of goblins and gospels By Christopher Healy
Evangelical Christians have decided that instead of boycotting Halloween, they're going to take advantage it -- by slipping Bible verses into kids' candy bags. (10/29/2004)

The rise of the insta-doc By Corrie Pikul
Through documentaries like "Outfoxed," "UnConstitutional" and "Control Room," digital technology has revolutionized the box office -- and democracy. (10/29/2004)

"We love your outfits on the trail!" By Rebecca Traister
The first twins stick to an RNC-sanctioned script in a suspiciously grammatical online chat with "real" voters. (10/29/2004)

There is a house in New Orleans By Mary Jacoby
Rumors involving a prostitute and a secret alliance with neo-Nazi David Duke trail the Republican Senate candidate in Louisiana. (10/29/2004)

Blocking the shot By Eric Boehlert
A federal judge orders an end to the Pentagon's program of mandatory anthrax vaccinations. (10/29/2004)

Letters
Salon readers respond to Kevin Criss' letter on who the pollsters are leaving out, and debate whether Nader still matters. (10/29/2004)

The looting of Iraq's arsenal By David DeBatto
The same month Al Qaqaa was being stripped of high explosives, I warned my military intelligence unit of another weapons facility that was being cleaned out. But nothing was done. (10/29/2004)

NASA photo analyst: Bush wore a device during debate By Kevin Berger
Physicist says imaging techniques prove the president's bulge was not caused by wrinkled clothing. (10/30/2004)

The Iraqi body count By Sarah Boseley
A study by public health experts finds that about 100,000 civilians have died in the war, and that violence is now the leading cause of death for Iraqis. (10/29/2004)

"He cannot be replaced" By Chris McGreal
Arafat has done little to prepare the system he dominates for his possible demise, and a battle for power is likely. (10/29/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
NFL Week 8: The Kerry Packers visit the Bush Redskins on Beltway turf, and the pick here is for a doozy of an October surprise. (10/29/2004)

Fun and games in Florida By Farhad Manjoo
Are voter mishaps in the Sunshine State a Republican plot, a Democratic scheme or just pure abject incompetence? (10/29/2004)

October surprise! By Tim Grieve
Osama bin Laden makes an unexpected appearance on videotape, giving the jitters to two already high-anxiety campaigns. (10/29/2004)

Supreme injustice By Joe Conason
Across the country, the Republican Party continues to intimidate African-American and Latino voters -- an ugly legacy of Chief Justice William Rehnquist. (10/29/2004)

Happy days are here again! By Jim Hightower
Cheer up, progressives, says Texas populist Jim Hightower. Not only will Kerry win decisively on Nov. 2 -- we're also seeing the great awakening of grass-roots democracy. (10/29/2004)

Memo to Kerry: Don't let Osama steal your thunder By Joan Walsh
Keep going after Bush, the way the president should have pursued bin Laden at Tora Bora. (10/30/2004)

Friday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(10/29/2004)

"No ambition whatsoever" Geraldine Sealey
(10/29/2004)

About that al Qaqaa satellite imagery Geraldine Sealey
(10/29/2004)

NAACP, the taxman cometh Geraldine Sealey
(10/29/2004)

In the polls Jeff Horwitz
(10/29/2004)

The perils of going off message Mark Follman
(10/29/2004)

Holbrooke wins Round 1 in bin Laden spin battle David Talbot
(10/29/2004)

Rugrats for Kerry David Talbot
(10/29/2004)

Election fraud in Ohio Mark Follman
(10/29/2004)

MTV alters "Mosh" -- but director is still happy Corrie Pikul
(10/29/2004)

Revolutionaries
Table Talkers weigh in this week on the campaign's final push, and outwitting the curse of the Bambino. (10/29/2004)

Ask the pilot By Patrick Smith
Time to get political: The pilot recalls his encounters with Brown, Kennedy, Jackson, Dukakis and Gore. Extra credit for guessing the link. (10/29/2004)

"Enduring Love" By Charles Taylor
This peculiar film about a guy stalked by another guy asks that age-old question: Are psychotics who need people the luckiest people in the world? (10/28/2004)

The Fix
Lachey denies stripper scandal; Bush voted biggest movie bad guy; Courtney heads back to court. (10/28/2004)

Civic avowal Andrew O'Hehir
Ralph Nader's new pamphlet prompts this revelation: Between the Uranian right and bourgeois left, Nader may be the moral choice, but he's still the wrong one. (10/28/2004)

Tom the Dancing Bug By Ruben Bolling
The most wrong man in the world. (10/28/2004)

Letters
"This election is giving me shingles!" Readers tell Salon how politics is affecting them. (10/28/2004)

Since you asked By Cary Tennis
Politics is driving me insane! Should I leave the country? (10/28/2004)

Red Sox joy, beyond the grave By Andrew Leonard
My grandfather died in 1986, shortly after Boston's worst sports humiliation ever. He's smiling now. (10/28/2004)

"It will be worse than in 2000" By Mary Jacoby
NAACP head Julian Bond says the GOP is going all out to suppress the black vote. Can his "Election Protection" offensive stop them? (10/28/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Boston wins the World Series! Throw out the sackcloth and ashes. Red Sox fandom will never be the same. (10/28/2004)

Cheese eaters vs. hamburger eaters By Amelia Gentleman
The mayor of Saint-Briac, Kerry's French first cousin, tries to keep a low profile, and hopes for better relations between the U.S. and France under the Democrat's leadership. (10/28/2004)

Who could replace Arafat? By Chris McGreal
As the Palestinian president's health deteriorates, questions arise about how a new leader would affect the politics of the region. (10/28/2004)

"In plain violation" By Vikram Dodd
Four Britons who say they were tortured at Guantanamo file a suit against Defense Secretary Rumsfeld and other U.S. military officials. (10/28/2004)

"I believe in the promised land" By Tim Grieve
Bruce Springsteen takes the moment into his hands -- and joins John Kerry for a massive Wisconsin rally. (10/28/2004)

Why the U.S. must withdraw from Iraq By Peter Dale Scott
Vietnam proved that offensive occupations are doomed. In his arrogance, Bush is repeating the same blunder. (10/28/2004)

GOP paints Dems as flu villains Eric Boehlert
(10/28/2004)

Go Mud Hens! Tim Grieve
(10/28/2004)

Thursday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(10/28/2004)

Rudy denigrates the troops Geraldine Sealey
(10/28/2004)

In the polls Jeff Horwitz
(10/28/2004)

Al Qaqaa story continues to explode Mark Follman
(10/28/2004)

Pity the pollsters David Talbot
(10/28/2004)

Bizarro Bunning moments end up in ads Mary Jacoby
(10/28/2004)

One dedicated soldier backs the "war" prez -- en masse Mark Follman
(10/28/2004)

Deer caught in crossfire with Tucker Carlson Katharine Mieszkowski
(10/28/2004)

If you couldn't be in Madison today Joan Walsh
(10/29/2004)

Former Reagan adviser endorses Kerry Mark Follman
(10/29/2004)

Bruce does it again in Columbus Tim Grieve
(10/29/2004)

"I'm an Iraqi prisoner being tortured! Boo!" Katharine Mieszkowski
(10/29/2004)

Either the terrorists are with Kerry, or they're with Bush Mark Follman
(10/29/2004)

Azzam the American v. Bruce Springsteen Joan Walsh
(10/29/2004)

Bring on the plague years By Alan H. Goldstein and Kate Braverman
The last thing the world needs right now is a global bioweapons race. Yet President Bush seems determined to start one. (10/28/2004)

"Mosh" for the masses By Thomas Bartlett
The most important protest song of this election, courtesy of Eminem. Plus: Free new music from Tom Waits and the Pixies' Frank Black. (10/27/2004)

"Celsius 41.11" By Stephanie Zacharek
With this surreally bad, conservative response to "Fahrenheit 9/11," the year of the political film finally hits rock bottom. (10/27/2004)

The Fix
Stern confronts Powell; Katherine Harris caught canoodling? Christie Brinkley's kid endorses Kerry. (10/27/2004)

Politics as crack cocaine By Alex Mar
Novelist Stephen Elliott talks about John Kerry the guitar strummer and avid reader, George W. Bush the magnetic caveman, and his own loopy new book about the 2004 campaign. (10/27/2004)

"I love you, man" By Stephen Elliott
An excerpt from Stephen Elliott's hilarious new book, "Looking Forward to It: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the American Electoral Process." (10/27/2004)

The K Chronicles By Keith Knight
Voter Guide: As unbiased as Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reilly, Savage, Scarborough, etc. (10/27/2004)

Teddy and me By Anne Lamott
At a fundraiser in Oakland, I thanked Sen. Kennedy for all of his good work. Then he looked into my eyes and promised we were going to win. (10/27/2004)

Requiem for a reformer By Peter Dizikes
Four years ago, he drew celebrities and crowds. This time, as it wheezes toward the finish line, the Nader campaign has the feel of Spinal Tap's last tour. (10/27/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
World Series: The Red Sox are one win away. Anything can happen -- again -- but this is looking like a back-alley beating. (10/27/2004)

Villain or visionary? By Chris McGreal
Sharon's strategy of limited removal of Jewish settlements shakes up his party, possibly irrevocably. (10/27/2004)

"Fateful moment" By Chris McGreal
Israel's prime minister wins parliamentary support for a withdrawal from Gaza, but what this will mean for Palestinians is hard to predict. (10/27/2004)

Come home, Bill Clinton By Gary Younge
Aside from Florida, Arkansas is the last Southern state Democrats may still be able to win. But many blacks there remain ambivalent toward Kerry. (10/27/2004)

The power of a publisher By Lisa Chamberlain
Some consider the Cleveland Plain Dealer's decision to endorse no one for president a victory -- the paper almost gave the nod to Bush. (10/27/2004)

Get ready for a November surprise By Kevin Criss
A "black young'n" says the polls and pundits just don't get the new voter realities. Kerry wins in a blowout, predicts this Salon reader. (10/27/2004)

Journeys with Kerry By Tim Grieve
As he rolls from Iowa to Minnesota, the Dem hits Bush hard on missing munitions. (10/27/2004)

More GOP dirty tricks in Florida? By Farhad Manjoo
Investigative reporter Greg Palast discovers a "secret" voting list, but the document doesn't necessarily prove Republican wrongdoing. (10/27/2004)

GOP's worst fears coming true By Michelle Goldberg
An influential Republican pollster concludes that a big minority turnout will tip the battleground states to Kerry. (10/27/2004)

Watch Bush's "one-fingered victory salute"
Back when he was Texas governor, the president sassed Karen Hughes big time, and the cameras caught him. (10/27/2004)

What did you do during the Great Election of '04? By Jeff Horwitz
Want to take part in the making of American history? Here's how to volunteer -- to make sure the voters turn out and the election is fair. (10/27/2004)

The unmaking of the president By Sidney Blumenthal
Why the incumbent who should have won in a cakewalk is headed for defeat next week. (10/27/2004)

Bunning supporter throws "limp-wristed" curveball Mary Jacoby
(10/27/2004)

Wednesday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(10/27/2004)

Are people who live in cities real Americans? NRO says no! Michelle Goldberg
(10/27/2004)

In the polls Jeff Horwitz
(10/27/2004)

Rock 'n' roll president Mark Follman
(10/27/2004)

"I hope I am not responsible for Armageddon" Mark Follman
(10/27/2004)

Errol Morris lifts the fog around Bush's war David Talbot
(10/27/2004)

Republicans' bash-Bush bash in Denver Mark Follman
(10/27/2004)

Joe Biden irate over missing explosives in Iraq Mark Follman
(10/27/2004)

Too much ado about Iowa By Farhad Manjoo
In an election as close as this one, does the "smart crowd" behavior in electronic markets really mean anything? (10/27/2004)

The magic Christian By Cintra Wilson
All bow before the young British actor with more going on than any American actor, ever -- Garland, Brando, Sinatra, you name it. And he's not even a major star (yet). (10/26/2004)

The Fix
Zeta-Jones sues strip club; Star Jones' fiance parties in a Speedo; Ashlee Simspon mystified by hoopla, says, "My boob didn't pop out." (10/26/2004)

Pink TV By Amelia Gentleman
France gets its first gay channel, which promises viewers a mix of "Wonder Woman" repeats, prime-time opera and post-midnight porn. (10/26/2004)

Letters
Graham Greene -- angry Yank-hater, or must-read for the Bush White House? And by the way, God does matter in "The Quiet American." Readers respond to Laura Miller's "'God Save Us From the Innocent and the Good.'" (10/26/2004)

WayLay By Carol Lay
Divorce is ... (10/26/2004)

My father died but I'm not grieving By Cary Tennis
Is something wrong with me? I don't seem to feel anything. (10/26/2004)

Battleground: New Mexico By James Verini
Going door to door in the Land of Enchantment, where Hispanic voters could tip the election either way. (10/26/2004)

Battleground: Iowa By David Moberg
They sparked Kerry's comeback in the primary season. Will Hawkeye State voters now put him in the White House? (10/26/2004)

Comeback By Tim Grieve
Bill Clinton's dramatic return to the campaign trail powers Kerry toward the finish line. (10/26/2004)

"Thousands and thousands of potential terrorist attacks" By Mark Follman
A top nuclear-proliferation expert says that the Bush administration's failure to safeguard almost 380 tons of high-tech explosives "borders on criminal negligence." (10/26/2004)

Eminem's anti-Bush anthem By Michelle Goldberg
Watch the "Mosh" video, the most powerful broadside against the administration since "Fahrenheit 9/11." (10/27/2004)

Ohio's referendum on welfare By David Teather and Larry Elliott
For the 93,000 people in the state living without unemployment benefits, God and guns can't compete with economic issues. (10/26/2004)

On the offense By Tim Grieve
From the missing munitions to a ballooning war bill, John Kerry seizes on bad news out of Iraq, putting George W. Bush on the defensive. (10/26/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
The designated hitter rule helps the home team in the World Series. Good news for the Cards, who need some as the Red Sox visit for Game 3. (10/26/2004)

Tip of the iceberg By David J. Morris
As I learned while embedded in Iraq, the highly lethal explosives stolen from Al Qaqaa are just a fraction of the mountain of poorly secured munitions that could be turned against U.S. soldiers and citizens. (10/26/2004)

The clock is running out By James K. Galbraith
Will voters come to their senses about Bush? If his job-approval ratings and the weak economy are any guide, that's likely. (10/26/2004)

Locke holds the key By Martin Kettle
To define the politics of the future, look to the source of liberalism, an English philosopher who was a strong defender of civil liberties. (10/26/2004)

Supreme scenarios Tim Grieve
(10/26/2004)

Seven-days-and-counting Tuesday must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(10/26/2004)

RNC pretends newspapers lean left Eric Boehlert
(10/26/2004)

In the polls Jeff Horwitz
(10/26/2004)

Bush weighs in on his bulge Mark Follman
(10/26/2004)

Hillary goes Hollywood -- in Brooklyn Rebecca Traister
(10/26/2004)

First Sinclair, now Pappas Eric Boehlert
(10/26/2004)

Katherine Harris makes friends in Congress Eric Boehlert
(10/26/2004)

The battle for the Senate Jeff Horwitz
(10/26/2004)

Righties tell the Cheneys Mary can be cured Michelle Goldberg
(10/26/2004)

Aussie spy chief: Iraq spawning terrorists Mark Follman
(10/26/2004)

Was Bush keeping quiet about Rehnquist? Eric Boehlert
(10/26/2004)

The enemy of Moby's enemy... Michelle Goldberg
(10/26/2004)

Why is Bush outsourcing his bulge? David Talbot
(10/26/2004)

Medical experts: Rehnquist's condition could be severe Kevin Berger
(10/26/2004)

Yes, Floridians, you can blame Bush for the weather Katharine Mieszkowski
(10/26/2004)

Ex-pat voters' homeland insecurity Mark Follman
(10/26/2004)

He's hot. He's sexy. And he's been dead for 2,300 years By Amy Reiter
"Alexander the Great" is being celebrated by Oliver Stone, Leo DiCaprio, DVDs, books, even a video game. An expert explains why everyone's so worked up over the ancient, sexually ambiguous, bloodthirsty conquerer. (10/25/2004)

I Like To Watch By Heather Havrilesky
The badass models of "Las Vegas" burn brightly, "Lost" is found, but those "Housewives" seem increasingly desperate. Plus: The bold political comments of TV's newest reality billionaire. (10/25/2004)

The Fix
Eminem "undecided"; New Yorker endorses for first time; Kravitz commode causes contretemps; and is Usher the latest home-video star? (10/25/2004)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
Blindfolds for Bush! (10/25/2004)

I think my friend's affair is wrong By Cary Tennis
But I don't know if I should tell her or not. (10/25/2004)

How John Kerry exposed the Contra-cocaine scandal By Robert Parry
Derided by the mainstream press and taking on Reagan at the height of his popularity, the freshman senator battled to reveal one of America's ugliest foreign policy secrets. (10/25/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
World Series: The Sock of the Red Death. Curt Schilling and his painful, bloody ankle put the Cardinals in mortal danger. (10/25/2004)

"I reported the rape, then watched my career implode" By Suzanne Goldenberg
In the U.S. military, rapists often go unpunished, several female victims attest. (10/25/2004)

"Bush has been adroit at exploiting" 9/11 By Oliver Burkeman
Jimmy Carter attacks the president for helping to fuel anti-American feeling in the Islamic world, among many other failings. (10/25/2004)

The British opposition By Michael White
Former Prime Minister Major and other Tories criticize Blair's Iraq war strategy. (10/25/2004)

Ad blitz By Eric Boehlert
Bush and Kerry harness the symbolic power of wolves and eagles, and hugs and tears, in their last-minute TV appeals to voters. (10/25/2004)

The Bushies wrecked my party! By Sarah Rogers
A mean guy named Dick ordered my guests around, some halfwit named George broke everything, and this Karl creep really befouled the air in my bathroom. (10/25/2004)

Monday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(10/25/2004)

Missing munitions ammunition for Kerry Geraldine Sealey
(10/25/2004)

The Zen of the Fox interview Eric Boehlert
(10/25/2004)

In the polls Jeff Horwitz
(10/25/2004)

Fatuous Fineman David Talbot
(10/25/2004)

Touch-screen voting ruled OK in Florida Farhad Manjoo
(10/25/2004)

Bush searches the Tora Bora hills for latest attack Geraldine Sealey
(10/25/2004)

A Bush win? Lefty journos contemplate the unthinkable Michelle Goldberg
(10/25/2004)

The bulge lives! Katharine Mieszkowski
(10/25/2004)

Inevitable Jon Stewart backlash Rebecca Traister
(10/25/2004)

How George Bush lost the sun By Katharine Mieszkowski
Solar power could be a source of new jobs and an answer to global warming. So why has the U.S. fallen behind other nations in developing it? (10/25/2004)

Falling to "Pieces" By Heather Havrilesky
Ashlee Simpson's lip-syncing drama on "SNL" exposed her as the concocted rocker chick we already knew she was. (10/25/2004)

"Wolf! Wolf!"
Our readers are not suckered in by the empty cries of the big bad Bush-Cheney wolf TV ad -- and so write their own smart, savvy and much better scripts. (10/24/2004)

Newspapers for Kerry Geraldine Sealey
(10/24/2004)

"Catastrophic success" Mark Follman
(10/24/2004)

The mood at BC '04: Not quite 'grim' Geraldine Sealey
(10/24/2004)

Bush's hotline to Jesus Michelle Goldberg
(10/24/2004)

"God save us from the innocent and the good" By Laura Miller
Looking at Graham Greene's novels a century after his birth, we see a cool analyst of human venality and corruption -- who warned us long ago about the terrible effects of America's naive meddling in other nations' affairs. (10/23/2004)

Welcome to the Parade of October Surprises! By Joyce McGreevy
Block the vote. A loofah in every shower. One flu over the Cuckoo's Nest. There's no telling what we'll see! (10/23/2004)

The Wolf ad Blitzer, uh, blitz David Talbot
(10/23/2004)

Not so fast, new voters Geraldine Sealey
(10/23/2004)

Bangor paper abandons Bush Tim Grieve
(10/23/2004)

The world is watching Farhad Manjoo
(10/23/2004)

The end is near Tim Grieve
(10/23/2004)

Former colleagues dispute Bush version of 1973 "volunteer" work Joan Walsh
(10/23/2004)

In the wacky weekend polls Jeff Horwitz
(10/23/2004)

Irony is alive and well Mark Follman
(10/23/2004)

Wolves speak out! Geraldine Sealey
(10/23/2004)

Nader definitely out in PA Mark Follman
(10/24/2004)

The Fix
Stewart and Burnett seal deal, Judd condemned for lesbian cruise, and voters scorn Paris Hilton. Plus: Tommy Lee's foot fetish! (10/22/2004)

"The Machinist" By Stephanie Zacharek
Christian Bale lost 63 pounds and turned himself into a walking skeleton to star in this psychological horror thriller. Was it worth it? (10/22/2004)

"Being Julia" By Stephanie Zacharek
Annette Bening plays a great actress in Istvan Szabo's resolute charmer -- and proves she is one, too. (10/22/2004)

"The Distance Between Us" By Masha Hamilton
Caddie has covered the Middle East for years -- but this trip into the Lebanese desert with a driver who never speaks is starting to feel ominous. (10/22/2004)

Chafing at labels By Stephen Moss
Alan Hollinghurst, winner of this year's Booker Prize for "The Line of Beauty," says there's much more going on his novel than gay sex. (10/22/2004)

Letters
"Life is rough, and kids should know that." Readers debate the merits of "problem novels" for teens. (10/22/2004)

My mother-in-law is a narcissist By Cary Tennis
She tells us way too much about her sex life. (10/22/2004)

Would you drink this water? By Corrie Pikul
NEWater looks like any other glacier-clear bottled H20. Except it gushes from the toilets of Singapore instead of a bubbling spring. (10/22/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
World Series preview: Pitching can only do so much. The Cardinals and Red Sox will settle this thing with baseball bats. Plus: NFL Week 7 picks. (10/22/2004)

Sleaze and smear at Sinclair By Eric Boehlert
David Smith and Carlton Sherwood, the two men behind the "Stolen Honor" fiasco, are a perfect match. (10/22/2004)

Reeducation in Iraq By Rory McCarthy
The Commission for De-Baathification's attempt to link nationalist history with Nazism gets a cool reception from party members, who just want jobs. (10/22/2004)

World to Americans: You're OK -- it's Bush we hate By Mark Hertsgaard
But if we reelect the least popular man on the planet, we could find ourselves being despised, too. (10/22/2004)

The Coors campaign's deceptive advertising By Joe Conason
Colorado beer baron Pete Coors is running for Senate as a moderate conservationist. But he's given millions to anti-environmental and anti-feminist groups. (10/22/2004)

The right to an oddball candidacy By Julian Borger
Former supporters are determined to stop the man they believe lost the 2000 election for the Democrats, but Nader says his run for office is the "consummate expression" of the First Amendment. (10/22/2004)

Who says college kids are apathetic? Geraldine Sealey
(10/22/2004)

Friday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(10/22/2004)

"Sen. Obama, you're no Jesus Christ" Geraldine Sealey
(10/22/2004)

Almost $4 billion worth of bumper stickers and attack ads Katharine Mieszkowski
(10/22/2004)

In the polls Jeff Horwitz
(10/22/2004)

Sinclair spin: We love Dems, too Eric Boehlert
(10/22/2004)

Beyond Rock the Vote Michelle Goldberg
(10/22/2004)

For Bunning, ignorance is bliss Mary Jacoby
(10/22/2004)

Fear factor Geraldine Sealey
(10/22/2004)

Jesse Ventura jumps into the ring for Kerry David Talbot
(10/22/2004)

Time to target Teresa? Michelle Goldberg
(10/22/2004)

A funny way to celebrate National Wolf Awareness Week Katharine Mieszkowski
(10/22/2004)

Tapes reveal FAA scrambling for DeLay power play Farhad Manjoo
(10/22/2004)

Schlossberg not afraid of the big bad wolves Geraldine Sealey
(10/22/2004)

Pained right-wingers ditch Bush for Kerry Mark Follman
(10/22/2004)

Eminem's rebel yell Gary Kamiya
(10/22/2004)

Kicking it to the curb
A president or a cookbook, what needs to go? Also, can kindness be mandated? (10/22/2004)

Ask the pilot By Patrick Smith
The pain of a Red Sox fan as he flies over Shea Stadium; more drunken Finns; and a whole 747-load of airplane geeks. (10/22/2004)

The Fix
Courtney cops plea, attitude; Ludacris comments on O'Reilly; Beatty for president? (10/21/2004)

"I don't know that we really changed anything" By Scott Thill
Charles Thompson, the legendary -- and legendarily cranky -- frontman of the Pixies, talks about their sold-out return, their future, and why music journalism is so incredibly lame. (10/21/2004)

"Soldiers Pay" By Andrew O'Hehir
This documentary sequel to David O. Russell's "Three Kings" was dropped when Warner Bros. refused to distribute it, but you can still see it -- and you should. (10/21/2004)

Tom the Dancing Bug By Ruben Bolling
The Secret Adventures of G.W. Bush: The mystery of the bulge is revealed! (10/21/2004)

Getting out the vote by putting out By Jennifer Fried
Groups like Votergasm.org and FTheVote are appealing to youthful lust to schwing the election. (10/21/2004)

I flunked out of Caltech grad school By Cary Tennis
So now I feel like a real dummy! (10/21/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
The Red Sox come back from 3-0 down to beat the Yankees and win the pennant, and everything you've ever known is false. (10/21/2004)

Sproul play By Farhad Manjoo
The RNC-funded firm Sproul & Associates stands accused of lying, cheating and even destroying Democratic voter registration forms to get more Republicans to the polls. (10/21/2004)

Suppressing the overseas vote By Alix Christie
Record numbers of Americans abroad have registered, but bureaucratic snafus may prevent many from actually voting. (10/21/2004)

"The best thing you can do is make people rich" By John Vidal
For the best return on investment, some prestigious economists say, the world should focus on preventing AIDS, eradicating hunger and increasing free trade. (10/21/2004)

Making the difference in Ohio By Suzanne Goldenberg
Foot soldiers in the Democratic ground war expect the state's half a million new voters to favor Kerry, as long as they show up when it counts. (10/21/2004)

Joschka Fischer's new world order By Simon Tisdall
With an eye to repairing the damage caused by disagreements over Iraq, Germany's foreign minister offers a rosy view of future U.S.-European relations. (10/21/2004)

Curse of Alfonso Soriano By Dan Kois
Will the Yankees ever win the World Series again? (10/21/2004)

Robertson's reality-based sin against Bush Mark Follman
(10/21/2004)

Thursday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(10/21/2004)

Sinclair loses meaty ads Geraldine Sealey
(10/21/2004)

Pat Robertson flashback Geraldine Sealey
(10/21/2004)

Kerry beefs up special forces Mark Follman
(10/21/2004)

Running scared of the Red Sox Tim Grieve
(10/21/2004)

The blind leading the blind Michelle Goldberg
(10/21/2004)

Gore to Florida for Kerry Geraldine Sealey
(10/21/2004)

Could Bush end up the Gore of '04? Jeff Horwitz
(10/21/2004)

George Bush, laugh riot Tim Grieve
(10/21/2004)

Tenet: Iraq war is "wrong" David Talbot
(10/21/2004)

GOP nabs Dems' Florida playbook Farhad Manjoo
(10/22/2004)

Bunning dodges debate amid more weirdness Mary Jacoby
(10/21/2004)

Wishful thinking over at Fox? Mark Follman
(10/22/2004)

The Fix
Stewart book banned from Wal-Mart; Olsen twin rumors labeled "hurtful"; Shriver withheld sex from Schwarzenegger after RNC speech. (10/20/2004)

Bestsellers
Jeffrey Eugenides and Yann Martel return, Jon Stewart and Bob Dylan stay strong, and Philip Roth makes it onto the list. But Dan Brown stubbornly remains on top. (10/20/2004)

Strange flesh By Russell Banks
In this shocking final installment from Russell Banks' new novel, Hannah meets Woodrow's family in their jungle village. (10/20/2004)

The K Chronicles By Keith Knight
It happened just a few days after I got married ... (10/20/2004)

My Scandinavian bridesmaid's roommate is a creep By Cary Tennis
He screwed my 17-year-old sister on my wedding night, and threatened to have my kneecaps broken! (10/20/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
The Red Sox have done the impossible. Now they'll try to do the unthinkable. Plus: The Astros can sneak into the World Series. (10/20/2004)

Reality-based reporting By Eric Boehlert
Ron Suskind, who exposed the ruthless internal operations of Team Bush, tells Salon that many Republicans, too, are frightened by the White House's "kill-or-be-killed desire to undermine public debate based on fact." (10/20/2004)

Poll crazy By Tim Grieve
If your mood swings are tied to the daily fluctuations of Electoral-Vote.com -- and you know who you are -- then you need Salon's guide to opinion polling sanity. (10/20/2004)

Fading threat By Gary Younge
A Nader campaign worker in Iowa faces big challenges in his effort to stir up interest in the candidate. (10/20/2004)

Punishing Kerry By Suzanne Goldenberg
Conservative Catholic clergy intensify their criticism of the candidate's support for abortion rights and stem cell research. (10/20/2004)

Letters
Responding to Michelle Goldberg's "Homosexuals Are Hellbound!" Salon readers wonder worry about the future of gay rights in America -- and the future of religion. (10/20/2004)

Right Hook By Mark Follman
Safire and Novak spin themselves silly over Kerry's Mary Cheney comment; Buchanan equates gays with alcoholics and pedophiles. Plus: Freepers trade blows over Jon Stewart's takedown of Tucker Carlson. (10/20/2004)

Bush suppresses damning CIA report on 9/11 By Robert Scheer
Intelligence official says a report that is "very embarrassing for the administration" is being withheld from Congress until after the election. (10/20/2004)

Speaking freely on the election By Dan Glaister
Larry Flynt, peddling a new book on political hypocrisy, says he is scared of Bush: "He can barely speak the native language. Now he talks to God all the time." (10/20/2004)

Turnout will be key By Sidney Blumenthal
With so many new registrations this year, the prospects for Kerry look good, despite intense efforts to suppress African-American, Hispanic and Democratic voters. (10/20/2004)

Most bizarre endorsement of the race Mark Follman
(10/20/2004)

Wednesday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(10/20/2004)

"Please, don't vote for our cousin!" Geraldine Sealey
(10/20/2004)

Back by popular demand Geraldine Sealey
(10/20/2004)

A pollster's view of the "likely voter" problem Tim Grieve
(10/20/2004)

In the polls Jeff Horwitz
(10/20/2004)

The curse of the Bushino Tim Grieve
(10/20/2004)

Unlocking the political Babel Andrew Leonard
(10/20/2004)

Still more for the poll-obsessed Tim Grieve
(10/20/2004)

Homeland security under Bush rates code red Mark Follman
(10/20/2004)

Big debate comeback for Bush Mark Follman
(10/20/2004)

Nader's Raiders revolt Geraldine Sealey
(10/20/2004)

Googling my brain By Andrew Leonard
Another great leap for lazy thinkers: My computer is now as easy to search as the Web. (10/20/2004)

The Fix
Porn star steps up for O'Reilly; Star Jones registers for $11,000 tray; Mary-Kate ditches NYC. (10/19/2004)

"The Fall of Baghdad" by Jon Lee Anderson By Ann Marlowe
The New Yorker correspondent witnessed the fall of Saddam and the beginning of the uprising. But he fails to explore the destruction Saddam did to the souls of his people. (10/19/2004)

WayLay By Carol Lay
The scent of a woman. (10/19/2004)

We're two couples in business together -- and the other wife is psycho! By Cary Tennis
I thought the four of us could function well as a company, but she's driving me insane. (10/19/2004)

Team Bush declares war on the New York Times By Eric Boehlert
The GOP attack on a Times Magazine story is the latest attempt to rally the conservative base by "whacking a newspaper with 'New York' in its name," says executive editor Bill Keller. (10/19/2004)

The few, the proud, the undecided By Peter Dizikes
New Hampshire's famously independent voters may pick the president -- again. So what's taking them so long to make up their minds? (10/19/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
In a pair of games for the ages, one nearly endless and the other nearly unseen, the Red Sox stay alive and the Astros get within a win of the World Series. (10/19/2004)

Putin endorses Bush By Julian Borger and Suzanne Goldenberg
The Russian leader says a Republican defeat "could lead to the spread of terrorism," but diplomatically adds that he will respect Americans' own choice. (10/19/2004)

Oh, please, not again By Oliver Burkeman
Dirty tricks return to the Sunshine State as Floridians begin voting amid controversies over faulty machines and disenfranchised voters. (10/19/2004)

Living on the edge By Suzanne Goldenberg
A new study shows that the gap in wealth between the nation's white population and its black and Hispanic populations is growing. (10/19/2004)

Not fit to air By Peter J. Ognibene
A look at excerpts of "Stolen Honor" -- a film that rehashes old charges about the Vietnam War -- reveals the extreme partisanship involved in its production. (10/19/2004)

Tuesday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(10/19/2004)

Sinclair stock in free-fall Eric Boehlert
(10/19/2004)

Sinclair to DC buro chief: You're fired! Geraldine Sealey
(10/19/2004)

Alan Keyes strikes again Geraldine Sealey
(10/19/2004)

In the polls Jeff Horwitz
(10/19/2004)

War Room caption contest! Geraldine Sealey
(10/19/2004)

Purged! Farhad Manjoo
(10/19/2004)

Now that's Headline News Mark Follman
(10/19/2004)

Was Sinclair execs' stock dump insider trading? Michelle Goldberg
(10/19/2004)

Obama tries to shape the Senate David Talbot
(10/19/2004)

And the winners are ... Tim Grieve
(10/19/2004)

Sinclair backs down; or does it? Eric Boehlert
(10/20/2004)

I Like to Watch By Heather Havrilesky
This column was guest-written by a freedom-loving Afghan warlord. That's why it sings the praises of Heather Locklear and wanders merrily through three different corpse-riddled urban landscapes! (10/18/2004)

The Fix
Kerry wins film award, Moore loses TV spot, and Angelina says she's really into S/M. (10/18/2004)

"The Darling": Lost in the jungle By Russell Banks
As the 20th century melts away (along with the 19th and 18th), Hannah finally reaches the village of Woodrow's ancestors. It isn't quite what she was expecting. (10/18/2004)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
Osama bin Laden: Good or bad? (10/18/2004)

The sex is great, but he's not my type By Cary Tennis
He's coarse, crude, temperamental, testy ... and great in bed. (10/18/2004)

The gloom and doom canon By Whitney Joiner
A new book argues that young adult novels are too dark. But should kids be sheltered from the real world? (10/18/2004)

Backlash on the border By Max Blumenthal
An anti-immigrant ballot initiative with ties to racist groups threatens to split the GOP and derail Bush's chances in Arizona. (10/18/2004)

"Homosexuals are hellbound!" By Michelle Goldberg
Churches in Ohio are rallying their massive flocks behind the most strident anti-gay marriage amendment in the nation -- and the Republican National Committee is in heaven. (10/18/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
The underdogs start winning, but unlike the Red Sox, the Astros actually have a chance. (10/18/2004)

An honored friend of France By Jon Henley
Outspoken journalist and onetime JFK press secretary Pierre Salinger, who died Saturday in his adopted homeland, is remembered for "genius and judgment in the art of communication." (10/18/2004)

When reporters become the story By Duncan Campbell
The plight of a cameraman in an Afghan jail and the detention of a writer in Israel highlight the risks of activist journalism. (10/18/2004)

Freedom is on the retreat By Gary Younge
In the '60s, police dogs and billy clubs kept African-Americans from the polls. Today's methods of blocking voters are more refined. (10/18/2004)

"You can't run the world on faith" By James K. Galbraith
Some Reagan conservatives decry Bush's "Messianic" approach and preference for dogma over evidence. (10/18/2004)

Deep breathing over Gallup Tim Grieve
(10/18/2004)

Zarqawi allegedly now working for Osama Mark Follman
(10/18/2004)

In the polls Jeff Horwitz
(10/18/2004)

Bush's "major" stump speech Geraldine Sealey
(10/18/2004)

Sinclair profits from U.S. military contract Mark Follman
(10/18/2004)

A question of competence Geraldine Sealey
(10/18/2004)

"We didn't think it would be offensive" Geraldine Sealey
(10/18/2004)

Sinclair bureau chief slams anti-Kerry programming Mark Follman
(10/18/2004)

Kerry reaction: Bush speech an "attempt to mislead" Tim Grieve
(10/18/2004)

Bush MIA in Ohio Tim Grieve
(10/18/2004)

Hey barkeep -- gimme a beer and an AIDS test! By Karin Halperin
New HIV tests give results in 20 minutes, and are attracting people who avoided being tested before. But is a Bourbon Street dive the best place to find out you're positive? (10/18/2004)

It's the oil, stupid Mark Follman
(10/17/2004)

Bush up by 8, or is he? Tim Grieve
(10/17/2004)

Newspapers vote for Kerry David Talbot
(10/17/2004)

The bulge: More jokes, no answers Tim Grieve
(10/17/2004)

Bush's retreat from reality Michelle Goldberg
(10/17/2004)

Monday's must reads Tim Grieve
(10/18/2004)

"How poorly we understood George W. Bush" Tim Grieve
(10/18/2004)

Revolt in the ranks in Iraq By Mary Jacoby
The inside story of the Army platoon that refused to carry out a "death sentence" mission. (10/16/2004)

Letters
We're here, we're queer, get over it -- readers respond to Dave Cullen's and Tim Grieve's analyses of the Mary Cheney flap. (10/16/2004)

The boss's daughter By Joe Conason
Locked in a close Senate race in Alaska, Republican incumbent Lisa Murkowski is getting a big push from the major industries tied to her powerful father, the governor. (10/17/2004)

"It fried them" Mark Follman
(10/16/2004)

Fox moves to fire O'Reilly accuser Joan Walsh
(10/16/2004)

Day 4 of the Mary Cheney hostage crisis Joan Walsh
(10/16/2004)

Jeb Bush rejected warnings on purge list Farhad Manjoo
(10/16/2004)

The Fix
Jon Stewart says he'll vote for Kerry; "Team America" under fire from fundraising group called Team America; Franken weighs in on O'Reilly troubles. (10/15/2004)

"Shall We Dance?" By Charles Taylor
Richard Gere waltzes his way through a midlife crisis and past Jennifer Lopez and Susan Sarandon. (10/15/2004)

Agent provocateur By Stephanie Zacharek
French director Catherine Breillat continues to push the envelope -- and her audiences -- with two films, "Sex Is Comedy" and "Anatomy of Hell." (10/15/2004)

"Team America: World Police" By Charles Taylor
The new film by "South Park" creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker starts off strong, but then resorts to lame anti-left jokes that could have been written by Ann Coulter. (10/15/2004)

"Sideways" By Charles Taylor
Virginia Madsen and Sandra Oh shine in this wannabe adult comedy, but director Alexander Payne ("About Schmidt") proves again that he's a pretentious wiseass. (10/15/2004)

"Saraband" By Andrew O'Hehir
Is this really the 86-year-old Ingmar Bergman's last film? Maybe. More important: Is it among his finest? (10/15/2004)

My boyfriend took 60 sleeping pills By Cary Tennis
He's suicidal and I'm trying to help him, but I don't want to be his mother. (10/15/2004)

How we will win By Anne Lamott
On Election Day 1972 I truly believed that if we could get out the vote, McGovern would win. I believe the same thing this year. But now we really have a chance. (10/15/2004)

Curses! By Rebecca Traister
Democratic Red Sox fans are asked which they'd choose: A World Series or a Kerry White House. The question gives them nightmares. (10/15/2004)

Seeing red in Florida By Farhad Manjoo
Four years after the biggest voting debacle in U.S. history, many suspect that GOP officials in the crucial state are planning dirty tricks again. (10/15/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
The Astros join the Red Sox in the world of serious trouble. Plus: NFL Week 6 picks. (10/15/2004)

Kerry leads overseas By Alan Travis
A poll conducted in 10 countries reveals strong public support for the Democratic candidate and growing contempt for the Bush administration. (10/15/2004)

Letters
Salon readers weigh in on the snoozing media, the weirdness of Jim Bunning, whether left or right deserves the grand prize for sleaze, and more. (10/15/2004)

John Kerry's lesbian moment By Dave Cullen
Dick and Lynne Cheney screamed foul when the Democratic candidate mentioned their gay daughter. But for gays and lesbians, what is most outrageous is the Cheneys' outrage. (10/16/2004)

Reporting on a savage war By James Meek
Death threats can't stop journalist Anna Politkovskaya from reporting the truth about Chechnya -- or criticizing the West's kid-glove treatment of Putin. (10/15/2004)

40 years of me
Watch the winner of the Salon and People for the American Way Flash animation contest. (10/16/2004)

Friday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(10/15/2004)

"Almost flailing" Geraldine Sealey
(10/15/2004)

Journal editorial writers play dumb on Mary Cheney Eric Boehlert
(10/15/2004)

Unwelcome October surprise for Bush Geraldine Sealey
(10/15/2004)

In the polls Jeff Horwitz
(10/15/2004)

Is Iraq Vietnam? Mark Follman
(10/15/2004)

Flipping the channel on anti-Kerry TV Mark Follman
(10/15/2004)

Republicans on the draft: pot, meet kettle Tim Grieve
(10/15/2004)

"Bush's Brain" testifies Tim Grieve
(10/15/2004)

Texas doc has a stroke over Bush's "drooping mouth" Katharine Mieszkowski
(10/15/2004)

Free-speech win for Abu Ghraib protesters Mark Follman
(10/15/2004)

Jon Stewart: Crossfire "hurting America" Charles Taylor
(10/15/2004)

Poll: Mary Cheney comment hurts Kerry Mark Follman
(10/15/2004)

People like us
Table Talkers open up this week on family, politics and what it takes to make a connection. (10/15/2004)

Ask the pilot By Patrick Smith
Is there anything worse than mile-high Finnish renditions of the Violent Femmes? And, flying on thin ice in Antarctica. (10/15/2004)

Letters
"Who did our ancestors sue if there was a rock on the ground?" Readers respond to Linda Baker's "Walk to School, Yes, but Don't Forget Your Lawyer." (10/15/2004)

Getting to the bottom of the bulge By Farhad Manjoo and Gavin McNett
Does the Bush-is-wired story make sense? A variety of experts weigh in. (10/15/2004)

The Fix
Paris accused of widespread "N-word" use; Martha peddles prison book; and Bill O'Reilly's (alleged) loofah/falafel sexual fantasies ... revealed! (10/14/2004)

Letters
"Hey, if you are stupid or lazy ... I don't want your vote mucking up my election": Salon readers step up in support of Matt Stone and Trey Parker's controversial views on voting. (10/14/2004)

Thoroughly modern Julie By Emma Brockes
Julie Andrews talks about her stepfather's alcoholism, hitting Broadway at 19 -- and the importance of being true to one's vowels. (10/14/2004)

"The Darling": On the road By Russell Banks
"The devil you know is better than the devil you don't know." Love and radical politics collide in the second of four installments from Russell Banks' riveting new novel. (10/14/2004)

Tom the Dancing Bug By Ruben Bolling
Meet the Regulators, doing what they do best: Excusing violators, ignoring scientists and cross-checking political donations! (10/14/2004)

I'm 33 and in finance, but I still want to be a rock star! By Cary Tennis
I'm torn between two callings, and not giving enough attention to either one. (10/14/2004)

Bamboom! By Cynthia Joyce
It's long, strong and pleasing to the eye. So -- who needs wood? (10/15/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Jon Lieber quiets the Red Sox's bats long enough to give the Yanks a commanding lead. Plus: The Cardinals' bats are plenty loud. (10/14/2004)

The Earth's most fragile places By Ian Sample
Climate scientists believe there are 12 primary spots to watch for the first devastating effects of global warming. (10/14/2004)

Sinclair's disgrace By Eric Boehlert
The right-wing network's decision to force its affiliates to air anti-Kerry propaganda is one of the lowest moments in the history of television news, says the former head of the FCC. And it may unleash a backlash. (10/14/2004)

Bush's primitive appeal By Arianna Huffington
There's a region of our brains called the amygdala that causes us to feel fear. Bush is campaigning hard for its vote. (10/14/2004)

Schieffer was wrong, Kerry was right By James K. Galbraith
Contrary to the moderator's suggestion in the third debate, Social Security is not running out of money. And the Democratic candidate wasn't pandering when he said privatizing it would be disastrous. (10/14/2004)

The cracks in Bush's crown By Sidney Blumenthal
The man who would be king, unable to maintain the fictions of his talking points, resorts to repeating lines from his father's presidential campaign. (10/14/2004)

Wednesday in the Dark With George By Joyce McGreevy
A theater review of the third presidential debate. (10/14/2004)

Morning after must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(10/14/2004)

Nader factor update Geraldine Sealey
(10/14/2004)

Scowcroft spanks the younger George Geraldine Sealey
(10/14/2004)

Iraq: Ominous warning now grim reality Mark Follman
(10/14/2004)

In the polls Jeff Horwitz
(10/14/2004)

Voter fraud worries: Add Wisconsin to the list Mark Follman
(10/14/2004)

The words they didn't say Tim Grieve
(10/14/2004)

Narrowing the battleground Jeff Horwitz
(10/14/2004)

Is the President losing it? Katharine Mieszkowski
(10/14/2004)

Did John Kerry make a mess over Mary? Tim Grieve
(10/14/2004)

Fake news you can depend on Mark Follman
(10/14/2004)

Voter fraud war escalates Jeff Horwitz
(10/15/2004)

Letters
The real problems with cancer research, nanotechnology and religion: Readers respond to Greg Barrett's "Ignoring the Big C" and Howard Lovy's "Nanotech Angels." (10/14/2004)

The Fix
Fox gets spanked for topless strippers scene; Ryan calls Tatum allegations "malicious lies"; and Paris' people "scoff" at latest porn reports. (10/13/2004)

Letters
"Disgraceful!" "I'll boycott!" "Vote or bite me!" Salon readers respond -- and how -- to Heather Havrilesky's interview with "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. (10/13/2004)

Bestsellers
Dogs, bees and wolves, oh my! Animals overrun this week's list, while Jon Stewart inches closer to the top spot. All courtesy of Powell's. (10/13/2004)

"And It Don't Stop" edited by Raquel Cepeda By Peter L'Official
Does hip-hop journalism live up to the music's most vibrant promise -- or just rehash its crass, Benjamin-istic cliches? A new anthology makes the case for hip-hop writing. (10/13/2004)

The K Chronicles By Keith Knight
(Life's little) Victories accomplished: Straight from a real GI! (10/13/2004)

I found the man of my dreams so late in life! By Cary Tennis
Why can't I get over my bitterness at my bad luck? (10/13/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
The Yankees and Red Sox are off to a wild start. Surprised? Plus: That other series, Astros vs. Cardinals. And: Baseball vs. debates -- the readers write. (10/13/2004)

Maimed but not mute By Mary Jacoby
A politically diverse group of Iraq vets say it's time for Americans to face the ugly truths about the war. (10/13/2004)

Why did my brother die in Iraq? By Dante Zappala
Sherwood was a big man who stood up for me when I was a kid -- and stood up for his country. To honor his death, I had to find out what he was fighting for. (10/13/2004)

Technical expert: Bush was wired By Dave Lindorff
A Bush spokesman tells Salon there is nothing to the story. But as the final presidential debate looms, speculation grows about the mysterious bulge. (10/14/2004)

Spot the Bush bulge!
Win a Salon subscription. (10/14/2004)

End of the road for Yasser Arafat? By Ewen MacAskill
Imprisoned in his compound, facing assassination and internationally isolated, the Palestinian leader says he has been in worse trouble. (10/13/2004)

Fading picture of the American dream By Gary Younge
In Stark County, Ohio -- a bellwether for the nation -- the decline in heavy industry and the rise of holy doctrine are key factors shaping the election. (10/13/2004)

Strike three! By Tim Grieve
Bush gets that sinking feeling as a steady and presidential Kerry sweeps the series. (10/14/2004)

The bulge returns By Farhad Manjoo
As this screen shot from the Wednesday night debate indicates, the Bush mystery will not disappear. (10/14/2004)

The media reaction: Ho-hum, just a Kerry sweep By Eric Boehlert
If Bush had won all three debates, would the pundits have been so reserved? (10/14/2004)

Every which way but loofah
Inside the Bill O'Reilly sexual harassment lawsuit. (10/14/2004)

The race to the bottom By Mark Follman
According to the Times' ombudsman, hateful rhetoric from the left this political season is more "vile" than from the right. Maybe that's true of his in box -- but it isn't of America at large. (10/13/2004)

"Secretary Rumsfeld and President Bush, you are responsible"
An open letter from the wife of a soldier who lost his leg in Iraq. (10/13/2004)

Letters
"Bush has played the American public for suckers." More reader e-mail on the presidential bulge (10/13/2004)

Wednesday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(10/13/2004)

Voter fraud isn't just for Florida anymore Geraldine Sealey
(10/13/2004)

This just in from Toledo Geraldine Sealey
(10/13/2004)

This "Old European" likes Kerry's plan Geraldine Sealey
(10/13/2004)

In the spin cycle with Laura Bush Tim Grieve
(10/13/2004)

In the polls Jeff Horwitz
(10/13/2004)

L.A. Weekly: Christopher Reeve Paralysis Act "sandbagged" Geraldine Sealey
(10/13/2004)

You're invited Geraldine Sealey
(10/13/2004)

The Energizer president Mark Follman
(10/13/2004)

Bush camp: Job losses a "myth" Tim Grieve
(10/13/2004)

Bunning campaign admits use of teleprompter Jeff Horwitz
(10/13/2004)

Bush receiving messages from Mars Tim Grieve
(10/13/2004)

Blow-by-blow debate coverage Mark Follman
(10/14/2004)

Bunning losing ground fast Mary Jacoby
(10/14/2004)

Triumph, the (nonpartisan) Insult Comic Dog Tim Grieve
(10/14/2004)

"Not that concerned" Jeff Horwitz
(10/14/2004)

The march of freedom continues! Heather Havrilesky
(10/14/2004)

The winner, so far Jeff Horwitz
(10/14/2004)

Still undecided? David Talbot
(10/14/2004)

Using Mary Cheney Joan Walsh
(10/14/2004)

Judging George Kevin Berger
(10/14/2004)

Still not true Jeff Horwitz
(10/14/2004)

Mr. President, you're no Ronald Reagan Gary Kamiya
(10/14/2004)

Letterman: Bush bulge was a flask Joan Walsh
(10/14/2004)

Walk to school, yes, but don't forget your lawyer By Linda Baker
Liability issues? Corporate sponsorship? The Safe Routes to School program has encouraged thousands of kids to get out of their cars and onto their feet, but what ever happened to a simple stroll? (10/13/2004)

The Fix
Tatum O'Neal fingers Melanie Griffith and others; Michael Jackson may sue Eminem; and Roseanne says Dr. Phil "is Hitler reincarnated." (10/12/2004)

Puppet masters By Heather Havrilesky
"South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone talk about "Team America," their new foe Sean Penn, and whether it requires much effort to be this offensive. (10/12/2004)

British pride in native talents? By Stuart Jeffries
Kathryn Gustafson, creator of a memorial to Princess Diana, talks about the fouling of her fountain by dogs and diapers. (10/12/2004)

"The Darling": Into the bush By Russell Banks
A white American woman involved with the Weather Underground flees the country and finds refuge -- and an unlikely romance -- in 1970s Liberia. (10/12/2004)

Letters
"The cheapest shot a critic can take": Readers blast Stanley Crouch's attack on Philip Roth's "The Plot Against America." (10/12/2004)

WayLay By Carol Lay
Trade in that tired brain? (10/12/2004)

Letters
"From now on, whatever she does, Toni Bentley will always be known as the woman who loves to take it up the ass." Readers react to Rebecca Traister's interview with an anal sex memoirist. (10/12/2004)

Weirdness in Kentucky By Mary Jacoby
The increasingly strange behavior of Republican Sen. Jim Bunning has led to speculation that he is suffering from some kind of dementia -- and tightened a race he once had in his pocket. (10/12/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Red Sox-Yankees: For once, you can believe the hype. Plus: Steve Lyons is actually listenable. (10/12/2004)

Daring to hope By Ed Guiton
Christopher Reeve was an inspiration to many as he confronted his own paralysis and advanced the cause of stem cell research. (10/12/2004)

It can happen here By James P. Pinkerton
"Guantanamo," now playing in New York, warns that the liberties the U.S. government has taken abroad in the name of homeland security present grave threats to our own civil liberties. (10/12/2004)

Word History: NADER By Evan Eisenberg
Nader (NAY-dur) n. Low point, as of a celestial body that has declined from an exalted height. (10/12/2004)

The future of Islam By Andrew Anthony
Can Ken Bigley's death by beheading help rescue a religion of peace from violence? (10/12/2004)

Tuesday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(10/12/2004)

"People Have the Power" Geraldine Sealey
(10/12/2004)

In the polls Jeff Horwitz
(10/12/2004)

Stopping Sinclair Geraldine Sealey
(10/12/2004)

Pro-Kerry filmmaker offers Sinclair 'equal time' solution Eric Boehlert
(10/12/2004)

Trending Kerry Tim Grieve
(10/12/2004)

The Bush bulge goes big time Mark Follman
(10/12/2004)

Scholars flunk Bush on foreign policy Jeff Horwitz
(10/12/2004)

The short life of a famous drug By Greg Barrett
What happens to a drug without toxic side effects that halts cancerous growth? Answer: Wall Street doesn't see any money in it, and it disappears. (10/12/2004)

A quick war-on-cancer FAQ By Greg Barrett
Why focus on cancer instead of a bigger killer, heart disease? And how could taxpayer money be spent to fix the mess? (10/12/2004)

The Fix
Parker and Stone respond to Sean Penn; Martha plays Scrabble, munches snack foods and pats children in the clink; Stacie J. says she'll pose for Playboy if the price is right; and Star Jones' freebie wedding plans somewhat derailed. (10/11/2004)

I Like to Watch By Heather Havrilesky
Meet the sweet nothings of "Laguna Beach"! Learn why women are from Venus, but Veronica is from Mars! Plus: Watch empty non sequiturs barked at the candidates in HBO's "Diary of a Political Tourist"! (10/11/2004)

Roth's historical sin By Stanley Crouch
In "The Plot Against America," the great novelist imagines a 1940s America devoured by anti-Semitism -- ignoring the brutal anti-black bigotry that actually existed. (10/11/2004)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
Leader of free world revealed to be small, cute dog; pundits disagree on import. (10/11/2004)

The sunny side of life By Carlene Bauer
In her new book, "Exuberance," author Kay Redfield Jamison looks at who has joie de vivre -- and why. (10/11/2004)

Stocks and Bond By Robert Schlesinger
Kit Bond, one of the Senate's premier practitioners of cronyism, is up for reelection in Missouri. And he's likely to win despite the ethical questions raised by some of his relationships. (10/11/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
The sudden death of steroid-abusing MVP Ken Caminiti is an argument against a punitive approach to baseball's drug problem. Plus: McCarver calls this column a liar. (10/11/2004)

Puzzling pattern By Paul Brown
Scientists worldwide are concerned -- and bewildered -- by a sharp rise of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere for the second year running. (10/11/2004)

Evidence still elusive By Ewen MacAskill
Although initial reports blamed al-Qaida for the bombings at a Red Sea resort, investigators are now focused on Egyptian militants. (10/11/2004)

Monday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(10/11/2004)

Coming soon to a campaign trail near you Geraldine Sealey
(10/11/2004)

Who is Carlton Sherwood? Geraldine Sealey
(10/11/2004)

The terrorist "nuisance": Global Test, Part II Tim Grieve
(10/11/2004)

Ignoring the generals, forgetting Vietnam Tim Grieve
(10/11/2004)

Post's Kaiser wants bulge mystery solved Geraldine Sealey
(10/11/2004)

Karen Ryan, reporting for duty Geraldine Sealey
(10/11/2004)

Times smells Kerry's "aroma" Geraldine Sealey
(10/11/2004)

In the polls Jeff Horwitz
(10/11/2004)

More fury on Bush's right flank Mark Follman
(10/11/2004)

Ignoring the big C By Greg Barrett
Cancer will kill more than half a million Americans this year. Scientists are desperate to find cures, but weak federal funding and high research costs driven by private-company greed are crippling their efforts. (10/11/2004)

Bush's message to pro-lifers Geraldine Sealey
(10/10/2004)

GOP dirty tricks in Ohio? By Lisa Chamberlain
Voter registration is exploding in the swing state, but a ruling by the obstructionist Republican secretary of state may result in thousands not voting. (10/09/2004)

Kerry wins on points, but misses the knockout By Tim Grieve
After a disastrous week, Bush is wobbly but still standing. (10/10/2004)

Letters
"It was a bulletproof vest." "It was not." Salon readers speculate on the bulge. (10/09/2004)

Getting all pissy By Joyce McGreevy
In a painstaking recap of the second presidential debate, the audience comes out ahead. (10/09/2004)

Running and hiding Geraldine Sealey
(10/09/2004)

Kerry scores in Arizona Leigh Flayton
(10/09/2004)

Can't see the forest Kevin Berger
(10/09/2004)

The bulge gets bigger Dave Lindorff
(10/09/2004)

Sinclair's stolen honor Geraldine Sealey
(10/09/2004)

The Fix
Martha slips into the clink, Paris and Nicole set to reunite, and Abercrombie & Fitch piss off gymnasts. (10/08/2004)

"Friday Night Lights" By Charles Taylor
Billy Bob Thornton, as the coach of a small-town high school football team, scores a few points, but this smug little film drops the ball at every turn. (10/08/2004)

"Stage Beauty" By Stephanie Zacharek
Billy Crudup explores his feminine side and Claire Danes proves she's all grown up in this charming, billowy entertainment. (10/08/2004)

"Bad Education" By Stephanie Zacharek
Gael Garcia Bernal looks beautiful dressed as both a man and a woman in Pedro Almodovar's latest, but the movie lacks a real woman's touch. (10/08/2004)

"Chronicles, Volume 1" By Charles Taylor
In his surprisingly straightforward memoir, Bob Dylan takes us through his explosive early years, the curse of being "the conscience of his generation" and, more recently, his artistic redemption. (10/08/2004)

Honored but not cheerful By John Ezard
After winning the Nobel prize for literature, controversial Austrian writer Elfriede Jelinek, author of "The Piano Teacher," says she'd like to "disappear." (10/08/2004)

Rectal romance By Rebecca Traister
"You open your ass and you open your mind and you open your heart." Toni Bentley talks about her new anal sex memoir, "The Surrender." (10/08/2004)

Karl Rove's Florida Frankenstein By Mary Jacoby
Did Team Bush turn once-moderate GOP Senate candidate Mel Martinez into a gay-bashing, reactionary ogre? (10/08/2004)

Burqas and ballots By Ann Marlowe
In one of the most male-dominated nations on earth, Afghan vice presidential candidate Shafiqa Habibi doesn't play second fiddle to anyone. (10/08/2004)

Bush's mystery bulge By Dave Lindorff
The rumor is flying around the globe. Was the president wired during the first debate? (10/09/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Should baseball step aside for presidential debates? Plus: New thinking seeps into the Grand Old Game. And: NFL Week 5 picks. (10/08/2004)

The media reaction: Bush did better, but he needed more By Eric Boehlert
The pundits say Bush didn't change the dynamic -- and Kerry continued to impress. (10/09/2004)

Letters
Readers weigh in on America's undecided voters, the myth of the "security mom," and Fox News' apology for its fake campaign story. (10/08/2004)

What economic recovery? By James K. Galbraith
The latest job figures show that Bush has bungled the economy as badly as he has Iraq. (10/08/2004)

New rule: Everyone has to stop pretending that George Bush is so macho By Bill Maher
Because, plainly, he acts like a girl. (10/08/2004)

Friday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(10/08/2004)

Bush on jobs: Just the facts Tim Grieve
(10/08/2004)

Looking desperate, cont. Geraldine Sealey
(10/08/2004)

Bush camp comments on mystery bulge Mark Follman
(10/08/2004)

Doing a job on the jobs numbers Geraldine Sealey
(10/08/2004)

Missouri is back in play Jeff Horwitz
(10/08/2004)

Seeing red in St. Louis Tim Grieve
(10/08/2004)

They're "turning a corner" in Iraq, too Geraldine Sealey
(10/08/2004)

Campaigns agree: Bush was unplugged Tim Grieve
(10/08/2004)

Join the fun Geraldine Sealey
(10/08/2004)

Andy Card on Bush's bulge Tim Grieve
(10/08/2004)

Meet the "soft supporters" Geraldine Sealey
(10/08/2004)

Not just anybody but Bush Jeff Horwitz
(10/09/2004)

Game time Tim Grieve
(10/09/2004)

Gone fishin' Geraldine Sealey
(10/09/2004)

"Weapon of mass deception" Mark Follman
(10/09/2004)

Best Bushism thus far... Mark Follman
(10/09/2004)

Al-Qaida has "no place to plan," wink wink Geraldine Sealey
(10/09/2004)

"Need some wood?" Geraldine Sealey
(10/09/2004)

The king of comedy Heather Havrilesky
(10/09/2004)

"Insta-poll" victories Jeff Horwitz
(10/09/2004)

Whine merchant David Talbot
(10/09/2004)

Repeat when necessary Mark Follman
(10/09/2004)

Bush is the one who "can't hide" Mark Follman
(10/09/2004)

Kerry's intelligence failure Gary Kamiya
(10/09/2004)

"We'll all be dead" Geraldine Sealey
(10/09/2004)

There's a word for it
Creating language and legends -- or just forgetting keys: What TTers are saying this week. (10/08/2004)

Ask the pilot By Patrick Smith
USA Today invades the pilot's turf. Outraged readers rise up in unholy wrath. Mongolia and Finland are somehow involved. (10/08/2004)

The Fix
Rush talks justice, Howard talks revenge; Dr. Phil hearts John Kerry; and Brando had some strange ideas about eels. Plus: Did Hannity demand private plane from student group? (10/07/2004)

"Vera Drake" By Charles Taylor
The first half of Mike Leigh's latest, about a cleaning woman/abortionist, showcases how he can get amazing performances from his actors. But the second half . . . (10/07/2004)

"House of Flying Daggers" By Stephanie Zacharek
The director of "Hero" comes out with a follow-up so heroically seductive you may just faint into its arms. (10/07/2004)

Mother of all home movies By Peter L'Official
Jonathan Caouette explains how he captured his turbulent childhood and his mentally ill mother in his documentary "Tarnation" -- which he created on his computer for $218. (10/07/2004)

The world according to Nova By David Bowman
Novelist Craig Nova talks about Camus, New England exotica, and what it's like to be a writers' writer. (10/07/2004)

Tom the Dancing Bug By Ruben Bolling
Lucky Ducky wins again! (10/07/2004)

Latte, tea or me? By Curtis Sittenfeld
We've all been majorly smitten with that hot barista or bartender. Inside the steamy (literally) world of customer service lust. (10/07/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
The Twins let the Yankees off the hook. That's usually a bad idea. Plus: Red Sox and Astros win. And: Trivial presidential World Series trivia. (10/07/2004)

On, Wisconsin! By David Moberg
The election ground game in the Badger State is a grinding door-to-door battle for every vote. (10/07/2004)

A diminishing threat By Julian Borger
Contradicting almost every assertion by the Bush administration about Saddam's capabilities, U.S. inspectors deliver their verdict: There were no WMD in Iraq. (10/07/2004)

"Do you think we are mad?" By Jamie Wilson
The weapons inspectors who interviewed Saddam say he was obsessed with security -- and more concerned about deterring Iran than taking on the U.S. (10/07/2004)

"I love you, Security Mom" By John Brady Kiesling
A U.S. diplomat who quit his job over Iraq urges mothers to resist the Bush administration's fear-mongering. (10/07/2004)

Letters
Salon readers hash out who won Tuesday night's V.P. face-off and concede that debating must be "really hard work." (10/07/2004)

Right Hook By Mark Follman
Beating back a CIA "insurgency" against Bush, Novak and the Wall Street Journal get ugly. Plus: O'Reilly's love-in on Letterman. And: Will Fox fire chief correspondent over fake story? (10/07/2004)

Looking for votes, finding America By Jonathan Alford
Scared, angry and needing to act, I left California to volunteer for John Kerry in Pennsylvania. I changed some minds -- including my own. (10/07/2004)

The DeMint factor By Joe Conason
In a down-to-the-wire Senate race in South Carolina, right-winger Jim DeMint is running on major tax reform. Yet he fails to pay his own taxes on time and has been slapped with liens by the IRS. (10/08/2004)

Thursday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(10/07/2004)

Swift Boat Veterans for Nader Geraldine Sealey
(10/07/2004)

"More of the same won't work" Geraldine Sealey
(10/07/2004)

The Democrats' pre-spin: Two faces of George Tim Grieve
(10/07/2004)

Divorced from reality Geraldine Sealey
(10/07/2004)

Chris Matthews compliments Cheney fib Eric Boehlert
(10/07/2004)

In the polls Jeff Horwitz
(10/07/2004)

The GOP spin: The burden is on Kerry Tim Grieve
(10/07/2004)

Quote of the day, bonus round Mark Follman
(10/07/2004)

Nanotech angels By Howard Lovy
Kabbalah and nanotechnology share unexpected common ground: They are testament to the incomprehensible infinite. (10/07/2004)

The Fix
Michael Moore gets out the tighty-whitey vote, Parker and Stone cut "golden shower" scene, and Rodney Dangerfield's final joke. (10/06/2004)

My first time with Dylan Compiled by Dana Cook
Johnny Cash, Joan Baez, Cher, Allen Ginsberg, Jimmy Buffett, Andy Warhol and others on their initial meetings with the folk legend. (10/06/2004)

Bestsellers
Guess who's back at the top? Plus, Jon Stewart and the 9/11 Commission stay on the list, and Susanna Clarke makes her debut. All courtesy of Powell's. (10/06/2004)

The K Chronicles By Keith Knight
This wacky dream I just had ... (10/06/2004)

I'm a single mom getting friendly with a married man By Cary Tennis
I've never been attracted to unavailable men before. What's going on? (10/06/2004)

Letters
Some readers thank Rebecca Traister for her insights on female friendship. Others suggest that she "save such stories for Oprah." (10/06/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Baseball takes a page out of NASCAR's rulebook and starts punishing the s--t out of playoff teams for swearing. Plus: Fox's first purple prose of the postseason! (10/06/2004)

Death grip By Aluf Benn
A hard-hitting new book by two mainstream Israeli journalists blames both Sharon and Arafat for the bloody stalemate that grips the Holy Land. (10/06/2004)

Down, dirty and dull By Tim Grieve
Dick Cheney and John Edwards came out swinging, but the only people they knocked out were in the audience. (10/07/2004)

Daddy hunger By Eric Boehlert
While the rest of the TV commentariat declared the Edwards-Cheney duel a draw, Chris Matthews and his MSNBC crew threw their arms around the gruff old veep. (10/07/2004)

Halliburton's problematic Cheney connection By David Teather
Hoping to escape the election spotlight, the vice president's old firm may shed its KBR division, the one doing billions of dollars of work in Iraq. (10/06/2004)

Headline-free contest By Simon Tisdall
Despite the usual argy-bargy of Australia's elections, there's little real difference between the candidates -- except on Iraq. (10/06/2004)

The same old argument By Simon Hattenstone
South Africa's Desmond Tutu, playing a role in the docudrama "Guantanamo," says America's treatment of its prisoners reminds him of aspects of apartheid. (10/06/2004)

The master of Washington vs. the fox By Sidney Blumenthal
Beyond the sparring, the vice presidential candidates' performances highlighted an enduring clash of political cultures. (10/06/2004)

Ominous rumblings from Mount Cheney By Joyce McGreevy
Poked and prodded by his younger opponent, Old Dick lets loose clouds of steam and ash but doesn't blow. (10/06/2004)

Wednesday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(10/06/2004)

FactCheck.what? Geraldine Sealey
(10/06/2004)

White House dupes press ... again Eric Boehlert
(10/06/2004)

Allawi unplugged Geraldine Sealey
(10/06/2004)

Getting squirrellier by the hour Geraldine Sealey
(10/06/2004)

Unsafe in the Green Zone Mark Follman
(10/06/2004)

It's the global warming, stupid Katharine Mieszkowski
(10/06/2004)

Voting (over and over) is just a click away Jeff Horwitz
(10/06/2004)

The GOP ticket's week from hell David Talbot
(10/06/2004)

"Mr. Sunshine" vs. "the super sneer" Kevin Berger
(10/07/2004)

In polls we trust? By Farhad Manjoo
Bush leads by 10 points. No, wait, Kerry's up by 5. No, Nader's on top! OK -- that's not true, but in the ever crazier world of election polls, who knows what's next? (10/06/2004)

The Fix
Elton flips out again, says Madonna "should be shot"; Paris Hilton comments on N-word reports; and Britney's working really, really hard on a letter to her fans. Plus: Parker Posey's bizarre mid-flight bathroom escapade. (10/05/2004)

Forgotten justice By Priya Jain
Kevin Boyle's "Arc of Justice" resurrects one of history's great lost civil rights cases to create a courtroom drama for the ages. (10/05/2004)

WayLay By Carol Lay
Ms. Taken disappears into the cave of Mr. E's. (10/05/2004)

I'm an art-school dropout wannabe! By Cary Tennis
I'm in art school but I'm freaking out about the money and about what it all means! (10/05/2004)

Letters
"Racism, anti-Semitism, ageism and elitism among the rich and anorexic? Who would have figured?" Readers vent about bigotry in the Big Apple -- and beyond. (10/05/2004)

Why are we in Iraq? By John Judis
In "The Folly of Empire," John Judis argues that Bush is repeating the imperialist mistakes committed by Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. (10/06/2004)

American history that Bush forgot By Jeff Horwitz
New Republic senior editor John Judis talks with Salon about his new book, the Iraq war's grim precedents, and the next president's desperate need to have a heart-to-heart with Syria and Iran. (10/05/2004)

Ready for his close-up By Tim Grieve
Will youth and beauty triumph over old age and treachery? John Edwards faces off against Dick Cheney. (10/05/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
The big baseball playoff preview: Are the Cardinals set up for a big fall? Is Santana enough to stop the Yanks? Can the Astros win a series? Vlad who? Answers revealed! (10/05/2004)

Signs of change in Little Havana By Julian Borger
Polls show that Republicans' grip on Florida's Cuban-American vote is loosening, yet Democrats have yet to take full advantage of the shift. (10/05/2004)

Sweetheart deal By Cliff Schecter
Republican congressman Steven LaTourette of Ohio left his wife for a female aide who now makes a lucrative career out of lobbying his committee. (10/05/2004)

Dissecting Cheney By James K. Galbraith
The vice president's fantasy of world domination via control of oil stems from his formative years in the shadow Cold War. (10/05/2004)

Tuesday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(10/05/2004)

Bremer, Rummy give Kerry fodder Geraldine Sealey
(10/05/2004)

Shocking incompetence -- or worse Geraldine Sealey
(10/05/2004)

In the polls Jeff Horwitz
(10/05/2004)

Mr. Vice President, meet Sen. Patrick Leahy Tim Grieve
(10/05/2004)

Did Cheney break the law on 9/11? Mark Follman
(10/05/2004)

A "sensitive situation" Geraldine Sealey
(10/05/2004)

The pre-debate sit & spin Tim Grieve
(10/05/2004)

Quick survey by CBS looks good for Edwards Mark Follman
(10/06/2004)

Cheney's bad memory Geraldine Sealey
(10/06/2004)

"Taking out Zarqawi" Geraldine Sealey
(10/06/2004)

Coal: Clean, green power machine? By Katharine Mieszkowski
Forget about that nasty oil or radioactive nuclear waste: If you want to breathe fresh air, says the coal industry, burn, baby, burn! (10/05/2004)

The Fix
Miramax head blames M&M's, Trump's right-hand man demands greased palm, and Peter Jennings says sheep's testicles taste "like plain-old chicken!" Plus: Martha frolics in the surf. (10/04/2004)

I Like to Watch By Heather Havrilesky
On "Lost," some hot people climb the mighty mountain and look down over the valley of polar bears. Plus: Smokers quit on the cruelest reality show yet, the oldest kick out the youngest on "Survivor," and Tyra sends a poor little fighter to her doom. (10/04/2004)

"Shark Tale" hooks movie-goers with $49.1 million David Germain
(10/04/2004)

DeLay Inc. By Lou Dubose and Jan Reid
In this exclusive excerpt from "The Hammer," Lou Dubose and Jan Reid expose how Tom DeLay turned campaign fundraising into a shadowy enterprise. (10/04/2004)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
The Bush administration: In their own words. (10/04/2004)

My boss's kids run amok in the workplace! By Cary Tennis
Their dad is gay and blind and it's a very p.c. environment, but still -- they're tearing the place apart! (10/04/2004)

Girlfriends are the new husbands By Rebecca Traister
Women no longer become adults within the context of marriage -- we grow up with our friends. So what happens when they leave us? (10/04/2004)

Letters
Personality tests: Fun for some, frightening for others, and often misused by "para-professionals." (10/04/2004)

The decay of DeLay By Lou Dubose
New and spreading scandals plague House Majority Leader Tom DeLay and his political empire. (10/04/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Chemistry experiment: Did deadline trades that changed things in the clubhouse make a difference for the Dodgers and Red Sox? Plus: Marketing the Washington Grays. (10/04/2004)

Coping with warlords and votes delivered by donkey By Ewen MacAskill
Less than a week before Afghanistan's first democratic election, organizers fear violence and hope for legitimacy. (10/04/2004)

"Hopelessly flawed" interrogations By Martin Bright
A senior U.S. military intelligence officer says that information obtained from prisoners at Guantanamo has proved useless in the war on terror. (10/04/2004)

The sacrificial lambs By Cathleen Miller
To satisfy the religious right, George W. Bush has punished the most vulnerable -- millions of women and girls from the world's poorest countries. (10/04/2004)

The State Department's extreme makeover By Anonymous
A veteran Foreign Service officer warns that when Colin Powell departs in a second Bush term, America will lose its last bulwark against the radical ideologues who are planning more Iraqs. (10/04/2004)

Monday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(10/04/2004)

Traditional GOP blocs question Bush in Fla. Geraldine Sealey
(10/04/2004)

Who among us does not like making up quotes? Geraldine Sealey
(10/04/2004)

In the polls Jeff Horwitz
(10/04/2004)

Bush repays Purple Hearts with red tape nightmare Mark Follman
(10/04/2004)

Fun while it lasted Geraldine Sealey
(10/04/2004)

Dept. of "This just in " Mark Follman
(10/04/2004)

Department of pork barrel security Mark Follman
(10/04/2004)

Oil: The real threat to national security By Michael T. Klare
Forget about terrorism -- the true enemy is American dependence on energy resources in unstable foreign countries. (10/04/2004)

Oil, oil, toil and trouble By Andrew Leonard
The future won't be defined by East vs. West or Christian vs. Muslim. As Michael Klare's new book, "Blood and Oil," shows, it's all about who has, and who wants, the black gold. (10/04/2004)

Big Apple bigots By Rebecca Traister
This week the airwaves and gossip columns offered a startling view of supposedly sophisticated New Yorkers in all of their racist, classist glory. (10/02/2004)

Winning the war of words By Matthew Craft
In the battle over political language, the "flip-flop" tag is but the latest GOP victory. Progressive linguist George Lakoff explains how Democrats can reframe the debate. (10/02/2004)

Don't it make a red state blue By Leigh Flayton
In Arizona, influential Republican women are increasingly coming out for John Kerry. (10/02/2004)

People have the power By Eric Boehlert
Bruce Springsteen, REM and friends kick off the Vote for Change tour with a night of passion and inspiration. (10/02/2004)

Letters
Salon readers, euphoric, somber, some of them Canadian, weigh in on Thursday night's presidential debate. (10/02/2004)

After the euphoria By Joe Conason
John Kerry and his advisors had better not get too cocky over their victory in the first debate. They still need to shore up their weaknesses and hammer Bush harder. (10/02/2004)

Bush flunks the "global test" Tim Grieve
(10/02/2004)

The Fix
Justice Scalia calls for more "sexual orgies" to "eliminate social tensions"; Minnelli accused of abusing another male intimate; and Clinton is up, about and buying ice cream! (10/01/2004)

"Ladder 49" By Stephanie Zacharek
Joaquin Phoenix, giving a delicate, passionate performance, heroically rescues this film about the daily lives of firefighters. (10/01/2004)

"I Heart Huckabees" By Stephanie Zacharek
There's not much to heart about David O. Russell's latest effort, in which he sets actors Jason Schwartzman, Jude Law, Lily Tomlin and Dustin Hoffman woefully adrift. (10/01/2004)

"Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry" By Stephanie Zacharek
George Butler's crisp, informative documentary underscores an essential idea that we seem to have lost track of: That politicians are our servants -- not our bosses. (10/01/2004)

"Tropical Malady" By Charles Taylor
This love story about a soldier and a country boy from Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul makes you feel as if life itself is unfolding on the screen. (10/01/2004)

Everything you were afraid to ask about "The Wire" By Dan Kois
Need a primer for quite possibly the best show on television? (10/01/2004)

Win, place or die By Meredith Maran
Crime novelist, horse racing junkie and former performance poet Maggie Estep talks about the Beats, touring with Lollapalooza and writing dirty fiction. (10/01/2004)

Just days to the election -- Get out the truth!
Volunteer in a swing state, phone bank from home, and get a 2-for-1 gift offer from Salon. (10/02/2004)

My friend is on the fast track to fat, sweaty, bald virginhood By Cary Tennis
Is a makeover in order? (10/01/2004)

The operative By Mary Jacoby
White House water-carrier Robert Novak, infamous for exposing Valerie Plame, has been flacking for the Swift Boat Veterans book -- not bothering to disclose his close personal ties with the publisher. (10/01/2004)

It's the IQ, stupid By Tim Grieve
Kerry outsmarts Bush in crucial first debate. (10/02/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
NFL Week 4: Teams just don't win or lose four in a row, do they? Except the Patriots, that is. (10/01/2004)

Pundits' gut reactions By Eric Boehlert
Democrats get a huge boost from Kerry's performance, while Republicans need to overcome Bush's "pouty look." (10/01/2004)

Letters
Readers weigh in on the cowardice of CBS, new TV ads featuring the mothers of slain U.S. soldiers, a Marine taking the battle to Bush, and more. (10/01/2004)

Faith vs. reason By Sidney Blumenthal
Kerry gains the upper hand in a debate as significant for its substance as for what it revealed about Bush. (10/01/2004)

"He forgot Poland, Jim Bob! And Great Britain is two words!" By Joyce McGreevy
The Bush/Kerry debate in translation. (10/01/2004)

Abject failure means never having to say you're sorry By Jane Smiley
Why Bush and Blair can't admit their colossal mistake in Iraq. (10/01/2004)

"Faces of frustration" Geraldine Sealey
(10/01/2004)

The "busting" of A.Q. Khan and other tall tales Geraldine Sealey
(10/01/2004)

Running scared Mark Follman
(10/01/2004)

White House message control on Iraq Mark Follman
(10/01/2004)

Fox News gives Kerry extreme makeover! Mark Follman
(10/01/2004)

Debate week worries
What Table Talkers are saying about fighting fair, community and how the media let them down. (10/01/2004)

Ask the pilot By Patrick Smith
Caracas: Where DC-9s go to die. Also, why Venezuela's majestic Angel Falls was named after an American pilot. (10/01/2004)

Letters
Readers explain what's wrong with Farhad Manjoo's "The Iowa Electronic Markets Are Still Going for Bush." (10/01/2004)