Week in the News

Ladies and gentlemen, we are in the pre-election boil, with everything at stake, and it showed this week. Policy, pronouncements, campaign ads and tempers are popping off in all directions - some old, some new, some ugly.

Under fire from miserable poll numbers, "stay the course" took a hike in Washington. In Baghdad, the US ambassador announced a timeline. Iraq's own leader said "no way." The top US general said twelve to eighteen months to handover. Donald Rumsfeld told deadline seekers to "just back off."

Also this week, a campaign ad dived to sex and race, and Madonna sang for a baby.

Hear about this week in the news, from bloody Iraq to Michael J. Fox, gay marriage, hot polls and more.

Guests:

Richard Wolffe, senior White House correpondent for Newsweek

Mona Charen, syndicated columnist

Jack Beatty, On Point News Analyst, senior editor at The Atlantic Monthly