Week in the News

But the news kept coming on the way to the beach this week. For the first time since World War II, a major drive to further open global trade failed, and economists wondered if we might turn back the other way.

The Bush White House announced a giant federal deficit. Unemployment hits a four year high. The CIA points a sharp finger at Pakistan. And McCain and Obama throw sharp elbows over who’s ready to lead — and the race card.

This hour, On Point: Ah, summer. Our weekly news roundtable goes behind the headlines.

What are your top stories this week? Are we back to attack politics on the campaign trail? Have you seen the new McCain campaign ad? Will it work? Have you seen Obama's response? Is he right to complain? Will the huge deficit projected this week handcuff whoever moves into the White House? What about politics in hiring at the Justice Department? And Ted Stevens — what's the moral of that story? And on the economy — how's your consumer confidence?

Join the conversation, right here, and let us know what you think in the comments section on this page.Guests:

Janine Zacharia, diplomatic correspondent for Bloomberg News.

Stephen Spruiell, staff writer for National Review and National Review Online.

Jack Beatty, On Point news analyst and senior editor at The Atlantic Monthly.