Vol. 171 No. 26
COVER
The US is erecting miles of new fences along much of the Mexican border. Can a barrier stop the tide of illegal aliens?
NATION
Unlike Barack Obama, John McCain isn't a great speechmaker. But he has mastered the art of the town-hall meeting. How it could help him win
Deep Down In Iowa (The Well / Nation)
ESSAY
Obama says he wants to hire a Team of Rivals for his Cabinet. He should start by keeping Robert Gates
Obama's Rebuke of Absentee Black Fathers (The Well / Viewpoint)
Obama's rebuke of absentee black fathers may score politically, but it won't help solve the problem
The Beltway-Blog Battle (Tuned In)
As old and new media square off in Campaign 2008, each one is getting more like the other
Prayer and the Presidency
We like our leaders to have faith. So why do we make it so hard for them to express it?
NOTEBOOK
What California's same-sex unions reveal about marriage
The People's Voice (Briefing / Appreciation)
A journalism icon, Tim Russert never forgot where he came from
A Brief History Of: Summer Vacation (Briefing)
The Skimmer (Briefing)
Stan Winston (Briefing)
Tony Schwartz (Briefing)
The World (Briefing)
10 ESSENTIAL STORIES
The Page (Briefing)
Verbatim
Milestones
Pop Chart
WORLD
A Massachusetts fishing town tries to understand why so many of its teenagers made a pact to get pregnant. How one school is grappling with the Juno effect
SOCIETY
The effort to stamp out underage alcohol use has failed, creating a culture in which young people binge in secret. John Cloud suggests there's a better way
Walking Away From Your Mortgage (Life / Real Estate)
A new breed of company wants to solve your mortgage woes. But what exactly are these guys selling?
How to Buy an Oriental Rug (Briefing / Travel)
One of TIME's Middle East correspondents offers tips for novice bargain hunters
Golf's Crash Course (Life / Health)
Why golf carts are more hazardous than they look
Explosives Camp (Life / Geek Chic)
BUSINESS
How in the world did a hedge-fund manager become our top crusader for financial probity?
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Graphic novels — long comic books for grownups — have also become the movie industry's most reliable development tool
Tadao Ando's Elegant Simplicity (Architecture)
A splendidly simple new building by Tadao Ando proves that less can still be more
(Downtime)
A boy band, an American girl and--wouldja believe?--Agent 86
PEOPLE
The product of a country crushed by war, 20-year-old Ana Ivanovic is No. 1 in the world and gunning for Wimbledon. Meet tennis's next megastar
10 Questions for Steve Carell (10 Questions)
From The 40-Year-Old Virgin to The Office's clueless boss Michael Scott, he's made hilariously awkward comedy an art form. His new film, Get Smart, is in theaters. Steve Carell will now take your questions