Table of Contents: Sep. 27, 2004

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10 QUESTIONS: Jon Stewart on his new book and why politics amuse him 8

LETTERS 12

NOTEBOOK

Why is Bush playing nice with Syria?; Oscar contenders; Kerry's women troubles 17

IN THE ARENA: Joe Klein on Kerry's need to hold Bush liable for Iraq 23

COVER

Blue Truth, Red Truth The left and the right are in a cutthroat battle to assert their own versions of reality 24

RATHER'S FIX: The story behind CBS's disputed 60 Minutes broadcast 28

VIEWPOINT: Andrew Sullivan on why bloggers deserve some gratitude 37

WORLD

Inside the Insurgency As rebel attacks in Iraq become more deadly, there are signs of fissures in the ranks 42

FAITH UNDER FIRE: Targeted by insurgents, Christians flee Iraq 44

LETTER FROM MOSCOW: Is Vladimir Putin playing protector or politics? 47

WEATHER

Inside Ivan's Eye A TIME reporter flies into the midst of the latest hurricane to hit the Gulf Coast 38

BUSINESS

Bad Medicine? The lawyer who took down Big Tobacco has a new target: overcharging hospitals 48

HEALTH CARE: How Bush and Kerry would cover the uninsured 52

GLOBAL AGENDA: New ideas for curing America's oil addiction--but not from the candidates 55

SOCIETY

Bright Young Minds Educators bemoan grade skipping, but gifted kids who stay put may suffer 56

MUSLIMS AT PLAY: Prayer rugs and head scarves at Six Flags 62

ARTS

Far East Four young Asian designers shine at New York Fashion Week 64

BOOKS: Philip Roth proves his literary prowess once again 67

NELLY: The multiplatinum hip-hop star wants to party all the time 71

MOVIES: A Hong Kong thriller could teach Hollywood a thing or two 74

YOUR TIME

HEALTH: Antidepressant warnings; eye implants for the nearsighted 77

TECHNOLOGY: Meet the cast of Sims 2; a friendlier spam filter 78

LIFESTYLE: Sixty years of Gourmet in one book; creamier, fruitier gin 81

PEOPLE: Bennifer, the sequel?; hip-hop eyes the Hall of Fame 83

ESSAY: James Poniewozik on the niching of America 84

COVER: Digital photomontage. White House: Brooks Kraft--Corbis for TIME; Rather: Suzanne Plunkett--AP; Knox: Erich Schlegel--Dallas Morning News; Bloggers: Keri Pickett for TIME; Quagmire: MoveOn PAC; Gardner: Swift Boat Veterans for Truth; Bush: Reuters