1. How Washington works, and doesn't: Big shots -- Victory over what? -- Slow and bluesy -- Get out the shovel -- Dogs & cats -- Tractor man -- Parking service follies -- The "F" word -- An unusual man -- The English language debate -- Fighting government waste: an act of terrorism? -- A government that can't remember anything -- Lost lessons from Vietnam and Watergate -- The weirdest week ever? -- When defeat is not a victory -- Nothing doing in Congress-- 2. Vote for... never mind: McDonald's for president -- Debating debates -- Just a dream -- My exploratory committee -- My friends, it is with a heavy heart... -- The industry of politics -- Geeks and snolly-gusters -- The joy of voting -- While waiting for a president -- What was that again? -- Campaign commercials -- Presidential predictions -- Campaign ads and brain waves -- Axes, pancakes and big rigs, oh my! -- 3. The best politicians money can buy: Calling Mr. Jefferson -- A simple plan -- Sam Houston -- Needed: a 12-step program -- All things to all people -- The Washington Aquarium -- Casting the line -- A real debate -- Bad advice vs. common sense -- The money game -- 4. Hail to the chief: Include me out -- Me, too -- Second inaugurals -- Role model? -- Starstruck -- Are we there yet? -- A history lesson -- The boy who shook hands with JFK -- One year on -- History-makers climb mountains -- Vacations -- Reagan's wit and optimism -- Lessons from Ronald Reagan -- My favorite presidential interview -- Ford's clumsiness -- "If I were President" --

5. Life, liberty and the pursuit of news: The senior American official -- One-hundred-year-old man -- Kicking the tires -- For Danny Pearl, who tried to get it right -- Escapism at the Paris Hilton -- No bribe left behind -- Getting the story -- Practicing what we preach in Iraq -- Sometimes, good things happen -- A case for newspapers -- We didn't get the Paris interview -- 6. War and peace: Pitching in -- A death in the family -- Our policy and our aim -- Service -- Ben Hua -- Bob Kerrey's story -- An uneasy feeling -- Duct tape and tax cuts -- The spin on war -- War reporters -- What comes next -- Going it alone -- Honesty still the best policy -- "No excuse, Sir" is the only answer -- Sharing the sacrifice -- More than lip service -- Is Baghdad too hot for Iraqi leaders? -- Asking the right questions about Iraq -- A tragedy waiting to happen -- Do we no longer practice what we preach? -- 7. Seasons: The Christmas story -- Not-so-happy holidays -- Valentine's Day -- The man who forgot Valentine -- Friends like these -- Mother's Day -- What is there to say about moms? -- Graduation day -- Code of honor -- Dad, please just act normal -- The name of the day -- Present at the beginning -- Checks and balances -- Saying thanks for Thanksgiving -- And speaking of food... -- 8. Trailer trash -- Sophistries -- Talk to your kids -- O.J. and D.C. -- The hit parade -- Common sense -- The baseball lesson -- A century's work -- The nation faces us -- Good schools -- Vouchers -- Listening in the dark -- Unreality -- To know more -- The scandal and the church -- The Ten Commandments -- In English only? -- Barry Bonds is no hero -- A very bad habit -- The sunset of life -- We are all broken --

9. Human interests: No police

Good news

Online and off

Working the phones

A real snake

Everyone cheered

Top dog

Coping with the cell phone culture

Talking the talk

Just call on me

Staying in touch too much

Sorry, Andy

10. The lives we led: The obits

Angel Wallenda

Scott Lewis

Princess Diana

James Michener

Dave Powers

Madeline Kahn

Russell Long

Johnny Cash

Eddie Adams

Pope John Paul II

Peter Jennings

Paul Tibbets

William F. Buckley

11. The unthinkable: A grayness within grayness (Auschwitz)

Oklahoma City

A very small place

Falling to earth

9/11

Aftermath

The origins of hatred

Proud to be Americans

Daily reminders

Government failed the people

9/11 and Hurricane Katrina

A nation's concept of itself

Flood-level hypocrisy

Feeling abandoned in New Orleans

At FEMA, your IQ must be below this line

Our finest hour

12. Heroes: FDR

Eugene Lang

John Glenn

Hamilton Jordan

Bill Proxmire

Martin Luther King, Jr.