The Essential Odom | Farewell to a general who saw everything so clearly COMMENTARY Lt. Gen. William E. Odom, who was laid to rest Monday at Arlington National Cemetery, was the earliest, most prescient and most persistent senior military critic of the war in Iraq. Here's an annotated bibliography of his commentaries.

| How deep is the candidates’ faith in the Constitution? COMMENTARY John Hanrahan writes that the moderators in the presidential debates need to ask a question like this one, first posed by reporter Charlie Savage: “Is there any executive power the Bush administration has claimed or exercised that you think is unconstitutional? Anything you simply think is a bad idea?” And they need to follow up so that the candidates answer it. (Second of two articles)

| Forget flag pins. Ask about assaults on the Constitution COMMENTARY Bush and Cheney grabbed more power than almost anyone could have imagined. After their excesses—unchecked by Congress—reporters and debate moderators need to ask tough questions to help determine Obama’s and McCain’s views and intentions. (First of two articles)

Election 2008 | How unscrupulous campaign strategists are taking advantage of a quirk in our brains – and what reporters can do to stop helping them
COMMENTARY| August 238, 2008
Because of the way humans process information, political journalists who think they are dispelling false beliefs may actually be spreading them. Two brain experts offer ground rules for reporters who want to avoid becoming accessories to disinformation campaigns. Rule one: Stop repeating things that aren't true.

A wake-up call for journalists | A court case of vital importance
COMMENTARY
The decision in Wyeth v. Levine could determine whether documents that expose massive, lethal misconduct are accessible to reporters and the public.

History repeating itself | Afghanistan makes Iraq look easy
COMMENTARY
A former CIA station chief writes that Obama and McCain should think again if they believe nation-building in Afghanistan can be achieved without an enormous cost in blood and treasure. History suggests otherwise.

Torture, American style | Abuse has no place in interrogation policy
COMMENTARY
Two veteran intelligence officials write that this country has a long history of successful interrogations – based on seduction, not coercion. Torture not only violates our core values, but leads to misinformation.

Skills in demand are Web-related | The shrinking newspaper
COMMENTARY
A Project for Excellence in Journalism report shows more of the same: more staff cuts, less newshole, less foreign coverage, less copy editing. But many editors surveyed see improvements in the product.

Public interest groups | There's an element missing in the sub-prime discussion
COMMENTARY
The useful, often vital voice of public interest groups is mostly absent in the debate over the sub-prime crisis, writes Henry M. Banta. He puts some of the blame for that on newsroom cuts in staff, newshole and investigative capability.

The I.F. Stone award | How Walcott and the Knight Ridder reporters went about their work
COMMENTARY
John Walcott is the winner of the first I.F. Stone Medal for Journalistic Independence. One thing he and his reporters did, Murrey Marder points out, was find mid-level, knowledgeable sources -- and not fall for the deceit pushed by those high in the Bush administration.

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