Senator McCain wants a court with a "limited scope," and Senator Obama wants a court that will be a "refuge to the helpless." What do they mean, and what would McCain or Obama as president mean for our federal courts? or more importantly, what does it mean for us?

The bailout passed despite partisan tensions, and the 110th Congress returned home this weekend to persuade their constituents that they had really won the day. Now analysts and lawmakers speculate on the bailout votes' impact on their re-election, as challengers from both parties move to attack Congressional incumbents and their voting record on the plan that had earlier sparked the public's outrage.

The law school hosted a debate today between Alan Gura and Carl Bogus. Gura left out many questions and Bogus was generally disappointing. If only Bogus could actually debate instead of resorting to childish tactics during the Q&A...

Saturday Night Live takes a comprehensive look at the bailout and its major characters.

PELOSI: In the past few weeks this debate has focused on the wisdom of government intervention in the housing markets. What hasn't been talked about is that behind every home foreclosure there is a story of real suffering by real americans--people who but for the grace of god can be you or your neighbors. And today, we'd like to introduce you to some of them...

Chuck Hagel is coming to Columbia! Here are two of his most frequently quoted statements to warm you up for his talk:

Chuck Hagel said in November 2005, "To question your government is not unpatriotic - to not question your government is unpatriotic." Criticizing how Congress went mum without a debate on the merits of the Iraq War, Hagel became one of the War's earliest critics. In July 2007, Hagel walked the walk and was one of three Republicans in senate to support a Democratic proposal to begin withdrawing troops within 120 days.

Hagel is also well-remembered for his statement, "I took an oath of office to the Constitution, I didn't take an oath of office to my party or my president" in reference to the Bush administration, the Republican Party, and the PATRIOT Act. Notice that Hagel is a Republican senator representing Nebraska in the U.S. Senate. His Congressional voting record shows he voted 78.5% with the majority of his party. It just so happens that Hagel's all-time favorite pastime is bashing the Bush administration--so much so that he even wrote a book on how well the administration handled the war.

Sachs Student Lecture: Progress and Challenges in the Millennium Villages

Earlier today in Miller Theatre, Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director of the UN Millennium Villages project, gave Columbia students a broad look at the project's beginnings, achievements, and future plans. Piecing together the many-faced portrait of poverty in Africa, Sachs walked the audience through the Millennium plan and approach. Sachs stresed that Millenium Villages are a demonstration and a learning project, "to document a way out of the poverty trap, that then, can be scaled up" from the local to macro level.

George W Bush in Pictures: We'll miss your facial expressions, the chest bumping, tub thumping, photo opps with babies... But, mostly, we'll remember you for your dancing.

Thanks President Bush. You'll be forever in our hearts.

A collection of some of our favorite moments from his presidency.

Yesterday noon, WEAI hosted the last of its Brown Bag Series, "Reporting China." The cozy lunchtime talks took us from Tibetan, Chinese, American, to a UK journalist perspective, through a range of media from television to print. Wrapping up the series was "Is China As Strong As It Seems" with Rob Gifford, London Bureau Chief, National Public Radio.

NO, WE'RE NOT THERE YET Obama's stimulus package is only the "easy part" of a new bailout plan with many unknowns. The White House will have to pry some banks off of their bad assets before private investors finance the bulk of buying them. The details will be unveiled tomorrow.

WATCH YOUR BILL If finding decent and affordable food weren't hard enough, now Columbia students will have to watch out for consumer law violators: NYC eateries downtown and elsewhere are illegally charging their customers automatic gratuities (autograt) as part of the bill. A NYPost sleuth got on the case, so before you hop on the 1 train, make sure to check out his list of naughty restaurants.