Henry Louis Gates was having a bad day. Returning home from a long flight, the Harvard scholar found his door jammed from an attempted break-in. Then a cop showed up looking into a possible burglary and asked for his ID. Sgt. James Crowley was also having a bad day. Responding to a call about a break-in, the Cambridge cop—who teaches racial profiling classes—was harangued by Gates. The basics aren't in too much dispute: An irked Gates gave his ID, Crowley called for Harvard cops, Gates got angrier and was arrested. Yet another example of the racial divide, one that even sucked in the president? Or, as an editorial suggests, a case of "power and machismo" from all involved? As arguments continue, Obama has invited Crowley and Gates to talk things over beer... and no bashing. —VC (Follow us on Twitter)

There is—or should be—no doubt that Barack Obama was born in the U.S. But despite irrefutable evidence that includes his birth certificate and two birth announcements, a shrill subset of anti- Obamites still believes that he was born overseas, making him ineligible to be president.  Right-wing radio, blogs, court cases, and true believers—not to mention GOP reps—have kept the tale alive, and the story has exploded into the mainstream. When video of angry “birthers” hijacking a meeting held by Republican Mike Castle hit the airwaves, Rick Sanchez and Chris Matthews debunked the premise. Great fodder for Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, but with U.S. soldiers now paying heed and Lou Dobbs providing a platform, some Republicans forced to deal with the movement are no longer laughing. —JB (Follow us on Twitter)

Walter Cronkite was buried this week. The longtime newsman's career bookended one of America's most turbulent periods. He delivered the worst of news—the JFK and MLK assassinations, Three Mile Island, Watergate—right into people’s homes, but because of his objectivity and professionalism, Americans never blamed the messenger. A poll crowned him the most trusted man in America, and after he called the Vietnam War, on-air, a stalemate, Lyndon Johnson lamented, “If I've lost Cronkite, I've lost middle America.” Inherent in all the eulogizing is the sense that the era of journalists taking their public charge to heart has ended. Now a new poll has found comedian Jon Stewart to be the most trusted newsman. Ironic, but as Cronkite would say, "That's the way it is."—JB (Follow us on Twitter)

Video of an attractive nude blonde goes massively viral. Sounds like the usual Web tale, except this time the tale of ESPN sportscaster Erin Andrews unfolded like a "Law & Order" episode. Sordid details: Without her knowledge, someone records her in a hotel through peepholes and uploads the footage. Media frenzy: Weeks later, bloggers recognize Andrews. ESPN issues a cease-and- desist order. New York Post runs screen grabs. An outraged ESPN bans NYP staffers as show guests in retaliation. A more outraged NYP blames ESPN for stirring up the mess. Moralizing: LA Times, Fox and others call hypocrisy in posting these violations of privacy. Whodunnit: A coworker? Whoever the peeping tom, Andrews plans to file charges. Some Justice?: Men seeking to see the pics can get a virus. —VC (Follow us on Twitter)

No one said it was going to be easy, but perhaps no one thought it would be quite this hard. After a series of setbacks to his goal of quickly pushing through health care reform, President Obama tried to regain control of the debate with a primetime press conference. Among the recent obstacles to passage of the bills wending their way through Congress: an unfavorable cost analysis, a revolt by conservative Democrats, balking governors, and softening public support. Next up: Abortion opponents plan to publicize their opposition, too. Republicans, smelling opportunity in the Democrats' internecine battle, are feeling their oats. In 1993, the collapse of the Clinton health plan helped send Congressional Dems into the wilderness. No one is underestimating the stakes this time around. —JB (Follow us on Twitter)

Did you hear the one about the mayor, the rabbi, and the kidney salesman? Actually, make that three mayors, two state legislators, five rabbis, and 34 others arrested in a federal sting operation in New Jersey. The case began as a money-laundering investigation two years later, Operation Big Rig had ballooned into a "Sopranos" meets "The Wire" epic, complete with international kidney trafficking, fake Gucci bags, cereal boxes laden with cash, and synagogues that "washed" illegal money. While New Jersey has had a long history of bad deeds, The New York Times said even "veteran political observers were nearly breathtaken at the scale of the arrests." The fallout and the fights are just beginning... and likely a bidding war for the film and book rights. —VC (Follow us on Twitter)

Dogs barked, nocturnal flowers bloomed, cows came home for dinner and millions donned goofy-looking glasses when the longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century spread from India to China to the Pacific, casting entire countries into several minutes of nighttime. Across Asia, science bumped into the penumbra of ancient beliefs: Researchers chased the darkening sky by plane and on the ground while parents in India buried their disabled children up to their ears in hopes they’d be cured. Millions stayed indoors in fear as astrologers forecast violence and natural disaster—despite efforts by officials in China and the subcontinent to dispel superstitions. Check out the video and images of the phenomenon, as a total blackout this long—6½ minutes—won’t occur again until 2132. —DH (Follow us on Twitter)