MEDIA LEAD SHEET/DECEMBER 1, 2008 ISSUE (on newsstands Monday, November 24). To book correspondents, contact Katherine Barna at 212-445-4859-Katherine.Barna@Newsweek.com-or Grace Huh at 212-445-5831-Grace.Huh@Newsweek.com. Read the issue and Web exclusives at www.Newsweek.com.

COVER: The Meaning of Michelle (p. 28). National Correspondent Allison Samuels writes that without even stepping into the White House, Michelle Obama has already accomplished a great deal in raising the profile of African-American women.  "When her husband raises his hand to take the oath of office, Michelle will become the world's most visible African-American woman," Samuels writes.  "The new First Lady will have the chance to knock down ugly stereotypes about black women and educate the world about American black culture more generally. But perhaps even more importantly-even apart from what her husband can do-Michelle has the power to change the way African-Americans see ourselves, our lives and our possibilities."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/170383

"Who's Watching the Money?" (p. 20). Senior Editor Michael Hirsh and Senior Editor Dan Gross write that though Obama doesn't have the power to do anything to right the economy during this transition period, he could reassure the markets by quickly making clear the course he plans to take with a detailed map of his economic rescue plan.  "In ordinary times, a leisurely transition and the fact that Congress is full of lame ducks for nine weeks don't matter much. In ordinary times, the lack of civic-minded business leaders with credibility and a desire to exert forceful leadership doesn't matter much either. But as the president-elect has acknowledged, these are not ordinary times."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/170434

"Letter?  I Never Got Any Letter, Herbert" (p. 24). Senior Editor Jonathan Alter writes that the challenges Obama will face coming in to office are similar to those of FDR after Hoover's administration.  "In today's instant-gratification culture, Obama will have a much harder time meeting expectations than FDR, who merely had to show some marginal improvement in economic conditions to win big Democratic victories in Congress in 1934 and a landslide re-election in 1936. The Depression didn't end until six years after he took office, with the onset of World War II. While Obama has managed to exceed expectations in the past, he won't have the luxury of a slow recovery."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/170363

INTERNATIONAL: "A Path Out of the Woods" (p. 26). Newsweek International Editor Fareed Zakaria writes about the crucial appointment in the Obama administration that isn't likely to get much attention-U.S. ambassador to China.  "There is a consensus forming that Washington needs to spend its way out of this recession, to ensure that it doesn't turn into a depression. Economists of both the left and right agree that a massive fiscal stimulus is needed and that for now, we shouldn't be worrying about deficits. But in order to run up these deficits-which could total somewhere between $1 trillion and $1.5 trillion, or between 7 and 11 percent of GDP-someone has to buy American debt. And the only country that has the cash to do so is China."   

http://www.newsweek.com/id/170357

"Just One More Frame!" (p. 33). National Correspondent Suzanne Smalley writes that Barack and Michelle Obama are focused on raising their daughters in the White House, while still keeping them as normal as possible.  In the age of blogs and constant media interest, that may be more difficult than ever and "the Obama family will grapple with issues that former first kids haven't had to face. Chelsea Clinton, the last girl of a similar age in the White House, grew up well before the era of Facebook and cell-phone snapshots. Banning Facebook entirely could risk alienating the Obama girls from their peers, but restrictions will almost certainly be necessary for their own protection."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/170360

"Show-and-Tell Time" (p. 34).  Editor-at-Large Evan Thomas and Washington Correspondent Pat Wingert report on D.C.'s poor public schools and what Obama could do to fix not only D.C. schools, but inner-city public education across the country.  "The chancellor of the D.C. system, Michelle Rhee, has proposed an innovative teachers' contract that could allow her to reward the best teachers and dismiss the bad ones. Educators everywhere are watching to see what Obama says and does. If he backs Rhee's proposal, he will send a powerful signal to struggling inner-city schools that reform is possible. If he fudges or says nothing, it will be a signal that little will change for the poor and mostly black children in the capital's nearly dysfunctional apparatus."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/170362

"President 2.0" (p. 40). Senior Editor Daniel Lyons and Correspondent Daniel Stone write that Obama's election may have ushered in a new government computer infrastructure that lets people look into the workings of Washington.  Obama's transition team is already building an organization to carry on the Internet efforts begun during the campaign, which may raise legal questions.  "Call it Government 2.0. Instead of a one-way system in which government hands down laws and provides services to citizens, why not use the Internet to let citizens, corporations and civil organizations work together with elected officials to develop solutions? That kind of open-source collaboration is second nature to the Net-gen kids who supported Obama and to technologists from Silicon Valley who are advising him."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/170347

"Now We're Cooking With...Batteries" (p. 42). Midwest Bureau Chief Keith Naughton writes that electric storage is the weak link in a high-tech world and with laptops and cell phones operating faster than ever, our batteries are not keeping up.  Not only could fixing this problem improve our lives, but it could also improve the planet.  "It's an issue that goes beyond cars and mobile devices. To reduce carbon emissions, utilities are likely to shift more generating capacity from coal and natural gas to renewable sources like wind and solar. Solar cells and wind turbines require batteries because they provide power intermittently."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/170341

MOVIES: "An Actress Moves On, or Tries To" (p. 58). General Editor Ramin Setoodeh sat down with Michelle Williams to discuss her new movie "Wendy and Lucy."  She speaks publicly about her life after Heath Ledger's death,  "I just wake up each day in a slightly different place-grief is like a moving river, so that's what I mean by it's always changing...It's a strange thing to say, because I'm at heart an optimistic person, but I would say in some ways it just gets worse. It's just that the more time that passes, the more you miss someone. In some ways it gets worse."
http://www.newsweek.com/id/170184

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