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Comments by a German Bishop on a talk show over the weekend have fueled debate about whether Pope John Paul II might retire his post before he dies. Robert talks with Father Thomas J. Reese, Editor in Chief of the Roman Catholic magazine America, and author of Inside the Vatican: The Politics and Organization of the Catholic Church. They discuss church canon, which does allow a Pope to retire if he feels he cannot fulfill his duties. Few have taken such a step. Reese explains what happens if a Pope becomes incapacitated before retiring. Reese's book, Inside the Vatican, is published by Harvard University Press, 1998.

NPR's Tom Cole sits down with blues guitar legend Eric Clapton to talk about his childhood in Surrey, England, his difficult relationship with his family, and why "reptile" is a term of endearment.

Noah speaks with L.M. Taylor, the mayor of Pavo, Georgia about the reason his town is featured in a country music video for Alan Jackson's song, "Little Man." The song laments the demise of small Southern towns, brought on by the emergence of strip malls and major national chain stores. Pavo, a town of 774 people, is a perfect example.

How will this all end? Host Lisa Simeone asks Florida crime writer Edna Buchanan to write a final scene for "The Election That Won't End."

Robert talks with Matthew Rothschild, editor of The Progressive magazine, about how Ralph Nader's run for President on the Green Party ticket affected the final outcome of the election. Rothschild was a strong Nader supporter. (4:45) See http://www.progressive.org for more information.

Noah talks with Tom Debaggio, an herb grower and writer with early onset Alzheimer's. His wife Joyce and son Francesco also participate. This is the third conversation Noah has had with Tom.

After a seven-year prison term, James went through a rigorous education process including job training, drug counseling and support meetings. James watched others in the program drift back to crime while he struggled to overcome the obstacles that ex-offenders face when trying to re-connect to family and society.

Commentator Bob Sloan talks about his strong ties to both his family and his Appalachian home.

NPR's Renee Montagne travels to Owensboro, Kentucky, to report on America's last public execution. In August of 1936, 20,000 people watched Rainey Bethea die by court order on the gallows.

In the first of a two-part series, NPR's Ketzel Levine reports on author Michael Pollan. His new book, The Botany of Desire, suggests that plants have evolved to be attractive to humans.