Alaska Governor Sarah Palin resigned late Friday afternoon with no warning. The reasons for her move remain a mystery. Is she making a play for national politics? Or is she really done with the political scene? Joining The Takeaway are Libby Casey, the Washington correspondent for Alaska Public Radio Network, and Steve Heimel, a reporter for Alaska Public Radio Network, based in Anchorage, Alaska, who are here to discuss how this resignation is resounding in both cities.

If you missed her speech, here are some highlights:

A multi-million-dollar industry has been pushing brides to spend more and more money in the search for a "perfect day." But now the average amount spent on weddings is beginning to go down. How are brides-to-be pinching pennies on their way down the aisle? Joining The Takeaway with some advice is Beth Kobliner, personal finance expert and author of Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties.

Today President Obama kicks off a week-long trip to Russia, Italy, and Ghana. He’s currently in Moscow, meeting with President Medvedev. Iran, North Korea, and plans for a U.S. missile defense system in Europe are all on the agenda, but reducing the number of strategic and other nuclear weapons gets top billing. Presidents Obama and Medvedev aim to negotiate a new pact to replace the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which expires in December. To gauge how effective this negotiation will be—and for a look at how this summit could redefine U.S.-Russia relations, we turn to Ambassador John Bolton. He is Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. He is currently a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

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Former NFL quarterback and MVP Steve McNair was found shot to death on July 4th. Police have ruled it a homicide, but while the cops sort through the clues, The Takeaway looks at McNair's athletic achievements. He brought speed, agility, accuracy and leadership to the field, and will be remembered for his toughness, playing through endless injuries. Joining us to talk about Steve "Air" McNair's legacy is The Takeaway’s sports contributor, Ibrahim Abdul-Matin.

Fans are already putting together tributes on YouTube. Here's one:

It's Monday morning and we've got all the news you'll need to keep an eye on in the week ahead. President Obama travels to Russia, Italy and Ghana. Michael Jackson's funeral is expected to paralyze parts of Los Angeles and the sagas of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford continue. Plus, we'll get a better idea of how the U.S. offensive in Afghanistan is going. The Takeaway is joined by Marcus Mabry, International Business Editor for our partner The New York Times, and Jonathan Marcus, diplomatic correspondent for our partner the BBC. Jonathan Marcus is currently in Moscow to witness the meeting between Presidents Obama and Medvedev.

On Friday afternoon, seemingly out of the blue, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin resigned. Her rambling announcement and strange career choice was only the latest chapter of gubernatorial follies. We discuss the political theatre with Gail Collins, a columnist for The New York Times, who wrote about Sarah Palin and her speech in her Saturday column, Sarah’s Straight Talk. Ms. Collins joins The Takeaway (again!) to review what's wrong with governors these days.

Did you miss Gail Collins' previous visit to The Takeaway to discuss gubernatorial antics? Click here!. And to find out who are listeners nominated as the worst governors in history, click here.

President Obama and his family arrived in Russia this morning. The president is meeting with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev in the first such summit since 2002, to talk about extending the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START). How are Russians viewing the American President's visit? The Takeaway is joined by Fyodor Lukyanov, editor of Russia in Global Affairs magazine.

Sarah Palin has been a lot of things: hockey mom, a Miss Alaska pageant winner, a high school point guard, and a Republican Vice Presidential candidate. But in a few weeks, one thing she won't be is Alaska's Governor. On Friday she surprised the nation when she announced her resignation from the post. Joining The Takeaway to discuss Alaska's reaction to the news, and to guess what Ms. Palin will do next, is Larry Persily, former aide to Governor Palin and a long-time Alaska journalist.

Today President Obama and his Russian counterpart, President Medvedev, meet in Moscow. This is the first full-fledged summit since 2002, when President Bush famously looked into Putin’s eyes and saw his soul. This time around, the press has largely been focusing on negotiations to reduce strategic nuclear weapons. The White House, however, is stressing that this meeting is much more wide–ranging; their goal is for the U.S. to forge a substantive relationship with the Russian government and the Russian people. For a look at whether or not this can be achieved, we’re turning to Ambassador Thomas Pickering. He served as Ambassador to the United Nations from 1989-1992 and as Ambassador to Russia from 1993-1996. He is currently the co-chair of The International Crisis Group.

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Sports history was made yesterday at Wimbledon as Roger Federer and Andy Roddick squared off in the mens' final. Federer beat Roddick in five sets, finally winning the fifth set 16-14. It was the most games ever played in a Wimbledon final. Federer won his 15th Grand Slam title, breaking Pete Sampras's record. And on the Fourth of July, two Americans battled it out for the women's title. Serena Williams defeated her sister Venus for her third Wimbledon title. Joining us is The Takeaway’s sports contributor, Ibrahim Abdul-Matin.

Here are some of the highlights from the men's final:

Local produce, farm-to-table dining, it's all the rage in foodie circles—and now, in the Baltimore public schools. For years, school systems have vowed to make lunch healthier and tastier. Luckily, Tony Geraci is used to a challenge. He has just finished his first year as head of food services for Baltimore City Public Schools, where he has dramatically changed the way Baltimore school kids eat. Joining him on The Takeaway are Michele Simpson and Rashad Epps, students at Baltimore City Public Schools.

Robert McNamara died early this Monday morning. McNamara served as Secretary of Defense during the Vietnam War under both Presidents Johnson and Kennedy from 1961 to 1968. McNamara later admitted tearfully that America's pursuit of the Vietnam War had been "terribly wrong." Joining The Takeaway to discuss the man and his legacy is Larry Korb, a former Assistant Secretary of Defense, who has known McNamara for over two decades.

Here's Robert McNamara reminiscing about his life and legacy in the film "The Fog of War":