Compiled by Mary Grace Lucas
CNN Washington Bureau

CNN: Campaign stops add to VP speculation

In the run-up to the vice presidential announcements, a campaign stop is less about what's said than where it is; geography and choreography are clues.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/19/obama.mccain.vp/index.html

WSJ: McCain Takes Hands-Off Approach With Platform

Jean from Ferrisburgh, Vt., wants the Republican Party to get off "the global-warming bus." Paul from Carrollton, Texas, wants it to "reject fetal stem-cell research." And Larry from Waynesboro, Pa., wants the party to promise to "deport those who are here illegally."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121919935070455629.html?mod=todays_us_page_one

NY Times: Obama’s Ads in Key States Go on Attack

Senator Barack Obama has started a sustained and hard-hitting advertising campaign against Senator John McCain in states that will be vital this fall, painting Mr. McCain in a series of commercials as disconnected from the economic struggles of the middle class.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/20/us/politics/20ads.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper&oref=slogin

AP: McCain, Obama to silence critical ads on Sept. 11

Presidential contenders Barack Obama and John McCain plan to pull ads on Sept. 11 that criticize each other, a respite from the political fray to honor the anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5joaI2PgFE8-2IHjsjHRcm59baj1wD92LR9200

CNN Radio: Looking for clues in the VP whirlwind

The letters "v" and "p" may go up in value on the Scrabble board, as we get deeper into the daily guessing game about Barack Obama and John McCain's choices for number two. Lisa Desjardins has today's CNN Radio Political Ticker.

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/08/20/cnnradiopoliticalticker082008.mp3

USA Today: St. Paul hopes GOP convention wows guests

The last time the Twin Cities hosted a major political party's nominating convention, delegates from the 44 states arrived at Minneapolis' Exposition Building in horse-drawn buggies and street cars, and "Flour City" was derided by some Easterners as a frontier town.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-08-19-gop-convention_N.htm

Washington Post: This Time, McCain Knows the Drill

Last month, a hurricane and an oil spill derailed Sen. John McCain's visit to an oil rig to tout his support for offshore drilling as a solution to the nation's energy woes.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/19/AR2008081903035.html

Washington Times: Obama courts military voters; Gives nod to success of surge

Sen. Barack Obama, edging away from a long-held position, tacitly acknowledged the success of the Iraq troop-surge strategy during an appearance Tuesday before the country's largest organization of combat veterans.

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/20/obama-courts-military-voters/

USA Today: Democrats planning everything but the weather in Denver

Democrats are hoping for an open-air sendoff of Barack Obama on Aug. 28 as big as the Colorado sky. But what if Denver's heavens open up with a thunderstorm, as they can do on late-summer evenings on the Rockies' eastern slopes?

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/news/denver-weather-democratic-convention.htm

Washington Post: Candidates' Abortion Views Not So Simple

The narrative of the presidential campaign appeared to be set on the issue of abortion: Sen. Barack Obama was the abortion-rights candidate who was reaching out to foes, seeking common ground and making inroads. Sen. John McCain was the abortion opponent whose reticence about faith and whose battles on campaign finance laws drew suspect glances from would-be supporters.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/19/AR2008081903228.html

LA Times: In announcing a running mate, timing and place are key

For McCain and Obama, the choice of when and where to announce their vice presidential picks can maximize publicity and minimize potential problems at their conventions.

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-veep20-2008aug20,0,6952524.story

Politico: McCain weighs a Lieberman surprise

John McCain is seriously considering choosing a pro-abortion-rights running mate despite vocal resistance from conservatives, with former Democratic vice presidential nominee Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) very much in the mix, close McCain advisers say.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12646.html

Politico: Biden their time? Lieberman, Graham head to Georgia, too

McCain men Joe Lieberman (a rumored veep choice) and Lindsey Graham are leaving today for a two-day tour of Poland, the Ukraine and Georgia, where they will meet with President Mikhail Saakashvili.
http://www.politico.com/blogs/thecrypt/0808/Biden_Their_Time_Lieberman_Graham_Head_to_Georgia_Too.html

Bloomberg: Bayh's Running-Mate Chances May Be Hurt by Wife's Board Seats

Indiana Senator Evan Bayh, on a short list of Democrat Barack Obama's possible running mates, may face questions about potential conflicts of interest from his wife's work on seven corporate boards that paid her more than $837,000 last year.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=auTmNXiBqkjE&refer=politics

NY Times: Obama’s 2003 Stand on Abortion Draws New Criticism in 2008

Abortion, a familiar issue in elections past, has again emerged in recent days as a focus of controversy. Senator Barack Obama is coming under intense fire from anti-abortion groups because of the position he took as an Illinois state senator on legislation regarding the status of fetuses that survive abortion procedures.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/20/us/politics/20checkpoint.html?ref=todayspaper

NY Times: Talk of McCain’s No. 2 Concerns Conservatives

Senator John McCain is facing increasing scrutiny about his selection of a running mate as some social conservatives expressed alarm on Tuesday that Mr. McCain might ask a candidate who favors abortion rights to join him on the ticket.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/20/us/politics/20veep.html?ref=todayspaper

NY Times: One Hand on Her Job, the Other Across the Aisle

Of all those said to be on the short list for the Democratic vice-presidential nomination, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas best embodies the kind of bipartisanship that Barack Obama hailed in the convention speech that made him a household name four years ago: no red states or blue states, just the United States.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/20/us/politics/20sebelius.html?ref=todayspaper

WSJ: Biden's Foreign Policy Background Carries Growing Cachet

Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden returned from a visit to the war-torn country of Georgia to find himself in a new spotlight as speculation intensifies over Barack Obama's imminent choice of a running mate.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121919956426355701.html?mod=todays_us_page_one

CNN: Blake: A glimpse of the young Obama in action

In 1987, I got a sneak preview of one of the most unlikely political stories of our time. It would take me nearly 20 years to figure out that I had stumbled upon a slice of American history.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/18/revealed.obama.blake/index.html

CNN: Slow change frustrated young Obama, friends say

As a young man, Barack Obama idolized the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. "Reading about people not that much older than me who had gone to jail and suffered beatings in order to liberate a people," he said, "I thought there's something powerful about that."

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/18/revealed.obama.chicago/index.html

Washington Post: Obama's Wide Web; From YouTube to Text Messaging, Candidate's Team Connects to Voters

Amid the cramped, crowded cubicles inside Sen. Barack Obama's campaign headquarters here, sandals are as ubiquitous as iPods.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/19/AR2008081903186.html

Politico: Nader predicts Obama to pick Clinton

Count Ralph Nader as unimpressed by the crop of supposed finalists to be Barack Obama’s running mate. “I don’t think he’s that dumb,” said Nader, commenting on widespread speculation that Obama’s choices are down to Sens. Joe Biden, Evan Bayh, or Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12652.html

CNN: MoveOn.org targets Elizabeth Dole's Senate race

MoveOn.org has its sights set on U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole's unexpectedly competitive contest for re-election in North Carolina, spending nearly half a million dollars on an ad accusing the North Carolina senator and fellow Republican John McCain of being "in the pocket of Big Oil."

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/19/dole.race/index.html

Washington Post: Agreement on Drilling Doesn't Yet Mean Action

Republicans are in their third week of House floor protests on the energy issue, and the political terrain appears to have shifted significantly since they launched their efforts Aug. 1.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/19/AR2008081902858.html

NY Times: Some Democrats Urge Delay in Building a U.S. Missile System in Eastern Europe

As the Bush administration speeds ahead with plans to construct a missile defense system in Eastern Europe, some Democrats in Congress want to put on the brakes, saying it has not been adequately tested.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/20/washington/20congress.html?ref=todayspaper

USA Today: States throw out costly electronic voting machines

The demise of touch-screen voting has produced a graveyard of expensive corpses: Warehouses stacked with thousands of carefully wrapped voting machines that have been shelved because of doubts about vanishing votes and vulnerability to hackers.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-08-19-electronic-voting_N.htm

Washington Post: Sibling Revelation: An Overlooked Branch of Cindy McCain's Family Tree

When Cindy McCain talks about growing up, she usually refers to herself as an "only child" -- a phrase that ignores the existence of her half sisters. "It's terribly painful," Kathleen Hensley Portalski said yesterday. "It is as if she is the 'real' daughter. I am also a real daughter."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/20/AR2008082000253.html

Washington Post: Bush Administration Rule on Pollution Struck Down

A federal appeals court yesterday struck down a Bush administration rule that prevented states and local governments from imposing stricter monitoring of pollution generated by power plants, factories and oil refineries than required by the federal government.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/19/AR2008081902721.html

Washington Post: Capturing The Bush Legacy Online

The Bush administration will soon be packed and gone, but part of its legacy will live on in cyberspace. A consortium of government and nonprofit agencies plans to capture snapshots of every federal government Web site before Jan. 20, when the next president moves into the White House and starts remaking the federal bureaucracy to fit his agenda.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/19/AR2008081902857.html

=========================================================== ====

On the Trail
Compiled by Mary Grace Lucas
CNN Washington Bureau

* Sen. John McCain holds a town hall meeting at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, NM.

* Sen. Barack Obama campaigns in Virginia, holding a discussion on the economy in Martinsville and then a town hall meeting Lynchburg.

Compiled by Mary Grace Lucas
CNN Washington Bureau

AP: Edwards' ally explains $14,000 payment to mistress

John Edwards' political action committee paid his mistress $14,000 after she stopped working for it to obtain 100 hours of unused videotape she had shot for his unsuccessful presidential campaign, an associate told The Associated Press on Thursday.The woman, Rielle Hunter, already had been paid $100,000 for the programs.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jfOq80s0bbfh1UP_b8x29EsWTXAwD92IHAU80

CNN: New DNC Web video tries to link McCain to Abramoff scandal

The Democratic National Committee’s is taking on John McCain in a new Web video calling into question his reputation as a campaign finance reformer and a maverick who stands outside the inner circles of political dealings in the nation’s capital.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/15/new-dnc-web-video-tries-to-link-mccain-to-abramoff-scandal/

LA Times: McCain back in Aspen, this time standing tall

The GOP candidate discusses Russia and ABBA at the event. Top advisors attend, fueling veep talk.

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-mccain15-2008aug15,0,1186560.story

Washington Post: McCain's Focus on Georgia Raises Question of Propriety

Standing behind a lectern in Michigan this week, with two trusted senators ready to do his bidding, John McCain seemed to forget for a moment that he was only running for president.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/14/AR2008081403332.html

CNN: Gorbachev: Georgia started conflict in S. Ossetia

Georgian leaders may be blaming Russia for the conflict raging in South Ossetia, but former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev said Thursday "there is no doubt" that Georgia provoked the clash.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/08/14/gorbachev/index.html

CNN Radio: That’s one convention with a side of catharsis, please pull around

Senator Hillary Clinton's supporters get more of what they want and Obama hopes it will prevent chaos. Also, Sen. John McCain continues to bang his foreign policy gong courtesy of Russia. Bob Costantini has today's CNN Radio Political Ticker.

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/08/15/cnnradiopoliticalticker081508.mp3

NY Times: Lawyers’ Ties Hint at Extent of Hiding Edwards’s Affair

As tabloid reports of a sex scandal threatened former Senator John Edwards’s presidential campaign last December on the eve of the Iowa caucuses, two lawyers surfaced with written statements that appeared to exonerate the candidate.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/15/us/politics/15edwards.html

CNN: Book on Obama blasted for 'vicious innuendo'

There's a new book out about Barack Obama that some say is riddled with pretty much every unsubstantiated rumor you've ever heard about the Illinois senator.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/14/corsi.book/index.html

NY Times: McCain Displays Credentials as Obama Relaxes

For the last several days, Senator Barack Obama has seemed to fade from the scene while on his secluded vacation here, as his opponent, Senator John McCain, has seized nearly every opportunity to display his foreign policy credentials on the dominant issue of the week: the conflict between Russia and Georgia.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/15/us/politics/15obama.html

Washington Times: McCain's hints at Ridge inspire theories

Explanations were abounding Thursday on why Sen. John McCain mentioned Tom Ridge as a possible running mate - including a serious pick, a trial balloon for the right and an ecumenical gesture for the left.

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/15/mccains-hints-at-ridge-inspire-theories/

Congressional Quarterly: McCain Gets a Bye from FEC Lawyers

Attorneys for the Federal Election Commission (FEC) have recommended giving Republican presidential candidate John McCain a pass on his decision earlier this year to withdraw from the federal public financing program for his campaign for the GOP nomination.

http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000002938164

CNN: Ranking the best and worst VP picks

When it comes to vice presidential picks, there have been some good ones and some not so good ones.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/14/vp.picks/index.html

Pioneer Press: Vote 2008 / Mondale makes pitch for Obama

At his first public appearance for Barack Obama, former Vice President Walter Mondale on Thursday told a group of campaign volunteers they will confront "trash ads" and subtle racism aimed at the Democratic presidential candidate.

http://www.twincities.com/politics/ci_10207595

WSJ: McCain's Son Sat on Troubled Bank's Board

Sen. John McCain's son served until last month on the board audit committee of a Nevada bank that is struggling to survive amid mounting losses and regulatory scrutiny. Andrew K. McCain, 46, was on the board of Silver State Bancorp for five months before he resigned on July 25 for unspecified "personal reasons," according to a news release issued by the bank at the time.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121876461747243159.html

WSJ: Obama Details Raising Taxes on Gains, Dividends

Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama sought to quiet critics by offering specifics about his tax plan, but his proposal to raise tax rates on investment income and expand payroll taxes is continuing to draw fire from some who say it will harm workers and the economy.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121876400087343173.html

LA Times: John McCain, Barack Obama spar over 'celebrity'

WHEN then-presidential candidate Bill Clinton made his storied appearance with saxophone in hand on "The Arsenio Hall Show" 16 years ago, he changed presidential politics -- turning pop culture's hippest TV shows into the contemporary equivalent of campaign whistle-stops.

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-et-cause15-2008aug15,0,4423106.story

Politico: McCain alarms base with abortion comment

Top social conservative leaders in key battleground states are urging John McCain not to pick a running mate who supports abortion rights, warning of dire consequences from a Republican base already unenthused about their nominee.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12542.html

USA Today: Donors pick up convention tab

Labor unions and wealthy donors are helping to close funding gaps for both national political conventions, sometimes contributing more than what they could legally donate to Barack Obama or John McCain.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-08-14-convention-money_N.htm

Politico: Keynote speaker today, nominee tomorrow?

Democrats moved one step closer to a full roster of convention speakers Wednesday, tapping former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner to deliver the keynote address at the party gathering in Denver later this month.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12529.html

WSJ: Stevens Challenges Indictment; Senator's Lawyers Seek the Dismissal Of Corruption Case

Lawyers for Sen. Ted Stevens filed a flurry of pretrial motions that challenged the government's public-corruption case against the Alaska Republican.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121876777843843391.html

NY Times: A Tumultuous Day for Detroit’s Beleaguered Mayor

Just when it seemed as if the legal troubles surrounding Detroit’s embattled mayor, Kwame M. Kilpatrick, who is facing assault and perjury charges, could not grow any more bizarre, they did.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/15/us/15detroit.html

Washington Post: GOP Loyalty Not a Given For Young Evangelicals

Jonathan Merritt is a Baptist preacher's son with a pristine evangelical lineage. It was his dad, the Rev. James Merritt, who reportedly brought President Bush to tears in the days after the Sept. 11 attacks when he called the president "God's man for this hour." The Rev. Jerry Falwell was like a grandfather.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/14/AR2008081403446.html

CNN: Clinton's name to be put in nomination at convention

Sen. Barack Obama's campaign has agreed to put former rival Sen. Hillary Clinton's name in nomination at the Democratic National Convention this month.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/14/clinton/index.html

CNN: Pastor: Not going to play 'gotcha' with McCain, Obama

The Rev. Rick Warren said Thursday that his upcoming forum with Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama will be aimed at asking them tough "heartland questions."

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/14/warren.forum/index.html

Washington Post: Discord With Russia a Worry for NASA

NASA's ability to send its astronauts to the $100 billion international space station is in danger of becoming a costly casualty of the Russia-Georgia war.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/14/AR2008081403160.html

Washington Post: D.C. Party Is Resistant To Audacity Of Change

Like thousands of young Barack Obama supporters, Kahlill Palmer has poured his soul into the politics of change. He's volunteered at the polls, taken road trips to knock on doors, and done his part to help build those big rallies.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/14/AR2008081403471.html

Washington Post: McCain Aide Sees Va. as Close but Winnable

A top strategist for Sen. John McCain's campaign said Thursday that the presidential contest in Virginia will "undoubtedly be close" this fall and acknowledged that the state should no longer be considered a Republican stronghold.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/14/AR2008081403248.html

Washington Post: Kaine Intervenes In Deportation Case

A Newport News woman who was to be deported yesterday for a 1996 crime has been pardoned by Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and will be granted a one-year reprieve by federal immigration authorities.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/14/AR2008081403474.html

CNN: Murtha Intervenes for Company That Broke Export Law

Rep. John P. Murtha, the Pennsylvania Democrat known for delivering federal money to defense contractors in his district, is now going to bat for a constituent's company that was convicted last year of illegally exporting components of military equipment.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/14/AR2008081403217.html

AP: Senators say report on oil prices is flawed

Democratic senators say a government report issued last month on oil prices was based on flawed information. They're asking for an investigation into the matter.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hItGAAHmoZcxui_0erzQN7cuNeRQD92I8U4G4

USA Today: Iraqi elections official fears fair vote in jeopardy

Iraqi security forces loyal to the Shiite-led government are raiding voter registration centers and taking other steps to discourage participation in upcoming elections, says the head of Iraq's voting regulatory agency.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2008-08-14-Iraq-voters_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

AP: Musharraf ally says talks could lead to exit

Talks are under way that could lead to the resignation of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf or else reduce his role to that of a figurehead, an ally of the embattled leader said Friday.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iWe152N60O8rfHfthVTBaXBeBs3wD92IIMK00

CNN: U.S., Libya deal closes book on Lockerbie

Libya will pay hundreds of millions of dollars to victims of terrorist attacks involving Americans in an agreement signed and finalized Thursday, the U.S. State Department said.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/08/14/lockerbie/index.html

Washington Post: The History Will Linger At Remade Ford's Theatre

This week, Paul R. Tetreault, the theater's producing director, provided a glimpse at the project, about two-thirds completed. The goal is to remake Ford's into the centerpiece of a state-of-the-art Lincoln campus in honor of the bicentennial of the president's birth Feb. 12.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/14/AR2008081403328.html

=========================================================== ====

On the Trail
Compiled by Mary Grace Lucas
CNN Washington Bureau

* Sen. John McCain has breakfast with T. Boone Pickens in Aspen, CO.

* Sen. Barack Obama returns to Chicago after a week vacationing in Hawaii.

Compiled by Mary Grace Lucas
CNN Washington Bureau

Washington Post: Both Parties Now Ignoring McCain

The presidential campaign strategies these days are clear. For the Democrats, it's time to stop the bickering and rally round Barack Obama, who dominates the Democratic National Committee's Web site.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/12/AR2008081202883.html

CNN: Hagel won't endorse McCain or Obama, spokesman says

Sen. Chuck Hagel, a leading Republican voice on international affairs and an outspoken critic of the war in Iraq, won't endorse either major-party presidential candidate in 2008, a spokesman said Tuesday.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/12/election.2008.hagel/index.html

NY Times: Book on Obama Hopes to Repeat Anti-Kerry Feat

In the summer of 2004 the conservative gadfly Jerome R. Corsi shot to the top of the best-seller lists as co-author of “Unfit for Command,” the book attacking Senator John Kerry’s record on a Vietnam War Swift boat that began the larger damaging campaign against Mr. Kerry’s war credentials as he sought the presidency.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/13/us/politics/13book.html

CNN Radio: Candidates candid on Caucasus

World affairs! A little-known (until recently) regional conflict has imposed itself on the presidential campaign as the candidates seize the moment to strut their foreign-policy stuff. Bob Costantini has today's CNN Radio Political Ticker.

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/08/13/cnnradiopoliticalticker081308.mp3

Minneapolis Star-Tribune: Some predict hundreds of arrests, others far fewer; everyone's ready

The Minnesota ACLU is estimating that 800 demonstrators will be arrested, and it's prepping dozens of lawyers to defend them.

http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/conventions/26894609.html

Philadelphia Inquirer: Theme might offer a clue to VP choice

It's national security on the night Obama's running mate will make an acceptance speech.

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/world_us/20080812_Theme_might_offer_a_clue_to_VP_choice.html

Rocky Mountain News: Thomas Freeman, New York City 1976

You can almost hear her famous voice booming off the printed page. Barbara Jordan still speaks, boldly, forcefully, from a letter buried in a box on a shelf behind two sets of glass doors inside a library on the poor side of town.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/aug/13/thomas-freeman-new-york-city-1976/

Rocky Mountain News: November suitors lining up to woo Colorado

Jared Polis' record-breaking spending pushed the Boulder entrepreneur to a primary victory Tuesday night, headlining an evening in which Secretary of State Mike Coffman and incument U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn also rang up wins in their congressional districts.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/aug/12/colorado-primary-elections-results/

Washington Post: While Aide Advised McCain, His Firm Lobbied for Georgia

Sen. John McCain's top foreign policy adviser prepped his boss for an April 17 phone call with the president of Georgia and then helped the presumptive Republican presidential nominee prepare a strong statement of support for the fledgling republic.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/12/AR2008081202932.html

Washington Post: On Georgia Crisis, McCain's Tone Grows Sharper

Aides to Republican Sen. John McCain were scrambling last Thursday morning even as his plane was descending into Des Moines. Russia had escalated its aggression in the bordering Republic of Georgia, they told reporters, and McCain wanted to seize the moment.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/12/AR2008081202935.html

CNN: U.S. may seek to punish Russia for Georgia conflict

Furious over Russia's invasion of Georgia, the United States and its allies are weighing steps to diplomatically isolate Moscow as punishment for the conflict, senior administration officials said Tuesday.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/08/12/georgia.us/index.html

CNN: Republican Trio Crosses Party Lines To Back Obama

A trio of Republicans have defected from their party's likely presidential nominee and kicked off an effort to garner support for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121859149525535519.html

WSJ: McCain's 'Celeb' Cameos Don't Amuse Everybody

John McCain's recent taunting of rival Barack Obama as "the biggest celebrity in the world" has not only gotten under the skin of the Illinois senator, it is also irking some of the celebrities used in the cameo shots.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121859951807236037.html

Washington Post: Can McCain Use Advice Clinton Got on Obama?

If John McCain's campaign operatives were looking for strategic advice for the fall campaign against Barack Obama, they could click on the Atlantic Monthly's Web site. There they would find a raft of memos from Mark J. Penn, Hillary Rodham Clinton's chief strategist, outlining possible ways to try to defeat the presumptive Democratic nominee.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/12/AR2008081202875.html

Politico: Political boogeymen then and now

Every campaign has its boogeymen: those stock characters used by every politicians to embody the vague but malevolent forces that are coming to hurt you, the voter, unless you cast your vote for him or her

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12367.html

Washington Times: McCain reminds voters of Obama's 'bitter' gaffe

Sen. John McCain reminded Pennsylvanians Tuesday that presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama said the state's small-town voters "cling to guns and religion" because they are "bitter," a gaffe that possibly contributed to Mr. Obama's loss in the state primary and might haunt his general election campaign in this battleground.

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/13/mccain-reminds-voters-of-obamas-bitter-gaffe/

Politico: Polls show landslide scenario unlikely

From the fever swamps of the blogosphere to the halls of academia, there is a chorus of voices who have come to the same conclusion about the presidential election: Barack Obama is going to win in November, by something resembling a landslide.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12503.html

Politico: Barack Obama: The coincidental tourist

The oceanfront vacation home Barack Obama is renting this week is owned by a campaign contributor who, along with her husband, has given more than $62,000 to the Democratic Party and its presidential candidates since 2000.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12498.html

Washington Post: In Pa., Looking Out for No. 2

The bay door opened under a giant American flag, John McCain's dark-blue Straight Talk Express bus rolled into the exhibition hall to the inevitable (in Pennsylvania, at least) strains of "Rocky," and the presumptive Republican presidential nominee emerged with not one but two of The Mentioned.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/12/AR2008081202938.html

Politico: Beware the 'down time' of August

August can often be the cruelest of months. Just read Barbara Tuchman’s “The Guns of August” to get a sense of the series of misplays, miscalculations and miscommunications that sparked the first World War all in the merry month of August.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12499.html

LA Times: Visits by McCain, Obama to Orange County church underscore Pastor Rick Warren's prominence

When John McCain and Barack Obama appear on the same stage Saturday at the sprawling religious campus of Orange County's Saddleback Church, their presence will vividly underline the reach that has made Pastor Rick Warren among the most significant evangelists of his generation.

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-me-warren13-2008aug13,0,1818950.story

Washington Times: Democrats shift platform to woo pro-lifers

Democrats aiming to woo pro-life voters have added new language to the party platform calling for taxpayer-funded efforts to reduce the number of abortions.

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/13/democrats-shift-party-plank-to-woo-pro-lifers/

Washington Times: Clinton's convention role nearly settled

The careful negotiations between Sen. Barack Obama's campaign and his one-time rival about her role at the Democratic National Convention are winding to a close, while Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's supporters demand she be formally recognized.

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/13/clintons-convention-role-nearly-settled/

Financial Times: US trade gap narrows as imports slow

The US trade deficit narrowed unexpectedly in June by 4.1 per cent to $56.8bn, as exports grew more than twice as fast as imports in spite of surging oil prices.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/91afe936-6870-11dd-a4e5-0000779fd18c.html

WSJ: Some Conservative Republicans Balk at Drilling Compromise

Some conservative Republicans are balking at an effort to compromise with Democrats on allowing more offshore drilling for oil, even as more key Democrats appear to be softening their opposition to such a move.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121859070476735473.html

CNN: Report: U.S. using contractors in Iraq at unprecedented rate

The United States spent $85 billion on contracts in Iraq and other countries in the first four years of the war and is relying on contract employees at a greater rate than in any other war, according to a government report released Tuesday.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/12/iraq.contractors/index.html

CNN: No crimes committed during Justice hirings, Mukasey says

Justice Department officials committed no crime by letting improper political considerations drive hirings of prosecutors, immigration judges and other career government lawyers, U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey said Tuesday, speaking to the American Bar Association.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/12/mukasey.justice/index.html

Washington Post: Ex-Congressman Ney, Jailed in Lobby Case, Set for Early Release

Robert W. Ney -- the former congressman now officially known as federal prisoner No. 28882-016 -- will complete his sentence Friday, less than two years after pleading guilty to corruption charges stemming from the investigation of now-imprisoned lobbyist Jack Abramoff's dealings with Congress.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/12/AR2008081202882.html

AP: Navy relieves commander of air recon squadron

The commander of a Navy air reconnaissance squadron that provides the president and the defense secretary the airborne ability to command the nation's nuclear weapons has been relieved of duty, the Navy said Tuesday.Cmdr. Shawn Bentley was relieved of duty Monday by the Navy for loss of confidence in his ability to command, only three months after taking the job.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iKDcgevZDggHCdTkRzapHfQC_a2wD92H4SBG3

Washington Post: 'Stop the Slide,' Says New Air Force Chief

Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, who began his tenure as the 19th Air Force chief of staff yesterday, has taken a frank view of the service's need to address recent failures concerning the security of the U.S. nuclear arsenal and acquisitions practices, telling senior leaders in briefings that they need to "stop the slide."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/12/AR2008081202864.html

CNN: Martin Commentary: Commentary: Media's job is to focus on facts, not rumors

Two recent stories are a prime example of how important it is for the media to confront the reality of rumors in the age of the Internet.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/08/12/roland.martin/index.html

=========================================================== ====

On the Trail
Compiled by Mary Grace Lucas
CNN Washington Bureau

* Sen. John McCain tours an aerospace and defense company and then holds a media availability in Michigan.

* Sen. Barack Obama has no public events.

Compiled by Mary Grace Lucas
CNN Washington Bureau

CNN: Russian president calls halt to Georgian war

Russia's president has ordered an end to military operations against Georgia, the official Russian news agency Interfax reported Tuesday.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/08/12/georgia.russia.war/index.html

CNN: Memos show Clinton camp lines of attack, disarray

Sen. Hillary Clinton's one-time chief strategist wanted to attack Sen. Barack Obama for lacking "American roots" during the Democratic primary battle, according to a magazine article set to be published online Monday evening.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/11/atlantic.clinton.staff/index.html

WSJ: Obama Floods Florida Airwaves

In Florida's living rooms, the presidential contest so far has been a landslide -- Barack Obama, 9,785; John McCain, zero.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121850408634131921.html

LA Times: Longtime Republican voters are airing new views

Many struggling families in the normally comfortable cul-de-sacs outside U.S. cities are thinking of switching parties.

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-exurbs12-2008aug12,0,6209867.story

CNN Radio: Georgia on their Minds

Conflict in the Caucasus catch the candidate's eyes as they add their own rhetoric to the crossfire. Meanwhile, a Clinton confidant can't let go of the past. CNN's Steve Kastenbaum has today's CNN Radio Political Ticker.

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/08/12/cnnradiopoliticalticker081208.mp3

Washington Post Op-Ed: Mikhail Gorbachev: A Path to Peace in the Caucasus

The past week's events in South Ossetia are bound to shock and pain anyone. Already, thousands of people have died, tens of thousands have been turned into refugees, and towns and villages lie in ruins. Nothing can justify this loss of life and destruction. It is a warning to all.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/11/AR2008081101372.html

CNN: Ron Paul's wife hospitalized in Iowa

Rep. Ron Paul's wife was hospitalized Saturday morning, the Texas Republican's presidential campaign announced shortly before voting was to begin in the Ames GOP straw poll.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/08/11/ron-pauls-wife-hospitialized-in-iowa/

Politico: Mark Penn: Negative ads: They really do work

Clever negative advertising works. That is reality. The tactic meets with media and pundit disapproval and spawns accusations of negativity, but the reality is that a clever negative ad can be devastatingly effective.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12455.html

Boston Globe: McCain targeted as D.C. 'celebrity'

Barack Obama, pummeled for weeks by Republican rival John McCain as an out-of-touch celebrity, tries to turn the tables in a new TV ad that portrays McCain as "Washington's biggest celebrity" playing the "same old Washington games."

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/articles/2008/08/12/mccain_targeted_as_dc_celebrity/

Washington Post: In a Changing Corner of Pa., a Glimpse of Obama's Age Problem

When Gene Rutherford, 65, tries to make sense of the meteoric rise of Barack Obama, and the rampant enthusiasm for him among younger Americans, he thinks of the local mall, where as director of operations he often deals with teenagers.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/11/AR2008081102203.html

CNN: McCain campaigns with VP contender in battleground state

Sen. John McCain on Monday is campaigning through Pennsylvania with former governor and vice presidential contender Tom Ridge.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/11/campaign.wrap/index.html

Politico: 'Chameleon' Reid looks to 2010 election

As the leader of Senate Democrats looking to expand their majority in November, Harry Reid has become a darling of the left, bashing President Bush, confabbing with liberal bloggers and relishing his role as a national target for conservative ad campaigns.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12462.html

WSJ Op-Ed: Texas Gov. Rick Perry: Texas Is Fed Up With Corn Ethanol

At what price will corn be so expensive that the federal government will decide that it is time to stop driving up the price of food?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121850115460131741.html

Politico: For politicos, books are hard business

If the launch party was any indication, Sen. Harry Reid’s new book was going to be a hit. On a balmy May evening, hundreds of politicians, lobbyists, reporters and congressional staffers filed into The Source, the sleek new Wolfgang Puck restaurant at the Newseum, and enjoyed pizza with cream cheese and their choice of Reid-themed specialty drinks.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12463.html

NY Times: Candidate Shocks Party and Himself

What about Bob? That is the head-scratching question in Montana this election season, especially here in Butte, a tough old mining city that is home to Bob Kelleher, the surprise Republican nominee in the race against Senator Max Baucus, the longtime Democratic incumbent.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/12/us/politics/12montana.html

NY Times: An Indiana Democrat Offers Risks and Rewards

As the Senate debate on the use of force against Iraq neared its climax in October 2002, Senator John McCain turned on the floor to Senator Evan Bayh to ask what had led him to take such “a visible, as well as important” role in seeking Congressional consent for military action.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/12/us/politics/12bayh.html

AP IMPACT: Bush to relax protected species rules

Parts of the Endangered Species Act may soon be extinct. The Bush administration wants federal agencies to decide for themselves whether highways, dams, mines and other construction projects might harm endangered animals and plants.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hXBV9U9SBb_hysHw0UpNdHvcmx4gD92GDKFO0

The Hill: Pelosi indicates openness to offshore drilling vote

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Monday night dropped her staunch opposition to a vote on offshore oil drilling in the House.

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/pelosi-indicates-openness-to-offshore-drilling-vote-2008-08-11.html

WSJ: Voter Registration Is the New Battleground

As Barack Obama tries to draw hundreds of thousands of new voters to the polls, Republicans are beginning to scrutinize registrants' eligibility as both sides draw a major battle line over voting rights.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121850477150231953.html

CNN Navarrette Commentary: Media didn't conspire to protect Edwards

For several weeks now, a friend -- who happens to be a fellow journalist with a good nose for news -- has been hounding me to be among the first columnists in the country to write about L'Affaire Edwards.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/11/navarrette.edwards/index.html

Washington Post: Edwards's Mea Culpa Merits a Mere Blip Against NBC and Beijing

How clever of John Edwards to make himself available last Friday to do his did-I-ever-make-some-kind-of-serious-mistake-or-what? wife-cheating confession exclusively for ABC News, which would then air it in the teeth of NBC's broadcast of the Beijing Summer Olympics Opening Ceremonies.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/11/AR2008081102946.html

Washington Post: In a Harsh Climate for Lobbyists, the Forecast Calls for . . . More Lobbyists

To hear the presidential candidates talk, you'd think that lobbyists were about to be exiled from the capital city.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/11/AR2008081102039.html

WSJ: New Front in Abortion Battle

Activists on both sides are awaiting a comprehensive report reviewing two decades of published research on mental health and abortion, to be presented this week at the American Psychological Association's annual conference in Boston.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121849764993731541.html

WSJ: South Dakota Vote Draws Attention

Two years after a strict abortion ban here was overturned by voters, backers have brought a similar measure -- but one laced with complexities that could bode well for its passage, and ultimately could bring about the challenge to Roe v. Wade desired by abortion foes nationwide.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121848559101430821.html

Washington Post: In Tiananmen of Games, No Trace of '89 Massacre

The Tiananmen Square that Liu Xiaobo knows is not the same one Olympics fans are seeing on television.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/11/AR2008081102280.html

NY Times: Next U.S. Commander in Iraq Cautious on Troop Cuts

As he prepares to become the senior American commander in Iraq, Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno said Monday that over the next year he hoped to recommend significant reductions in the number of American troops stationed there. He acknowledged, however, that political developments — like the recent delay in scheduling regional elections — would influence the troop reductions as much as the level of attacks.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/12/washington/12odierno.html

Washington Post: Sovereign Funds Become Big Speculators

Sovereign wealth funds, the massive investment pools run by foreign governments, are now among the biggest speculators in the trading of oil and other vital goods like corn and cotton in the United States, according to interviews with brokers who handle their investments at leading Wall Street banks, veteran traders and congressional investigators.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/11/AR2008081102462.html

NY Times: F.B.I.’s Use of Phone Records Shows Need to Protect the Press, Senators Say

Two leading senators said Monday that they were troubled by the F.B.I.’s collection of the phone records of four reporters at The New York Times and The Washington Post and that the episode showed a “pressing need” for legislation pending in the Senate that would provide greater legal protection for journalists.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/12/us/12fbi.html

CNNMoney.com: Dollar makes more strides vs. euro

U.S. currency reaches highest level in nearly 6 months amid continuing concern about Europe's economy.

http://money.cnn.com/2008/08/11/markets/dollar_write/index.htm?postversion=2008081116

AP: Cindy Sheehan qualifies to run for Pelosi's seat

Anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan has qualified to run as an independent against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in November's general election.San Francisco election officials on Monday said they have verified enough signatures of registered voters on Sheehan's petitions.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5it8jTtD17SXY_SKpIt_9UX22mwcwD92GCAHO0

=========================================================== ====

On the Trail
Compiled by Mary Grace Lucas
CNN Washington Bureau

* Sen. John McCain holds a town hall meeting at The Toyota Arena in York, PA.

* Sen. Barack Obama has no public events.

Compiled by Mary Grace Lucas
CNN Washington Bureau

NY Times: For a Week, McCain Has the Trail to Himself

As Senator Barack Obama headed off for a vacation in Hawaii last week, Senator John McCain was left in the continental United States with the Iowa State Fair to himself.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/11/us/politics/11mccain.html

CNN: Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama get prime time spots

The Democratic National Convention announced its “headline” speakers Sunday, with Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama each getting a starring role in prime time.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/11/hillary-clinton-michelle-obama-get-prime-time-spots/

Rocky Mountain News: Unconventional Wisdom: Tom Hayden, Chicago 1968

The New Left leader from four decades ago thinks Denver should be skeptical of federal authorities' warnings about violent protest.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/aug/11/officials-pressing-the-panic-button-begets-says/

CNN Radio: Spectacular speculations…media self-examination on Edwards and the Veepstakes continue

Barack Obama continues a vacation in Hawaii, taken off the front pages by news of a formal rival's infidelity. Also, John McCain goes Ridge running. Bob Costantini has today's CNN Radio Political Ticker.

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/08/11/cnnradiopoliticalticker081108.mp3

WSJ Op-Ed: Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili: The War in Georgia Is a War for the West

As I write, Russia is waging war on my country. On Friday, hundreds of Russian tanks crossed into Georgian territory, and Russian air force jets bombed Georgian airports, bases, ports and public markets. Many are dead, many more wounded. This invasion, which echoes Afghanistan in 1979 and the Prague Spring of 1968, threatens to undermine the stability of the international security system.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121841306186328421.html

WSJ: Georgia Conflict Tests Candidates on Foreign Policy

The violence between Russia and Georgia quickly thrust foreign policy into the U.S. presidential election, with John McCain standing to benefit and Barack Obama facing a more perilous situation.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121842467970229029.html

Politico: Clinton to forfeit $13 mil loan, unless…

Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton, who once deducted $6 on their taxes for donating three pairs of his underwear, plan to take a $13-million hit to their personal bank account by forfeiting loans she made to her failed presidential campaign.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12429.html

Rocky Mountain News: Dems plan parties aplenty for mixing and mingling

Denver will party hard with the notable and elite attending the Democratic National Convention later this month. Gov. Bill Ritter is gearing up to throw a reception for his peers and their spouses on Aug. 26 at his residence in Capitol Hill.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/aug/11/dems-plan-parties-aplenty-for-mixing-and/

Politico: New Obama book coming this fall

Barack: The Book will hit stores on Sept. 9, just as the fall campaign is heating up. "Change We Can Believe In: Barack Obama's Plan to Renew America's Promise” includes a campaign photo album from the road, a collection of seven of the hit speeches by Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), and new essays outlining his policy proposals.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12432.html

CNN: McCain VP buzz starts at the airport

Sen. John McCain spends the next two days campaigning through Pennsylvania with the state’s former Gov. Tom Ridge at his side.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/10/mccain-vp-buzz-starts-at-the-airport/

LA Times: Between a maverick and a hard place

John McCain and the adjective "maverick" were once seemingly inseparable, and his quixotic attempt in 2000 to win the Republican presidential nomination helped weld that link.

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-maverick11-2008aug11,0,299016.story

AP: Denver wants delegates to see the old and the new

This frontier town turned modern city wants to put its best foot forward for the Democratic National Convention — just not necessarily one wearing a cowboy boot.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iImKm8gkuwU1CSbJN3PbhXCi3ewAD92FM8UG0

CNN: McCain, Obama both speak with Georgian president

John McCain and Barack Obama both spoke to Georgia's president Saturday and continued to call for an end to Russia's bombing of the former Soviet republic.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/10/mccain-obama-both-speak-with-georgian-president/

CNN: Bush, Cheney signal support for Georgia

President Bush condemned the escalated violence between Russia and U.S.-backed Georgia on Sunday, while Vice President Dick Cheney said aggression against Georgia "must not go unanswered."

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/10/us.russia.georgia/index.html

Times Online: We helped in Iraq - now help us, beg Georgians

As Russia forces its neighbour to retreat from South Ossetia, the people of Gori tell our correspondent of betrayal by the West

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article4500362.ece?&EMC-Bltn=QKZ9E9

Washington Post: On the Streets of the Capital, a Sense of Patriotism Mingled With Defiance

Russian forces had just routed Georgia's army from the capital of the disputed territory of South Ossetia, but on Sunday night the mood here in the Georgian capital was almost festive as tens of thousands of people streamed through the streets, waving flags and singing the national anthem in what some called defiance of the Russians.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/10/AR2008081002363.html

NY Times: In Georgia and Russia, a Perfect Brew for a Blowup

As the bloody military mismatch between Russia and Georgia unfolded over the past three days, even the main players were surprised by how quickly small border skirmishes slipped into a conflict that threatened the Georgian government and perhaps the country itself.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/11/world/europe/11ticktock.html

WSJ: McCain Adviser Was Lobbyist for Georgia

John McCain's top foreign-policy adviser, Randy Scheunemann, is a leading expert on U.S.-allied Georgia -- and was a paid lobbyist for the former Soviet republic until March, in the run-up to what has become a major battle between Georgia and Russia.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121842762192729075.html

Washington Times: McCain, Obama target trade's impact

Foreign trade has played a key role in defining the economic policies of the presidential contenders, and the issue's perceived impact on jobs and wages could be the determining factor in the election's outcome.

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/11/trade-war/

USA Today: Vetting teams scour pasts of potential VPs

Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh, who campaigned last week with Barack Obama as news stories weighed his vice presidential prospects, is a blank slate to most Americans. So is Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who deflected questions about running with John McCain during a recent appearance at the National Press Club.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-08-10-vettingveeps_N.htm

CNN: Edwards could face political free fall from affair

John Edwards, who made his marriage a central part of his overall message during the 2008 Democratic primaries -- was dealt a political blow Friday after admitting to having an extramarital affair.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/09/edwards.affair/index.html

NY Times: Behind a Meeting That Exposed Edwards’s Affair

It was the encounter that would unceremoniously hoist former Senator John Edwards’s extramarital affair into full public view: a visit last month with the woman and her baby in a hotel room in Beverly Hills, Calif., where Mr. Edwards was confronted by reporters for The National Enquirer as he tried to leave the building.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/11/us/11edwards.html

CNN: Edwards affair: Was media part of a 'conspiracy of silence'?

Rumors about John Edwards' love affair had been circulating for months, but it wasn't until the former Democratic presidential candidate admitted to the affair that national news organizations jumped on the story.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/10/edwards.coverage/index.html

Washington Post: Affair Put Press in A Touchy Situation

The whispered allegations about John Edwards were an open secret that was debated in every newsroom and reported by almost none.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/10/AR2008081002313.html

Politico: Why I also didn't write on John Edwards

Over the past two days, the mainstream media has taken its lumps for not aggressively following up on the John Edwards story after the National Enquirer’s first report in October 2006, and especially since the magazine revealed on July 22 that there was a confrontation with their reporters at the Beverly Hilton.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/michaelcalderone/0808/Why_I_also_didnt_write_on_John_Edwards.html

NY Times: All of Us, the Arbiters of News

Early on in any journalist’s career, the young reporter is besieged by advice from all sides. Flacks, sources and run-of-the-mill busybodies will pound on the phone about why the reporter isn’t covering this or that story. And then, a sage editor will appear and counsel the newbie: “We decide what the news is.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/11/business/media/11carr.html

NY Times: Endorsement From Winfrey Quantified: A Million Votes

Presidential candidates make the most of celebrity supporters, showing them off in television ads and propping them on podiums to stand and wave. No doubt Mike Huckabee’s aborted campaign for the Republican nomination got some sort of bump from those commercials of him with Chuck Norris, right?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/11/business/media/11oprah.html

NY Times: Social Initiatives on State Ballots Could Draw Attention to Presidential Race

Divisive social issues will be on the ballot in several states in November, including constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage in Arizona, California and Florida, and limitations on abortion in California, Colorado and South Dakota.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/11/us/11ballot.html

WSJ: The Business of Politics

Entrepreneurs might be better off not making their political preferences known to customers. But some want to anyway.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121803424407616937.html

WSJ: Economists Expect 2008's Second Half To Be Worse Than First

The U.S. economy, facing a consumer-spending slowdown and a weakening global economy, is poised for an unpleasant finish to 2008.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121840429062728035.html

LA Times: Indiana cafe has no taste for liberals or coffeehouse layabouts

A cafe in Crown Point, Ind., serves up a conservative blend of java, politics and Midwestern values.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-cafe11-2008aug11,0,1161326.story

CNNMoney.com: Gas prices drop: 24 days and counting

The national average price for a gallon of gas slips to $3.818. Only 10 states are above $4 a gallon, AAA finds. Prices slide 15 cents in past two weeks, Lundberg Survey finds.

http://money.cnn.com/2008/08/10/news/economy/gas_prices/index.htm?postversion=2008081015

CNN: Secy. of Housing: We are in the middle of the housing crisis

Steve Preston, the secretary of Housing and Urban Development, said Sunday that the country is “pushing through the middle” of the housing crisis.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/10/sec-of-housing-we-are-in-the-middle-of-the-housing-crisis/

AP: Paulson: Bush right on Wall Street `hangover' quip

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, a former investment firm executive, says "absolutely there's a lot of truth" to President Bush's comment that Wall Street "got drunk and now it's got a hangover," in understanding the current economic climate.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g4iwd49S7IdDhLUH-eoo7WKGhlDgD92FIFLG0

NY Times: Paulson Says No Plan Afoot to Rescue Mortgage Agencies

The Treasury secretary, Henry M. Paulson Jr., said Sunday there are no plans to use his new authority to inject capital into mortgage companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which both posted worse-than-expected earnings last week.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/11/business/economy/11paulson.html

Financial Times: China to overtake US as largest manufacturer

China is set to overtake the US next year as the world’s largest producer of manufactured goods, four years earlier than expected, as a result of the rapidly weakening US economy.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2aa7a12e-6709-11dd-808f-0000779fd18c.html

NY Times: Bush Banters as a Buffer in Beijing

Emerging from services at a small Protestant church here, President Bush on Sunday prodded China’s leaders over religious freedom, saying they had nothing to fear from believers, but he avoided public confrontations over it or any other issue during his visit for the Olympic Games.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/11/sports/olympics/11prexy.html

Washington Post: Bush 41 In China: Kinda Like Old Times

Former president George H.W. Bush doesn't give a lot of interviews these days, and for one simple reason: He doesn't want to have to start talking about his son, the president. "Then somebody wants to psychoanalyze you, stretch you out on the couch . . . go into the differences that might exist," he says dismissively, gesturing to the sofa in his hotel suite here, high above this bustling city.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/10/AR2008081002548.html

Washington Times: Financial transparency sweeps nation

When Texas Gov. Rick Perry began posting all of his office expenses on the Internet two years ago, he kicked off the financial transparency trend that many state and local governments now are joining.

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/11/financial-transparency-sweeps-across-nation/

WSJ: Musharraf Is Offered Immunity If He Steps Down

As Pakistan's ruling coalition prepares a charge sheet for the attempted impeachment of President Pervez Musharraf, the Pakistan People's Party, the leading coalition partner, is in secret negotiations with Mr. Musharraf's aides to offer the former general immunity from prosecution if he agrees to step down.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121840376529228045.html

CNN: Purported al-Zawahiri message criticizes Pakistani leadership

In what's believed to be the first English-language message from al Qaeda's second in command, Ayman al-Zawahiri criticizes Pakistan's leadership and calls for Pakistanis to support the jihadist movement.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/08/10/pakistan.alqaeda/index.html

NY Times: Iraq Private Sector Falters; Rolls of Government Soar

Hampered by years of violence, a decimated infrastructure, a lack of foreign investors and a flood of imports that undercut local businesses, Iraq’s private sector, particularly its small non-oil economy, has so far failed to flourish as its American patrons had hoped.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/11/world/middleeast/11baghdad.html

Washington Post: Money as a Weapon; A modest program to put cash in Iraqis' hands stretches its mandate with big projects.

In the five-year struggle to finish the war in Iraq, military leaders and their troops have said a particular weapon is among the most effective in their arsenal: American cash.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/10/AR2008081002512.html

=========================================================== ====

On the Trail
Compiled by Mary Grace Lucas
CNN Washington Bureau

* Sen. John McCain campaigns in Pennsylvania, holding a town hall meeting in Erie and then heading to Harrisburg.

* Sen. Barack Obama has no public events.

Compiled by Mary Grace Lucas
CNN Washington Bureau

CNN: U.S. troops may leave by 2011, Iraqi officials say

Iraq and the United States are close to reaching a deal under which U.S. combat troops would leave by December 2010 and the rest would leave by the end of 2011, two Iraqi officials said Thursday.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/08/07/iraq.main/index.html?iref=24hours

USA Today: Flip-flops more fashionable this election

Models of consistency they are not. But because of who they are and the times they are running in, political analysts say, presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and John McCain are not likely to be felled by charges of flip-flopping.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-08-07-flip-flop_N.htm

LA Times: McCain ad plays up Democrats' praise of him

The montage includes Clinton, Kerry, Biden and Dean -- and sets off a flurry of retractions.

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-trailmccain8-2008aug08,0,6199660.story

Financial Times: Democratic jitters as Obama heads home

Few people are more likely to need a holiday than Barack Obama. Yet as he heads off on Friday for his first week-long break since he launched his presidential bid 19 months ago, Mr Obama is dogged by rising angst about his campaign’s direction.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/71ac6fdc-64ac-11dd-af61-0000 779fd18c,dwp_uuid=729ab242-9cb1-11db-8ec6-0000779e2340.html

CNN Radio: Heck no, they won’t go!

House GOP members vow to keep up their daily protests on the House floor for at least two more weeks. Also, democratic unity remains unsettled (at least in the eyes of some) as talk abounds of Sen. Hillary Clinton’s name being added to the ballot in Denver. And finally, the Secret Service takes action on what they see as a serious threat. Bob Costantini has today's CNN Radio Political Ticker.

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/08/08/cnnradiopoliticalticker080808.mp3

The Australian: Find your inner maverick, McCain's brother tells him

WHITE House hopeful John McCain's younger brother Joe has been telling the senator he will need to rediscover his maverick self if he is to win the presidency.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24148132-601,00.html

LA Times: McCain, Obama tiptoe across vice presidential minefield

For both candidates, the goal is the same: Who will help them while angering the fewest people?

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-veep8-2008aug08,0,6233949.story

WSJ: Candidates Name Half-Million-Dollar Teams

The 2008 presidential campaign has led to a new category of mega-fund-raiser: the $500,000 political bundler. Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain have between them released the names of 98 supporters who each have raised at least half a million dollars for their campaigns from relatives, associates and employees.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121814759801722163.html

CNN: New Details: Man held for alleged Obama assassination threat

A man was being held in Florida on Thursday on charges he told classmates at a training seminar that he would kill Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama if he is elected, according to a law enforcement official and court documents

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/07/breaking-man-held-for-obama-assassination-threat/

NY Times: Politically Divided Talk-Radio Team Has Denver Firmly in Its Grip

It takes just a few minutes for Dan Caplis and Craig Silverman to start castigating each other over their favorite topic. “No doubt in my mind that John McCain will do a far better job of protecting Israel and the United States from these wackos in Iran,” Mr. Caplis says, his hands gesticulating around his microphone. Mr. Silverman fires back, “Right there, I think your partisanship is showing.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/08/us/politics/08talkradio.html

NY Times: Minnesota Governor Looks to National Stage

As is his way, Gov. Tim Pawlenty made a self-deprecating aside on a local radio show this spring during the ceremonial start of the state’s beloved fishing season.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/08/us/politics/08pawlenty.html

WSJ: McCain Web Ad Is Accused Of Linking Obama to Antichrist

An Internet ad launched last week by the McCain presidential campaign has attracted more than one million hits by appearing to mock Barack Obama for presenting himself as a kind of prophetic figure.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121816422728523227.html

Financial Times: Daschle in talks on ethanol lobby job

One of Barack Obama’s most important backers is in talks to become an adviser to the Renewable Fuels Association, the most powerful ethanol lobby in the US capital.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/bf67c7f0-64b9-11dd-af61-0000779fd18c.html

Politico: Rice says surge helps McCain, Obama

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she understands some of the questions Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) raised about the surge policy in Iraq, but she says today's conditions in the war zone would be only "wishful thinking" without it.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12353.html

Politico: Schumer: 'Hit McCain Harder'

One of the Democratic Party's leading electoral street fighters, New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, said that Barack Obama should respond to John McCain's personal attacks with an equally personal slap.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12375.html

LA Times: DHL deal gone sour haunts McCain in Ohio

The firm may close its hub, imperiling nine county economies. Campaign aide lobbied for parent company.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-08-07-mccain-ohio-dhl_N.htm

LA Times: In wake of Hillary Clinton bid, Democrats' platform may denounce sexism

Members of WomenCount had asked for language demanding that party leaders condemn gender bias. A draft of the document does, sort of.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/08/08/america/NA-POL-ANL-US-McCain-Country-First.php

NY Times: Roles of Clintons at Convention Start to Clear

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton asked the question herself, on the last night of the primaries in June: “What does Hillary want?”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/08/us/politics/08clinton.html

CNN: Bill Clinton to speak at Democratic convention

Former President Clinton will speak at the Democratic National Convention, three sources said Thursday. Clinton will speak August 27, the night of the vice presidential nominee's speech, in Denver, Colorado, the sources said.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/07/clinton/index.html

Washington Post: Democratic Aides Working on Plan To Keep the Peace At the Convention

With the clock running out on preparations for the Democratic convention, advisers to Sen. Barack Obama are scrambling to reach a compromise with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton to appease her supporters and find roles for her and her husband.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/07/AR2008080703551.html

NY Times: What Does Hillary Want?

Senator Hillary Clinton asked the question herself on the night of the last primaries in early June: “What does Hillary want?” That’s still a bit of a mystery, particularly as she and Senator Barack Obama negotiate over her role, and possibly that of her husband, at the Democratic convention in Denver and beyond.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/07/what-does-hillary-want/index.html?hp

NY Times: Group Plans Campaign Against G.O.P. Donors

Nearly 10,000 of the biggest donors to Republican candidates and causes across the country will probably receive a foreboding “warning” letter in the mail next week.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/08/us/politics/08donate.html

CNN: McCain campaign to return about $50,000 in donations

John McCain’s campaign announced Thursday night that it’s returning about $50,000 in contributions believed to be brought in by a foreign citizen.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/07/mccain-campaign-says-it-will-review-questionable-donations/

CNN: GOP leaders to continue protests over drilling

As most of Congress continues its August break, House Minority Leader John Boehner wants to continue a rare protest in the chamber for at least another two weeks to force a vote on offshore drilling.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/07/house.boehner/index.html

Washington Post: Bolten, Miers Ask Judge to Delay Order; Aides Continue to Contest Subpoenas

White House Chief of Staff Joshua B. Bolten and former White House counsel Harriet E. Miers yesterday asked a federal judge to delay an order to cooperate with Congress while they appeal the ruling.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/07/AR2008080703005.html

AP: Loophole in tobacco regulation bill

A loophole in a sweeping tobacco regulation bill would give the industry a 21-month window to introduce some new products without first getting federal approval.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hCzt24mkfYBqPn4Fka7lXLu5sx3AD92DNGN80

Chicago Tribune: McCain: Obama 'wants to forfeit' Iraq

"Sen. Obama says he wants peace,'' Sen. John McCain said today at a town hall-styled rally in Lima, Ohio, but the Democratic candidate for president will not acknowledge the success of the surge in Iraq.

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/08/mccain_obama_wants_to_forfeit.html

Washington Times: Obama persona inspires comedians

Barack Obama's carefully choreographed persona as an unassailable agent of hope has come into the cross hairs of a dangerous foe - the late-night comic.

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/08/obama-persona-inspires-comedians/

AP: Island life in multiracial Hawaii shaped Obama

The diverse culture of the nation's 50th state — and the island nature of Hawaii itself — shaped Barack Obama's view of the world and the politics he would practice.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jaIKPZhiQhnMBuH2ej7AeqKyij6QD92DQN780

LA Times: Anthrax investigation should be investigated, congressmen say

Sen. Charles Grassley and Rep. Rush Holt want hearings into the Justice Department and FBI's handling of the case.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-anthrax8-2008aug08,0,369268.story

AP: Scientists create stem cells for 10 disorders

Harvard scientists say they have created stems cells for 10 genetic disorders, which will allow researchers to watch the diseases develop in a lab dish.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ghgstImYEQjKxe04Lw0Qt8YIhbZgD92DTPHO0

AP: Trash soils Bush pledge to protect islands

Two years ago with fanfare, President Bush declared a remote chain of Hawaiian islands the biggest, most environmentally protected area of ocean in the world. It hasn't worked out that way.Cleanup efforts have slowed, garbage is still piling up and Bush has cut his budget request by 80 percent.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iyMM9va1-Mt-M8YAgNRavDPk4TsQD92DNAEG0

CNN: Bush speaks of free expression at U.S. Embassy dedication

U.S. President George W. Bush cut the ribbon Friday on the massive new U.S. Embassy in Beijing, China, and said societies that allow free expression tend to be more prosperous.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/07/bush.china.olympics/index.html

CNNMoney.com: Retailers struggle as stimulus money dries up

Weaker-than-expected retail July sales indicate that the government's $92 billion worth of economy-boosting stimulus checks may have run their course.

http://money.cnn.com/2008/08/07/news/companies/same_store_sales/index.htm?postversion=2008080712

=========================================================== ====

On the Trail
Compiled by Mary Grace Lucas
CNN Washington Bureau

* Sen. John McCain visits the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines.

* Sen. Barack Obama has no public events.

First, she says that experts say it is impossible to build that many
nuclear plants over that period of time.

She also clarified Obama's position that nuclear energy may be an
option, providing there are appropriate safeguards for safe and secure
nuclear energy: public right-to-know, security of nuclear fuel and
waste, waste storage, and proliferation.

Obama's stance on nuclear energy is at:
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/energy/
but it's not on the site itself. Rather it's in a PDF (the link is at
the end of the energy section of the issues statement).

His four criteria are:

1. public right-to-know
2. security of nuclear fuel and waste
3.  waste storage
4.  proliferation

It's not clear (at least to me) what the last of these means, although I
assume he is concerned about unauthorized parties getting hold of
fissionable material.

Additionally, the position paper states that Obama will develop
requirements to ensure that the waste stored at current reactor sites is
contained using the most advance dry-cask storage available and that he
believes that Yucca Mountain is not an option. (Yucca Mountain is within
80 miles of Las Vegas metro.)

In the last few days, Obama has again laid out these important criteria
in his speeches on energy policy, and McCain has simply repeated his
claim that Obama is "against" nuclear energy.

It's pretty difficult for someone  to insist that any of these criteria
are irrelevant, and we have seen the reaction of many communities when
nuclear plants are proposed. It's the NIMBY syndrome, and it's
understandable.

I think this issue is going to keep popping up, and it's our job to be
sure that the media know how to counter McCain's impractical ideas.

Heads up!

*Roberta Morris*
Chapel Hill, NC