| 10:20 PM: | Pipe down, Cindy McCain. Nobody wants to see a future First Lady catfight. Do they? Salon. | |
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| 10:19 PM: | McCain Sets Goal of 45 New Nuclear Reactors by 2030. Senator John McCain, in his third straight day of speeches about energy and $4-a-gallon gasoline, called the goal "as difficult as it is necessary." NYT. | |
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| 10:10 PM: | The TV Watch: Michelle Obama Shows Her Warmer Side on ‘The View’. Michelle Obama combated the notion that she is a little too authentic, the same way Cindy McCain went on to undercut the image that she is too fake. NYT. | |
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| 10:09 PM: | Obama’s Campaign Tightens Control of Image and Access. Barack Obama’s strategists are taking extra steps to protect against attacks, but such efforts at times appear to conflict with the senator’s stated desire for openness. NYT. | |
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| 7:05 PM: | Obama leads McCain in 3 swing states, poll finds. Sen. Barack Obama is leading Sen. John McCain in the crucial swing states of Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida, according to a new survey. CNN. | |
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| 6:10 PM: | New political director for Obama. Barack Obama tapped a new political director today for his presidential campaign, naming Patrick Gaspard, a former official in the powerful Service Employees International Union. Chicago Tribune. | |
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| 5:34 PM: | Michelle Obama to get her own war room. Michelle Obama will be surrounded by a team of veteran aides. CNN. | |
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| 5:30 PM: | 4 Candidate Presidential Poll. Zogby released a presidential poll on June 18, with these results: Obama 45%, McCain 40%, Barr 3%, Nader 3%, other or undecided 9%. Ballot Access. | |
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| 5:29 PM: | Retired General Yet to Show Colors. The bipartisan love for James Jones, recently retired Marine Corps general, continued Wednesday. Jones, who was supreme allied commander in Europe until retiring in December 2006, has been mentioned as a possible Cabinet officer for a future president of either party. WSJ. | |
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| 4:39 PM: | Leave the Wives Alone, Candidates Say. Barack Obama and John McCain agree that their wives should be off limits -- then argue about it. NYT. | |
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| 4:38 PM: | McCain, Bush Both Head to Iowa Flood Zones. On separate Thursday trips, the presumptive GOP nominee and the President plan to survey the damage in the Hawkeye State. Mark Halperin. | |
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| 4:37 PM: | Ru-dy! Ru-dy! Ru-dy! The president of 9/11 is back, and attacking Barack Obama, but Democrats are having none of it. Salon. | |
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| 3:37 PM: | Nine senators seek delay of housing rescue bill. Nine Republican senators on Wednesday asked U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to delay consideration of a major housing rescue bill that advocates say could save thousands of troubled homeowners from foreclosure. Reuters. | |
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| 3:35 PM: | Analysis: Obama steps up outreach to evangelicals. Barack Obama is making a full-throttle push for centrist evangelicals and Catholics. USA Today. | |
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| 2:39 PM: | Mixed Blessing. Being from an interracial marriage has shaped Obama's political stance. Campaign Stops. | |
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| 2:38 PM: | Michelle Obama getting more negative coverage than Cindy McCain? Americans are hearing a lot more about Michelle Obama than Cindy McCain, but the news they get about the Democratic presidential candidate's wife is far more negative than what they hear about the spouse of the Republican candidate, according to a study. Reuters. | |
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| 2:36 PM: | More state polls: Obama competitive in Alaska? Earlier today, we told you about new state polls showing Democrat Barack Obama ahead of Republican John McCain in Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Here are a few more new ones to add to the mix: Alaska. USA Today. | |
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| 2:34 PM: | Obama: Osama bin Laden Must Not Be a Martyr. The Land of Lincolner says he won't discuss the approach he would take to bring the Taliban leader to justice if he were apprehended, but said the Nuremberg trials are an inspiration. Mark Halperin. | |
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| 2:21 PM: | McCain wants 45 new nuclear reactors by 2030. Sen. John McCain called Wednesday for the construction of 45 new nuclear reactors by 2030 and pledged $2 billion a year in federal funds. USA Today. | |
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| 2:20 PM: | Obama to meet with congresswomen Thursday. In addition to meeting with the Congressional Black Caucus Thursday, Obama is also planning to meet with female members of Congress at the Democratic National Committee, according to several congressional sources. CNN. | |
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| 2:19 PM: | Pretty Is as Pretty Does. The number of people who think that drilling for oil in the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge will help solve our immediate oil crisis (or even our long term one) is high enough that if they all stopped driving, we'd be fine. Time. | |
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| 1:44 PM: | Analysis: Independents split over McCain, Obama. Which of the two leading presidential candidates is winning the battle for independent voters? So far, neither. CNN. | |
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| 1:44 PM: | McCain Calls for More Nuclear Plants. John McCain called the the construction of 45 new nuclear plants by the year 2030. McCain also pledged to spend $2 billion improving clean coal production. The Hill. | |
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| 1:43 PM: | Poll: Obama leads McCain in swing states. Sen. Barack Obama is leading Sen. John McCain in the crucial swing states of Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida, according to a new survey. CNN. | |
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| 1:42 PM: | Biden to Backers: 'I'll Do Everything in My Power' To Elect Obama. Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.), a day after expressing interest in becoming vice president, sent out an e-mail Wednesday telling supporters that he'll do "everything" he can to get Barack Obama elected president. The Hill. | |
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| 1:41 PM: | CNN Electoral College Map: Obama picks up a major swing state. Pennsylvania has swung into Obama's column in the new CNN Electoral College Map. "The Quinnipiac poll in Pennsylvania indicates that Obama may not have a problem carrying states that he lost to Hillary Clinton during the primary season." CNN. | |
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| 12:08 PM: | Follow NewsJunk on Facebook. There is an eighth way to follow NewsJunk: on Facebook! Add "John Newsjunk" as a friend on Facebook. NewsJunk Weblog. | |
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| 12:05 PM: | Lieberman to Obama: 'Go for it' Blog: USA Today unearths, in an editorial board interview with Joe Lieberman, a strange piece of history. Ben Smith. | |
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| 11:29 AM: | Congressional Hispanics pledge to help Obama win. Most of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus have shifted their support from Hillary Clinton to Barack Obama. USA Today. | |
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| 11:28 AM: | Crist Sides With McCain on Florida Oil Drilling. Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R) has dropped his support for a federal ban on offshore oil drilling and has sided with John McCain. The Hill. | |
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| 11:26 AM: | Bush to Congress: Embrace energy exploration now. With gasoline topping $4 a gallon, President Bush urged Congress on Wednesday to lift its long-standing ban on offshore oil and gas drilling, saying the United States needs to increase its energy production. Democrats quickly rejected the idea. AP. | |
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| 11:21 AM: | McCain-Obama Fight Over Terrorism: Day 3. The McCain campaign pulled out some fresh ammunition Wednesday morning in the fight against Barack Obama: Rudy Giuliani. WSJ. | |
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| 11:20 AM: | Biden gets in a last kick: You get the sense from this statement he just put out that Joe Biden may have missed having Rudy Giuliani to kick around. It’s Ben Smith. | |
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| 11:19 AM: | Who told Obama to run? Lieberman, for one. Lieberman says he was among those who encouraged Democratic Sen. Barack Obama to run for the White House. That's the same Obama who Lieberman now says isn't as prepared as McCain to be commander in chief. USA Today. | |
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| 11:18 AM: | Richardson, Webb Lead Readers' Obama VP Picks. Readers of "Political Junkie" feel strongly about whom they want to see as Barack Obama's running mate. Bill Richardson, Jim Webb and Hillary Clinton are just a few of their choices. NPR. | |
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| 11:17 AM: | POLL: ARG New Hampshire, Florida. American Research Group New Hampshire Obama 51, McCain 39. Florida Obama 49, McCain 44. Pollster.com. | |
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| 11:15 AM: | Obama Expresses 'Deep Disappointment' in McCain's Silence on Wife Attacks. In a one-on-one interview with The Brody File, Barack Obama says he is deeply disappointed that John McCain has not spoken out against the attacks leveled against his wife. CBN. | |
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| 10:44 AM: | Study: Conventions funded by millions from corporations. The upcoming Republican and Democratic nominating conventions are being funded by more than $100 million in contributions from corporations who also spend substantial sums lobbying the federal government. CNN. | |
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| 10:41 AM: | Obama Camp: McCain Has a March 2003 Mindset. Responding to charges leveled by the John McCain campaign Tuesday that Barack Obama "has a September 10 mindset," the Obama campaign hit McCain for wanting continue the "failed policy" in Iraq. The Hill. | |
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| 10:40 AM: | Michelle Obama: 'Proud of my country without a doubt' Michelle Obama was billed as a co-host today on ABC's The View, but for the first half-hour she was more like a guest fielding questions. USA Today. | |
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| 10:38 AM: | McCain, almost switched sides? Jake Tapper reports today on a "little-noticed interview in October 2006" in which former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle spills the beans about "his recollections of negotiations with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to become a Democrat". Time. | |
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| 10:35 AM: | Obama Camp Apologizes After Muslims Moved at Rally. Spokesman Bill Burton responds to complaints by two Muslim women who say they were barred from sitting behind the podium at Monday's Detroit rally because volunteers didn't want their headscarves in the backdrop. Mark Halperin. | |
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| 9:30 AM: | Michelle Obama writes thank-you note to Laura Bush. Michelle Obama wrote a thank-you note to Laura Bush after the first lady spoke up in defense of the wife of the Democratic presidential candidate, Obama said on Wednesday. Reuters. | |
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| 9:17 AM: | Today's Polls, 6/18. If Florida is in play, then John McCain's defense is completely broken; it was the one traditional swing state that always had looked off-limits to Obama. FiveThirtyEight. | |
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| 8:55 AM: | Muslims barred from picture at Obama event. At a rally in Detroit, campaign volunteers sought to prevent two women's head scarves from appearing in photographs or on television with the candidate. Politico. | |
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| 8:54 AM: | WI Poll: Obama +9. According to a new Wisconsin poll by SurveyUSA (June 13-16, 538 LV, MoE +/- 4.3%), Obama leads McCain by 9 points. McCain leads among men (+6%), while Obama leads among women (+23%), whites (+5%), blacks (+33%), and Hispanics (+66%). Time. | |
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| 8:52 AM: | Political leaders pay tribute to TV's Russert. The two men vying to become president, Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain, and congressional leaders, journalists and other Washington elite paid tribute to television journalist Tim Russert on Wednesday at a private funeral mass. AP. | |
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| 8:36 AM: | POLL: PPP Virginia. Public Policy Polling (D) Virginia Obama 47, McCain 45. Pollster.com. | |
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| 8:33 AM: | In Defending Obama, Axelrod Links Iraq War to Taliban Resurgence. David Axelrod, Barack Obama's head strategist, pushed back Wednesday against Republican criticism that Barack Obama is inexperienced in foreign affairs by knocking Republican support for the Iraq war at the expense of operations in Afghanistan. The Hill. | |
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| 7:26 AM: | Using the Internet to Win the Election. The question I'd like to focus on is one of campaign culture. McCain himself does not use the Internet avidly. This in itself is not a deal-breaker (Howard Dean didn't either, and McCain was successful in a simpler time, 2000). But more crucially, the campaign at a 30,000 foot level is analog not digital. Patrick Ruffini. | |
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| 7:25 AM: | Huckabee: Demonizing Obama is a 'fatal mistake' Former GOP presidential contender Mike Huckabee called Barack Obama's candidacy "a landmark achievement" Tuesday, and warned fellow Republicans not to demonize Obama. CNN. | |
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| 7:24 AM: | Obama Seeks Future Convention Funding Reform. Obama camp says going forward he'd like to change the way party conventions are funded to assure they can be run without dependence on soft money. Mark Halperin. | |
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| 7:22 AM: | Giuliani & McCain hammer Obama as having "Sept. 10 mentality" A day after the McCain campaign accused Obama of having a Sept. 10 mentality, it kicked the day off hammering the Illinois senator on the issue again with Giuliani. MSNBC. | |
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| 7:22 AM: | Obama: Michelle's political makeover. The New York Times gets the first look at the Michelle Obama political makeover. MSNBC. | |
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| 7:21 AM: | Why the Obama Campaign Has Six Pollsters. The Obama campaign has six -- count 'em, six -- pollsters. Chris Cillizza of Washingtonpost.com discusses why so many, and what they all do. NPR. | |
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| 7:20 AM: | Obama Leads Nationally and in Key Swing States. Obama has not received a notable bounce in polling since he secured the nomination earlier this month, but recent polls find the Illinois Democrat with a narrow lead against rival Republican John McCain both nationally and in three batteground states. WSJ. | |
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| 7:19 AM: | 5 Things You May Not Know About Obama... ...and what they seem to say about the Democrats' presumptive presidential nominee. CBS. | |
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| 7:18 AM: | Who Trusts Bush? A graph showing countries' confidence, or lack thereof, in Bush's foreign policy. Andrew Sullivan. | |
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| 4:57 AM: | Obama: McCain Should've Condemned Wife Attacks. The Land of Lincolner reiterates to CBN's Brody File that he thinks 'families are off limits' in this election, he "would never consider" making Cindy McCain an issue in the race. '…if I saw people doing that - I would speak out against it. Mark Halperin. | |
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| 4:55 AM: | Clinton-era officials, former members of Congress on Obama's national security team. Clinton administration veterans and former top members of Congress make up Democrat Barack Obama's "working group on national security," the Illinois senator's presidential campaign announced this morning. Obama is due to meet with the team today. USA Today. | |
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| 4:47 AM: | Obama courts Clintonites on the Hill. Clinton herself wasn't around, but Axelrod, Obama try to woo other Democratic lawmakers. Politico. | |
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| 4:46 AM: | Don't expect Gore on the campaign trail. Top Democratic strategists say he won't risk his environmental agenda by campaigning vigorously in this year’s presidential race. Politico. | |
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| 4:45 AM: | Age a Key Indicator of Preference for President. Barack Obama currently holds a strong lead among registered voters in their teens, 20s, and 30s, while John McCain leads among voters in their 60s, 70s, and 80s. Obama and McCain are tied among voters in their 40s. Gallup. | |
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| 4:44 AM: | Illinois towns rush to fight rising water. Authorities closed a bridge connecting Illinois to Iowa over the swollen Mississippi River, as levees along the river were being topped with sandbags today to defend against rising water. The Great River Bridge on U.S. 34 has been closed, officials said. CNN. | |
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| 4:41 AM: | New Swing State Numbers. From Quinnipiac polls: FLORIDA: Obama 47, McCain 43. OHIO: Obama 48, McCain 42. PENNSYLVANIA: Obama 52, McCain 40. Dates conducted: June 9-16. Error margin: 2.5-2.6 points. Mark Halperin. | |
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| 4:40 AM: | Fuel spike curbs U.S. vacations, dining out: poll. Many Americans will forgo vacations and dine in more often to combat soaring fuel prices, while 1 in 10 are rethinking where they live or work, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll released on Wednesday. Reuters. | |
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| 4:39 AM: | Obama has narrow lead on McCain: Reuters poll. Democrat Barack Obama has a narrow 5-point lead on Republican John McCain in the U.S. presidential race, but holds a big early edge with the crucial swing voting blocs of independents and women, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll released on Wednesday. Reuters. | |
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| 4:38 AM: | Political Perceptions: John McCain, Stumbling Out of the Gate. Sen. John McCain’s effort this week to roll out a big energy plan was in trouble before it started, a sign of some deeper problems, writes Slate’s John Dickerson. WSJ. | |
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| 4:37 AM: | Where They Are Wednesday. Obama: Washington, DC; McLean, VA. McCain: Springfield, MO. Mark Halperin. | |
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| 4:36 AM: | Obama meets with national security advisory group. Barack Obama is answering a question he faced often on the campaign trail. Whom would he turn to for advice when making foreign policy decisions. USA Today. | |
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