What do Wesley Clark's comments yesterday do for his chances of becoming Obama's VP? How do certain McCain tickets stack up against Obama tickets? We take a look in the VP Watch blog today.

The Obama campaign will begin airing its second TV ad of the general election today in 18 states, including 14 that Pres. Bush won in 2004. Obama's first ad, a 60-second bio ad, began airing 10 days ago in the same 18 states. They are: Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Virginia.

Obama's second ad, "Dignity":

Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr--and proverbial skunk at the GOP garden party--made an appearance on Fox News yesterday:

"What's wrong with John McCain is symptomatic of what's wrong with the Republican Party in these first years of the 21st century," said Barr, a former Republican congressman from Georgia. "They talk one thing but do something different, and that's become very obvious to the American people."

Libertarians are known to be a purist bunch, which is why it must have been a tad awkward when Chris Wallace inquired about Barr's own inconsistencies:

In the interview, the former lawmaker was pushed on his own record, with host Chris Wallace pointing out that Barr had supported the Patriot Act and backed the Iraq war.

Barr's answer was dicey at best:

"I was wrong with regard to the Patriot Act, entrusting the administration with its assurances that the act would not be used and abused," he said. "And I certainly was wrong, along with a lot of others in the Congress, who now realize that their vote in support of military operations in Iraq was not what the administration intended. They intended to occupy the country even though they didn't tell us or the American people that at the time."

Translation: "Well, I basically trusted the government at the time." Not exactly music to Libertarian ears--many of which, it's pretty safe to bet, are still longing for Ron Paul.

At a press conference in Harrisburg, Pa., today, McCain was asked to respond to statements made by retired Gen. Wesley Clark yesterday on CBS's "Face the Nation."

Here are some of Clark's staments, as the AP reported:

"He has been a voice on the Senate Armed Services Committee and he has traveled all over the world, but he hasn't held executive responsibility," Clark said. "That large squadron in the Navy that he commanded -- that wasn't a wartime squadron."

Moderator Bob Schieffer, who raised the issue by citing similar remarks Clark has made previously, noted that Obama hadn't had those experiences nor had he ridden in a fighter plane and been shot down. "Well, I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president," Clark replied.

At today's press conference, McCain said Obama did not need to specifically address Clark's statements, but did say:

"I think that that kind of thing is unnecessary. I'm proud of my record of service, and I have plenty of friends and leaders who will attest to that. But the important thing is that if that's the kind of campaign that Senator Obama and his surrogates and supporters want to engage, I understand that, but it doesn't lower a gallon of gas by one penny. ... So I intend, in this campaign, to discuss the challenges we face."

McCain also commented on Obama's patriotism:

"I think Senator Obama is a great American success story. I think his family is. I think he's someone who is admired and respected throughout this country and the world. I think our differences are how we intend to move forward in conducting the affairs of this country. We have very different views and very different positions, and I look forward to ventilating those. But I think all Americans are proud of Senator Obama and what he's been able to accomplish, he and his entire family have been able to accomplish in this nation. And I think it's living proof of some of the greatness of America."

Obama appeared to denounce Clark's statements in his speech in Independence, Mo., today, and his campaign left no questions about Obama's feelings on it with the release of this statement by campaign spokesman Bill Burton:

"As he's said many times before, Senator Obama honors and respects Senator McCain's service, and of course he rejects yesterday's statement by General Clark."

Speaking in Independence, Mo., today, Obama talks patriotism and those that have questioned his. Here is an excerpt from his speech:

"It is worth considering the meaning of patriotism because the question of who is -- or is not -- a patriot all too often poisons our political debates, in ways that divide us rather than bringing us together. I have come to know this from my own experience on the campaign trail.

"Throughout my life, I have always taken my deep and abiding love for this country as a given. It was how I was raised, it was what propelled me into public service, it is why I am running for president. And yet, at certain times over the last 16 months I have found for the first time my patriotism challenged -- at times as a result of my own carelessness, more often as a result of the desire by some to score political points and raise fears and doubts about who I am and what I stand for.

"So let me say this at the outset of my remarks, I will never question the patriotism of others in this campaign. And I will not stand idly by when I hear others question mine."

Later in the speech, Obama said:

"As Mark Twain, that greatest of American satirists and proud son of Missouri, once wrote, 'Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.'"

With a hat tip to McCain, Obama said:

"For those who have fought under the flag of this nation -- for the young veterans I meet when I visit Walter Reed; for those like John McCain who have endured physical torment in service to our country -- no further proof of such sacrifice is necessary. And let me also add that no one should ever devalue that service, especially for the sake of a political campaign, and that goes for supporters on both sides.

"We must always express our profound gratitude for the service of our men and women in uniform. Period."

Florida has proved to be a key state over the last 80 years, voting for the winning candidate in 18 of the 20 presidential elections during that time. Only John F. Kennedy in 1960 and Bill Clinton in 1992 have won the presidency during that span of time without winning Florida.

However, the Obama campaign has mapped out paths to the White House that do not include either Florida or Ohio (which has also voted for the winner in 18 of the last 20 elections), meaning a loss in the state would not necessarily prove as fateful as years past. Obama could become the first candidate to win without either state since J.F.K., but the campaign isn't taking chances and has signed up the top Democratic strategist in Florida.

The Miami Herald profiles today the head of Obama's Florida operations, Steve Schale.

As the Herald writes, the 33-year-old Schale "may be the savviest Democratic operative in the state. He helped his beleaguered party do something it hadn't done in more than 20 years: pick up a seat in the Florida House of Representatives. Under his steady hand, Democrats netted nine seats in the past two years."

Schale told the Herald that Obama is putting in place "the largest and most comprehensive organization that my side of the aisle has ever seen in Florida."

In the Headlines

"GOP Sharpens Attacks on Obama" (Michael Shear, Washington Post) - Sen. John McCain's allies have seized on a new and aggressive line of attack against Sen. Barack Obama, casting the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee as an opportunistic and self-obsessed politician who will do and say anything to get elected.

"Lack of funds hobbling the 'Republican attack machine'" (Steven Thomma, McClatchy) - Democrats and the media have used the term so much that it's almost an article of faith. But the so-called "Republican attack machine" waiting with piles of unregulated cash to chew up Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is anything but.

"Clark hits McCain's military credentials" (Josh Kraushaar, The Politico) - Gen. Wesley Clark, acting as a surrogate for Barack Obama's campaign, invoked John McCain's military service against him in one of the more personal attacks on the Republican presidential nominee this election cycle. Clark said that McCain lacked the executive experience necessary to be president, calling him "untested and untried" on CBS' "Face the Nation." And in saying so, he took a few swipes at McCain's military service.

"Obama and McCain search for running mates" (Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times) - To believe the talk in Washington, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is considering more than two dozen candidates as potential vice presidential nominees, including 13 senators or former senators, 11 governors or former governors, two retired generals and former Vice President Al Gore.

On the Morning Shows

Morning Joe - Obama communications director Robert Gibbs, on whether the campaign is behind Gen. Clark's comments: "No, we're not. ... We certainly honor the sacrifice and the service and the heroism of John McCain. Those are the comments of Gen. Clark, not Barack Obama. ... They both love their countries, and anyone who questions otherwise doesn't make much sense.

"What we need in the next president is judgment. The judgment to lead this country."

McCain campaign manager Rick Davis on Clark's comments: "I think the question is why the Barack Obama campaign would place Wesley Clark on that show with the understanding that he's likely to talk about McCain's service to this country in this fashion.... We haven't heard a single word from the Obama campaign on how outrageous [it was].

"This is from a campaign that has tried to raises the bar ... run a different campaign. ... The new look is old politics."

From Late Night

Letterman:

(Greg Bobrinskoy contributed to the Morning Report.)

New Farleigh Dickinson University Public Mind poll (June 17- 23, 702 RV, MoE +/- 4%), has Obama up by a comfortable 16 points in the Garden State:

Obama 49
McCain 33
Undecided 15

Obama leads by 10.3% in the RCP Average for New Jersey.

From the write up:

However, the results are not all good news for Obama. Only 64% of respondents who say they voted for Sen. Hillary Clinton in February's primary election now say that they will support Obama in November; 18% say that they will support the Republican. "In many ways, this race is going to be a fight over Clinton supporters," said Dan Cassino, a professor of political science at Fairleigh Dickinson and survey analyst for PublicMind. "That fight is far from over."

However, hurting McCain is the fact that only 18% of voters say that they approve of the job President Bush is doing while 75% disapprove. Worse, only 15% say that the country is moving in the right direction and nearly three in four say the country is headed in the wrong direction.

"Obama Gives $2,300 for Clinton Debt," today's New York Times reports:

Senator Barack Obama said on Thursday that he had written a personal check of $2,300 to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, a good-will gesture intended to nudge his top donors to help ease Mrs. Clinton’s campaign debt and help the two Democrats move beyond their rivalry to focus on the fall contest.

In a ballroom at the Mayflower Hotel here, Mrs. Clinton introduced Mr. Obama to about 300 of her leading contributors, most of whom raised at least $100,000 for her campaign. It was the first time the senators shared a stage since she suspended her candidacy and endorsed him nearly three weeks ago....

Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton arrived separately and entered through a side door of the hotel, a few blocks from the White House, bypassing a half-dozen demonstrators who held signs urging Mr. Obama to consider Mrs. Clinton as his running mate and to help retire her campaign debt.

Michelle Obama also donated $2,300 to the impoverished former candidate--a candidate who happens, it turns out, to have around $30-$34 million in the bank. Such is the strange nature of politics, where campaign debts inspire “disaster relief funds” for multimillionaire candidates--while other multimillionaires are recruited to pay them off.

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton finally got together on the campaign trail today. At 1:20 p.m., the two stepped to the podium placed on an outdoor stage in Unity, N.H., with arms around each other, whispering in each other's ears and smiling. It was the picture of a unified party leadership, the symbolism this event was supposed to deliver.

Clinton spoke first -- with Obama sitting just to her side -- and mentioned the downballot Democratic candidates running for Congress in the state: freshman Democratic Reps. Paul Hodes and Carol Shea-Porter, and Senate candidate Jeanne Shaheen, the former governor who is challenging GOP Sen. John Sununu. Clinton said Obama will need as many Democratic senators as possible when he's president.

"Today we are coming together for the same goal," Clinton said. "To elect Barack Obama the next president of the United States. I was honored to be in this race with Barack, and I am proud we had a spirited dialogue." That last line brought laughter from the crowd, to which Clinton appeared to ad-lib: "That was the nicest way I could think of phrasing it," which brought on even more laughter.

"We are one party," Clinton said. "We are one America. And we are not going to rest until we take back our country and put it once again on the path to peace, prosperity and progress in the 21st century."

Clinton delivered a one-liner, tying John McCain to Pres. Bush. "Senator McCain and President Bush are like two sides of the same coin, and it doesn't amount to a whole lot of change." Clinton then needed just one line to get across the message that was the central theme of the event. "To anyone who voted for me and is now considering not voting or voting for Senator McCain," Clinton said, "I strongly urge you to reconsider."

After Clinton's speech, Obama took to the podium, thanked Clinton, and made clear that he valued the contributions of both Clintons. "I know how much we need both Bill and Hillary Clinton as a party and as a country in the months and years to come. They have done so much great work...The American people need their service and their vision and their wisdom."

"It's fitting that we meet in a place called Unity," Obama said, "because the truth is, that's the only way we can solve the challenges facing this country."

Obama noted a number of issues that Clinton and he agree on, such as health care. "You can go with John McCain's plans to do nothing, or you can stand side-by-side with me and Hillary Clinton, and finally, once and for all, provide the health care that every American needs in this nation."

The Obama campaign released a statement on two new members of its domestic policy team, including one former Clinton adviser:

CHICAGO, IL -- The Obama Campaign today announced that Melody Barnes, currently Executive Vice President for policy at the Center for American Progress, will serve as Senior Domestic Policy Advisor and Neera Tanden, former Clinton Campaign Policy Director, will serve as the Domestic Policy Director. Barnes and Tanden will help coordinate the domestic policy process under Heather Higginbottom, the campaign's Policy Director.

Melody Barnes is stepping down from her role as the Executive Vice President for Policy at American Progress where she coordinated the integration of all of the Center's policy work from the policy departments, fellows, and the Center's network of outside policy experts. Barnes also served as Chief Counsel to Sen. Edward M. Kennedy on the Senate Judiciary Committee. In that role, she helped to fight for civil rights, women's health and reproductive rights, shape commercial law and religious liberties laws, and review executive branch and judicial appointments.

Neera Tanden most recently served as Policy Director for the Hillary Clinton campaign, where she directed all policy work and coordinated work with policy advisors. Tanden previously served as Senator Clinton's Legislative Director and was the Deputy Campaign Manager and Policy Director for Clinton's Senate campaign. She was formerly Senior Vice President for Domestic Policy at the Center for American Progress and served as the Issues Director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC).

A new one from McCain focusing on his energy proposal:

The other night on Special Report with Brit Hume, Mort Kondracke ripped the press for soft-balling Obama Wednesday in Chicago:

KONDRACKE: That press conference today in Chicago was a joke. There were no hard questions--

HUME: To Obama.

KONDRACKE: To Obama--no substantively hard questions at all. So as far as the media is concerned, I don't see the scrutiny coming.

Now, I don't consider myself a "reporter" per se, but given that I attended Wednesday's press conference and was called on by Obama to ask a question, I find myself in the curious position of defending the media.

Yes, Obama did get some questions that might be considered "easy" - in so much as they dealt with the back-and-forth of the campaign as opposed to hard core policy issues. For example, Obama was asked what he was going to do to help retire Hillary's debt, whether he was disappointed by Bill Clinton's tepid endorsement, what he's looking for in a Vice President, and what he thought about recent comments by Ralph Nader and McCain aide Charlie Black. Given that those are all topics that pundits (including the estimable Kondracke himself) have been "chattering" about, it's hard to knock the press for asking those questions, even if the public good might have been better served with questions focused on Iraq or trade instead.

But Obama did get asked a question about energy policy, two questions about his decision to opt out of public financing, a question about the Supreme Court decision on the death penalty for child rapists, a question on the impending Heller decision (which he sidestepped by saying he would wait until the Court issued the decision before commenting), and a question about changing his position on FISA.

There were also, as you might expect, a few questions dealing with local issues like the price of gas and the wave of violence currently gripping Chicago, particularly in the African-American community.

Could there have been more policy related questions and could they have been phrased more aggressively? Yes. But I wouldn't call Wednesday's presser "a joke," nor would I argue the press totally abdicated its responsibility.

For the record, the question I asked Obama was this: "Senator, back to your decision on public financing. It was widely criticized as being a flip-flop and/or broken promise. Do you accept this characterization as fair, and are you concerned that the decision might jeopardize your credibility on other pledges you've made during the campaign on issues like trade, health care and withdrawing troops from Iraq?"

Not the best question in the world, admittedly, but not what I would consider a soft ball either.

Michael Isikoff of Newsweek asked a question on FISA that was even more strongly worded, I thought, hitting Obama on a contradiction over his support of the current FISA compromise with a speech Obama gave in January where he vowed to support a filibuster over the issue of retroactive immunity for telecoms. Again, a fair question that attempted to get Obama to explain/clarify/confront a specific decision on a specific (and important) issue.

Let me digress for one final observation that circles back to the valid part of Kondracke's criticism. The idea that the junior Senator from Illinois is a teleprompter-dependent gaffe machine, which has been floated by more than a few Obama critics, is a canard. That is not to say Obama doesn't make mistakes or fall off message on occasion, but in a press conference setting without notes or a prompter, it's obvious that he has a good and wide ranging grasp of subject matter, is nimble on his feet, and, perhaps most importantly for a politician, is very effective at appearing to answer a question without actually (or fully) answering the question.

Because of this, the press will have to up its game and be thoughtful and diligent in its questioning of Obama if they hope to pin him down on issues or get things out of him in the future.

A new Time Magazine national poll (June 19-25, 805 RV, MoE +/- 3.5%) has Obama with a slight lead over McCain. Including undecided voters leaning in one direction or the other, Obama leads by 4 points, just outside the margin of error. Obama leads among Hispanics (51%-34%) and women (45%-39%), and McCain leads among Catholics (57%-43%). They split independents, with 44% supporting Obama and 43% for McCain.

Obama 47
McCain 43

Obama leads by 6.3 points in the RCP National Average

On RCP this morning, Heather Wilhelm reviews "Grand New Party," the new book by Ross Douthat and Reihan Salam. She also conducted an interesting discussion with Douthat about the book. I highly recommend both.

Here's an excerpt from the interview with Douthat:

RCP: What inspired you to write "Grand New Party"?

DOUTHAT: The initial inspiration came when we were coming off of the 2004 elections. Bush had pulled off a really narrow victory, and yet there was a lot of Republican triumphalism about the whole thing. Reihan and I were looking at that same political landscape, and, rather than reasons to celebrate, we thought there were a lot of significant, deep-seated weaknesses in the Republican brand. Many of these problems had to do with the voters Bush had counted on to bring him through in 2004--working-class Americans.

Unfortunately for us as Republicans, the events that have occurred since we embarked on the project seem to have vindicated our sense of pessimism.

RCP: The political dynamics of the 2008 election are still unfolding. Any recent developments that you wish you could have included in the book?

DOUTHAT: We finished the book before the primary season began, and, looking back, nothing in the primaries really undercut what was already in the book. In fact, a lot of what happened in the primaries tends to support the idea of the struggle for this working-class base. You have the surprising rise of Mike Huckabee, for instance. I think the Huckabee campaign really vindicated the idea that there is a real, solid base for a different kind of Republican. And, of course, you have the example of how the Democratic primary came down to a battle for working-class votes in places like Pennsylvania.

We argue in the book that the 2006 elections sort of left the country teetering between the two parties--and, since then, I have to say I've become more pessimistic about the GOP's chances in 2008. Politically, I think Republicans may be in even worse shape than when we started writing.

Read the rest here.

In the Headlines

"McCain backs gun decision, Obama straddles issue" (Liz Sidoti, AP) - John McCain welcomed a Supreme Court decision invalidating a District of Columbia handgun ban. Barack Obama sought to straddle the subject by saying he favors an individual's right to bear firearms as well as a government's right to regulate them.

"Obama Leads McCain in Key Battleground State" (June Kronholz, Wall Street Journal) - Four states that are expected to be pivotal in deciding November's presidential election are trending comfortably toward Barack Obama, with independents giving him wide support over John McCain, according to a Quinnipiac University poll conducted in partnership with The Wall Street Journal and washingtonpost.com.

"McCain, GOP unleash anti-Obama plan" (Jonathan Martin, The Politico) - Republicans might have a reason to smile: John McCain and his allies seem to have finally settled on a way to draw a stark contrast with Barack Obama. After weeks of criticism from Republicans about the leisurely pace at which they seemed to be preparing for the general election, McCain’s campaign has apparently settled on a highly personal campaign theme that aims to differentiate McCain and Obama on both character and issues.

"Obama, Clinton take first public step toward unity" (Beth Fouhy, AP) - When Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton step onstage in their first joint campaign appearance in New Hampshire, it will be the first public display of a rapprochement between former rivals hoping to set aside differences and unify the party while helping each other.

On the Morning Shows

Morning Joe - Susan Rice, Obama foreign-policy adviser, on North Korea giving up nuclear program: "It's an important but modest first step... Direct diplomacy can yield modest results.... But we would not have gotten this far if the Bush administration had not belatedly ... come to negotiations."

On giving the Bush administration credit for no terrorist attacks on U.S. soil since 9/11: "What we have to acknowledge is that while we haven't been attacked we are less safe. "

From Late Night

Letterman:

Head on over to the VP Watch blog for all the recent news about the running-mate search, including why some conservatives and libertarians could have a problem with John McCain choosing Minn. Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

A group called Brave New Films has opened a petition demanding the Senate Democratic Steering Committee strip Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman of his Homeland Security committee chairmanship due to his support of Pres. Bush and the presumptive Republican nominee, John McCain. The group claims to have more than 32,000 signatures in its attempt to bump Lieberman from the Democratic leadership by next year. The group also produced a short clip film, in which it pieced together a number of Lieberman moments in the news.

On a conference call with reporters earlier today, Sen. Sam Brownback and McCain senior policy adviser Randy Scheunemann reponded to Barack Obama's comments on the Supreme Court's ruling on D.C.'s handgun ban.

"Today's ruling, the first clear statement on this issue in 127 years, will provide much-needed guidance to local jurisdictions across the country," Obama said in a statement.

Brownback said Obama's comments were either "an incredible flipflop" or revealed "incredible inexperience" considering Obama's previous remarks on gun control.

It was part of a pattern, Brownback said, of Obama changing his positions from "more liberal in the primaries to more conservative in the general election." He predicted that Obama would also begin to change his position on withdrawing from Iraq.

"I think you're probably going to see that more," Brownback said, referring to Obama's views on the surge.

Schuenemann criticized Obama of "sidestepping questions [on the gun ban] for months."

"Despite being a constitutional law professor, he had no position on this," said Schuenemann.

However, Obama has "a clear, consistent record of opposing Second Amendment rights," he said.

"The most important issue in the election [for Obama] is the political fortunes of Barack Obama," said Schuenemann.

Dan Balz notes in today's Washington Post that, so far, the campaign between a "change agent" and a "reforming maverick" is just one big dose of the same old, same old:

A campaign between Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain once offered enormous possibilities for something new. Instead, the two presumptive nominees have opened their campaigns for the White House with what looks and sounds like a repeat of the kind of politics both have promised to leave behind.

Since Obama (D-Ill.) wrapped up the Democratic nomination a few weeks ago, he and McCain (R-Ariz.) have served up a series of indignant exchanges over foreign policy, terrorism, the economy, energy and campaign money. Their aides have gone further, with snarling put-downs in conference calls and taunting e-mails that flow constantly out of the Chicago and Crystal City headquarters.

Balz cites the campaign's rising "negativity and petulance," "hyperagressiveness," high "testosterone levels," and the resurgence of the "attack-counterattack cycle":

On a host of issues, the differences between the candidates are profound and should provoke a vigorous debate. Both candidates once promised that such a debate would be civil and respectful. But right now the presidential campaign appears to be more a rerun of the kind of polarized battles of the recent past than something that heralds something new.

Ah, politics as usual. "Change," it turns out, is pretty easy to say. When elections are on the line, well...it might just have to take a back seat.

John McCain was quick to issue the following statement on the SCOTUS decision, which contains a fairly solid knock on Obama, reviving his "bitter cling" comments from the primary:

"Today's decision is a landmark victory for Second Amendment freedom in the United States. For this first time in the history of our Republic, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed that the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms was and is an individual right as intended by our Founding Fathers. I applaud this decision as well as the overturning of the District of Columbia's ban on handguns and limitations on the ability to use firearms for self-defense.

Unlike Senator Obama, who refused to join me in signing a bipartisan amicus brief, I was pleased to express my support and call for the ruling issued today. Today's ruling in District of Columbia v. Heller makes clear that other municipalities like Chicago that have banned handguns have infringed on the constitutional rights of Americans. Unlike the elitist view that believes Americans cling to guns out of bitterness, today's ruling recognizes that gun ownership is a fundamental right -- sacred, just as the right to free speech and assembly.

This ruling does not mark the end of our struggle against those who seek to limit the rights of law-abiding citizens. We must always remain vigilant in defense of our freedoms. But today, the Supreme Court ended forever the specious argument that the Second Amendment did not confer an individual right to keep and bear arms."

We'll post Obama's statement as soon as it comes out.

UPDATE: Here's Obama's statement:

"I have always believed that the Second Amendment protects the right of individuals to bear arms, but I also identify with the need for crime-ravaged communities to save their children from the violence that plagues our streets through common-sense, effective safety measures. The Supreme Court has now endorsed that view, and while it ruled that the D.C. gun ban went too far, Justice Scalia himself acknowledged that this right is not absolute and subject to reasonable regulations enacted by local communities to keep their streets safe. Today's ruling, the first clear statement on this issue in 127 years, will provide much-needed guidance to local jurisdictions across the country.

As President, I will uphold the constitutional rights of law-abiding gun-owners, hunters, and sportsmen. I know that what works in Chicago may not work in Cheyenne. We can work together to enact common-sense laws, like closing the gun show loophole and improving our background check system, so that guns do not fall into the hands of terrorists or criminals. Today's decision reinforces that if we act responsibly, we can both protect the constitutional right to bear arms and keep our communities and our children safe."

Quinnipiac/WSJ/washpost.com polled voters from June 17-24 in four swing states -- Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin -- and found Obama leading McCain in all four. Chris Cillizza breaks down the poll results at washpost.com.

Colorado (1,351 LV, MoE +/- 2.7%)
Obama 49
McCain 44

Obama leads by 5.3 points in the RCP Average for Colorado

Michigan (1,411 LV, MoE +/- 2.6%)
Obama 48
McCain 42

Obama leads by 2.0 points in the RCP Average for Michigan

Minnesota (1,572 LV, MoE +/- 2.5%)
Obama 54
McCain 37

Obama leads by 11.0 points in the RCP Average for Minnesota

Wisconsin (1,537 LV, MoE +/- 2.5%)
Obama 52
McCain 39

Obama leads by 9.3 points in the RCP Average for Wisconsin

In the Headlines

"High Court to Announce Ruling on D.C. Gun Ban" (Paul Duggan, Washington Post) - With its term coming to an end, the U.S. Supreme Court this morning is expected to issue its ruling on the District's handgun-ownership ban in a case that could result in a landmark interpretation of the Second Amendment.

"McCain vows U.S. energy independence by 2025" (Stephen Dinan, Washington Times) - Sen. John McCain vowed Wednesday to break OPEC's stranglehold on U.S. energy and to have the country achieve what he termed "strategic" energy independence by 2025, saying he will pursue almost every option for conservation and new production.

"Democrats in Delicate Talks to Unify Party" (Adam Nagourney and Jeff Zeleny, New York Times) - With the help of one of Washington's best-connected lawyers, Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton are negotiating a thicket of complicated issues, like how to repay Mrs. Clinton's campaign debt and her role at the Democratic convention. The talks come as they try to leave behind their intense rivalry and work out a plan to cooperate this fall.

"Obama plans fight for Bush states as Hillary Clinton pushes unity" (Michael McAuliff and Kenneth Bazinet, New York Daily News) - Barack Obama's campaign chief said Wednesday the campaign isn't putting its chips on a handful of battleground states this fall, and will press its offensive wherever there is an opportunity to turn a red state blue.

On the Morning Shows

Good Morning America - Father Michael Pfleger, on whether he went too far in mocking Hillary Clinton: "I was at a Church that I've spoken to many times and when you're around family, do you get carried away? Absolutely. I apologize for the mannerisms of what I said, I think entitlement is a reality in this society."

CNN American Morning - Mitt Romney, on Barack Obama, "I'd like to see a time where Barack Obama says, 'I disagree with my party, I'm going to reach across the aisle and work against my party.' He'll always be on the left wing of his party, always putting his own interests and the interests of his party ahead of the nation."

From Late Night

Conan O'Brien:

(Greg Bobrinskoy contributed to the Morning Report.)

Some good polling numbers over at VP Watch today, including one showing that an Obama/Richardson ticket could be a winner -- in New Mexico of course.

Since the end of the Democratic primary the $64,000 question has been, "how many Hillary Clinton supporters were so disappointed and disillusioned by the outcome that they won't support Obama and will cross over and vote for John McCain this fall?"

It's an impossible question to answer, especially at this point in the campaign when the general election is just barely underway. But we do have some recent polls that give us a glimpse at where things stand right now.

In addition to breaking down the general election vote by party, the most recent Fox News and Newsweek polls drilled down to focus on how Hillary Clinton primary voters are indicating they will vote in November.

As you can see, relative to the pool of all Democrats respondents, support for Obama among this subset falls by 13 and 11 percent, respectively, while support for McCain rises 7 percent in both:

So there does seem to be some lingering fallout among Clinton supporters, though it should be noted that Obama increased his overall lead in both polls.

What the national polls can't tell us, however, is how this fallout is distributed around the country and whether it is concentrated in certain states that could pose problems for the Obama campaign.

Luckily, we have some data from Quinnipiac's recent swing state survey that gives us some indication of how Clinton primary voters in Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania are feeling. As you can see, Florida closely mirrors the national numbers but the trend is more pronounced in Pennsylvania and especially Ohio, where the net change (drop in support for Obama/increase in support for McCain) reaches 22 and 29 points respectively:

Again, it should be noted that Obama increased his lead over McCain in every Quinnipiac state poll, indicating that despite whatever lingering fallout exists with Clinton supporters, Obama is more than making up the difference with gains among other groups.

Still, it should give the Obama campaign a bit of a pause to see that, at least for the moment, one in four Democrats who voted for Hillary Clinton in the primaries in both Ohio and Pennsylvania indicate they will crossover to vote for McCain in the fall.

Last night Fox News' Greta Van Susteren interviewed Speaker Pelosi, which is worth watching:

Part 2:

Today's Washington Post profiles Hillary's first day back at work:

Hillary Clinton was taking the elevator up to her Senate office yesterday for the first time since she lost the Democratic presidential nomination when one of her aides, Philippe Reines, warned her about the condition of her office.

In her months-long absence, Reines cautioned, "things have gotten a little casual."

The vanquished candidate swung open the door of her private office and found two of her legislative assistants in T-shirts, caps and sunglasses playing at a ping-pong table while the rest of the staff cheered them on. Clinton tossed her head back with her famous laughter, then sat on the couch to watch Mike Szymanski score match point against colleague Ann Gavaghan.

The girl had lost -- again! To the ping-pong loser, Clinton had some empathetic advice. "Ann," she said, "you have to be very gracious in defeat."

"It was a lesson Clinton learned at great cost in her extended battle with Barack Obama," Dana Milbank writes, reporting that Clinton's first day was one of hugs, high-fives, and some showy public chumminess:

In a sense, her stature had increased during the failed primary battle: She left as a legislator but returned as the leader of an 18 million-strong movement of women and working-class voters -- a group whose support Clinton's Democratic colleagues fervently desire.

And so, as Clinton entered a private luncheon in the Capitol, these colleagues greeted her with cheers, hugs and high-fives. "It's great to be here among my colleagues," Clinton teased, "just another regular, plain old superdelegate."

Also, in case you were wondering--by the end of the last paragraph, moments after Hillary suggests turning it into a "conference table," the ping-pong table is long gone.

According to a national poll from AP/Yahoo News, more people believe that McCain can handle the war in Iraq better than Obama. 76% of Republicans, 31% of independents and 15% of Democrats said McCain would best handle Iraq, while 57% of Democrats, 19% of independents and 8% of Republicans feel Obama would do a better job. Overall, 39% said McCain would better handle Iraq and 33% said Obama.

AP/Yahoo News is tracking the moods and opinions of the same 2,714 people over the course of the campaign. For this installment, they polled 1,759 people (844 Dems, 637 GOPers) from June 13-23.

Also tested was who would handle terrorism better. Republicans favored McCain 78%-2% over Obama; independents did as well with a 37%-7% margin. Democrats were split, favoring Obama 38%-21% over McCain.

In the Headlines

"Turnout Boost Could Favor Obama" (Mike Dorning, Chicago Tribune) - Barack Obama could make major gains in at least nine states the Democratic ticket lost in 2004 if he can achieve a relatively modest increase in turnout among young and African-American voters, a Tribune analysis of voting data suggests.

"McCain calls for energy-efficient government" (Glen Johnson, AP) - Republican John McCain said Tuesday the federal government should practice the energy efficiency he preaches, pledging as president to switch official vehicles to green technologies and do the same for office buildings.

"Evangelical Leader Attacks Obama on Religious Views" (Larry Rohter, New York Times) - Just days after Senator Barack Obama met quietly with religious leaders, including the son of the Rev. Billy Graham, another of the evangelical movement's most prominent names, James C. Dobson, has sharply attacked Mr. Obama, accusing him of having "a fruitcake interpretation of the Constitution" and twisting the meaning of both the Old and New Testaments.

"Obama's aim: 14 Bush states and local races" (Ben Smith, The Politico) - Barack Obama will focus his resources largely in 14 states George W. Bush won in 2004, his chief field operative said Tuesday, hoping to score upsets in places like Virginia, Indiana, and Georgia.

From the Morning Shows

Today - Lisa Caputo, Hillary Clinton adviser, on why Bill Clinton has not been more outspoken in supporting Obama as the party's nominee: "I think he's waiting to be asked to do something for this campaign. It is up to the nominee and it's their choice how they want to use the former president."

From Late Night

David Letterman:

(Greg Bobrinskoy contributed to the Morning Report.)

A bit of detail from the pool report of Obama's star-studded Hollywood fundraiser yesterday:

Donors sipped wine and bottled water. Waiters wearing black vests, white shirts and black ties served hors d'oeuvres: endive spears of brie, toasted almonds and truffle oil; tuna tartare with passion fruit ponzu and macadamia nut on wonton crisp; beef short rib skewers with Asian flavors.

Clearly, one of Obama's potential vulnerabilities as a candidate is the image that he's an elitist who is "out of touch" with working class America. This is an angle Republicans are keen to exploit, as we saw with Karl Rove test-driving the "coolly arrogant" country club line just this week. And though Maureen Dowd is confident Republicans won't be able to get away with it, even the tiniest details like the ones from the pool report help feed the narrative, as you can only imagine how a beer-drinking, blue-collar Democrat in Ohio might react to news that Obama was hanging out "sipping wine and eating endive spears of brie" with Hollywood liberals.

My point isn't that Obama has to go to mega-fundraisers where rich activists are paying $2,300 a piece and serve them burgers and dawgs. But if I was advising the Obama campiagn - a group that seems to be quite serious and disciplined about managing their candidate's image - I'd make sure that for every story that ran with details of glitzy, wine and brie fundraisers, there would be two stories in the news showing Obama eating burgers and dawgs with ordinary folks in places like Ohio and Michigan.

Those events won't raise $4 million a pop, of course. But, then again, lack of money isn't Obama's biggest potential problem this November.

"When an issue is this hot, it would be so much easier if there was a single reason to blame. The oil shock is real and is about the hottest political issue right now. So Congress feels the pressure to do something but there is not much it can do to promote peace in Nigeria or to get the value of the dollar to go up." - Energy expert Daniel Yergin, who will testify today before the Joint Economic Committee.

In a new L.A. Times/Bloomberg national poll, Obama holds a wide lead over McCain (June 19-23, 1,115 RV, MoE +/- 3%). When Ralph Nader and Libertarian candidate Bob Barr were added to the race, Obama's lead over McCain grew to 48%-33%. The Times reports that Obama's strong numbers stem from respondents believing he could better solve the country's economic problems, and that McCain suffers from an "enthusiasm gap" among conservatives.

Obama 49
McCain 37

Obama leads by 7.5 points in the RCP National Average

A new SurveyUSA presidential poll in Indiana shows McCain and Obama separated by just 1 point. Also tested were the candidates in the race for governor -- Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels leads former Democratic Rep. Jill Long Thompson by 5 points.

(June 21-23, 627 LV, MoE +/- 4%)

Obama 48
McCain 47
Und 2

Obama leads by 0.5 of a point in the RCP Average for Indiana

Daniels 50 (+1 vs. last poll, June 10-12)
Long Thompson 45 (-4)
Und 5

Daniels leads by 10.0 points in the RCP Average for Indiana

McCain said yesterday that he doesn't "see an immediate relief" on gas prices from offshore oil drilling, and that "though it may take some years, the fact that we are exploiting those reserves would have psychological impact that I think is beneficial."

Today, in his remarks from Las Vegas, Obama responded to McCain's statement:

"'Psychological impact.' In case you were wondering, that's Washington-speak for, 'It polls well.' It's an example of how Washington politicians try to convince you that they did something to make your life better when they really didn't. Well the American people don't need psychological relief or meaningless gimmicks to get politicians through the next election, they need real relief that will help them fill up their tanks and put food on their table. They need a long-term energy strategy that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil by investing in the renewable sources of energy that represent the future. That's what they need."

Over at VP Watch, we've posted some new numbers from Public Policy Polling showing what Michigan voters think of an Obama/Clinton ticket.

Also, we have your daily veep reading in Conventional Wisdom and the Daily Buzz.