In the Headlines:

"McCain defends NAFTA, tax cuts in slamming Obama's plans" (William Douglas and Margaret Talev, McClatchy Newspapers) - Presumptive Republican Presidential candidate John McCain blasted Democratic rival Barack Obama's economic policies on Tuesday, calling them bad for small business and American families.

"Vetting a Vetter: Obama's Pick Fuels G.O.P. Criticism" (Leslie Wayne, New York Times) - In choosing James A. Johnson for his vice-presidential selection committee, Senator Barack Obama tapped the ultimate Washington insider: a nationally recognized business executive who also helped Walter F. Mondale and John Kerry pick their Democratic running mates.

"Obama avoids rallies, begins more relaxed general campaign" (Associated Press) - Barack Obama has shown he can pack 20,000 people into an arena and draw 75,000 to an Oregon river bank. Now he's trying to win voters' hearts a few at a time.

"McCain, Business Leaders Diverge on CEO Pay" (Russell Berman, New York Sun) - Senator McCain's call to require a shareholder vote on pay for corporate CEOs puts him at odds with business leaders on Capitol Hill, who say the regulation is an unnecessary overreaction to concern over eye-popping severance deals for Wall Street executives.

On the Morning Shows:

Today - John McCain, on what he'll do for the economy: "We don't want to increase taxes, capital gains tax increases affect 100 million Americans, that's what Sen. Obama wants to do. I want low-income Americans to have more money in their pockets."

On when he thinks American troops will come home: "What's important is the causalities in Iraq and the ability to withdraw. The key to it is we don't want any more Americans in harm's way."

Good Morning America - Carly Fiorina, a McCain economic adviser, on the senator's economic proposals: "Sen. McCain has proposed gas tax release, Obama has opposed it. He understands small businesses create 75% of the jobs in this country and its vital we lower their taxes. McCain is a reformer, he's always been a reformer and has opposed President Bush on so many things."

William Daley, an Obama economic adviser: "Obama will give $1,000 tax relief to 95% of working families. He believes working families need help. McCain's tax cuts would be twice as much as President Bush proposed, that's not what the American people want. We're seeing a serious inequality in the last 8 years."

From Late Night:

Jay Leno:

(Greg Bobrinskoy contributed to the Morning Report.)