GOP Sees Pastor as Route to Nov. Win

Obama's links reveal his character, despite what media say

(NEWSER) - Raising the specter of Barack Obama’s ties with the likes of Bill Ayers is perfectly legitimate, and John McCain's only fault is that he didn't start sooner, writes Charles Krauthammer in the Washington Post. These associations “provide a significant insight into character” and “are particularly relevant” for a candidate “as new, unknown, opaque, and self-contained as Obama,” he writes. But mention the links and the media bemoans “dirty campaigning tinged with racism and McCarthyite guilt by association.” More»

Plan to hit him where McCain pulled back

(NEWSER) - Top Republican strategists have devised a plan to "do exactly what John McCain would not let us do" and bombard the public with incendiary Jeremiah Wright soundbites just in time for the Democratic National Convention in September. The plan was commissioned by Chicago Cubs owner Joe Ricketts, who would pump $10 million into it. The New York Times obtained a copy of the report, dubbed "The Defeat of Barack Hussein Obama" from a source who was "alarmed by its tone." More»

Attack ad surfaces, but GOP candidate refused to run it

(NEWSER) - John McCain's campaign created a commercial slamming Barack Obama for his relationship with inflammatory pastor Jeremiah Wright. The 30-second spot, obtained by ABC News, contrasts McCain's years in a Vietnam POW camp with footage of Wright shouting "God damn America." The commercial was ready for release and even includes the tag, "I'm John McCain and I approve this message." More»

Once-pivotal region misses the boat

(NEWSER) - Remember when the only winning Democrats were Southerners? Dixie’s desertion of the Democrats made Republicans the dominant party, and only when Democrats stole back part of the pivotal region could they win. Well, writes Adam Nossiter in the New York Times, the South is pivotal no longer. While running up his big total nationwide, Barack Obama actually lost ground in the white South, most likely because of race. More»

The '08 version redrew the political map and ruptured the financing system, and more

(NEWSER) - We can't be sure what kind of change the next president will bring, but we do know that presidential campaigns themselves will never be the same, writes Gerald F. Seib in the Wall Street Journal. Among this year’s innovations:

• The campaigns have redrawn the political map, making previously locked states competitive, like Virginia, and placing increasing emphasis on the Mountain West.