Obama Passes Off Biden Gaffe as 'Flourish'

In face of rising GOP tide, Obama camp sharpening attacks

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama has launched a new ad accusing John McCain of running a “disgraceful, dishonorable campaign,” part of a wider pushback against Republican attacks, the Washington Post reports. With McCain pulling even in the polls, the campaign held a series of internal strategy meetings, including a rare Sunday get-together in Chicago, and emerged pledging to leave no assault unanswered. More»

(NEWSER) - Talk shows were once again abuzz this morning, as both presidential campaigns entered the two-month sprint to the White House. A round-up of today’s highlights:

• Obama revealed to ABC’s George Stephanopoulos that he’d once seriously considered joining the military, and rebutted Palin’s jabs at his community organizing background: “For folks who suddenly have tried to grab the change banner, you know, they've got a very traditional view of what service means.”

Biden dominates Sunday talk shows

(NEWSER) - The newly announced Obama/Biden ticket predictably dominated the talk shows today. Politico gives the run-down:

• Obama VP adviser Caroline Kennedy told Meet the Press she hoped Joe Biden would prove to be as sage a pick as her father's choice of LBJ.
• House Speaker Nancy Pelosi turned Biden's rep for gaffes into a snipe at Bush on NBC, saying Obama "is not just choosing a yes man, but a person that will speak what he believes.”

McCain team wrote 'palling around with terrorists' line: book

(NEWSER) - Sarah Palin was actually on message when she attacked Barack Obama’s relationship with former Weatherman Bill Ayers during last year's campaign, the Atlantic reports. A new book, The Battle for America, reveals that Palin received an email from top McCain staff suggesting she use the Ayers attack. It even specified the approved language. Strategists also planned to run a similar TV ad. More»

Last state to be called leaves tally at Obama 365, McCain 173

(NEWSER) - Missouri, the last state up for grabs, looks to have gone Republican by less than a 1% margin, leaving John McCain with 173 electoral votes to Barack Obama’s 365, the Kansas City Star reports. There are still 3,000 uncounted provisional ballots, but McCain’s margin is large enough to declare him the winner of the state’s 11 electoral votes. More»