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Today on the presidential campaign trail
By The Associated Press – 56 minutes ago

IN THE HEADLINES

Playing it safe, Obama steps back from McCain's challenge for a series of summer debates ... Obama blames cynicism, not racism, for McCain strategy that he says distracts from real issues ... McCain vetting Va. Rep. Eric Cantor as possible vice presidential running mate

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Obama backs away from McCain's debate challenge

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic candidate Barack Obama has backed away from rival John McCain's challenge for a series of joint appearances, agreeing only to the standard three debates in the fall.

In May, when a McCain adviser proposed a series of pre-convention appearances at town hall meetings, Obama said, "I think that's a great idea." In summer stumping on the campaign trail, McCain has often noted that Obama had not followed through and joined him in any events.

Obama's reversal on town hall debates is part of a play-it-safe strategy he's adopted since claiming the nomination and grabbing a lead in national polls. Advisers to the Illinois senator, speaking on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss strategy, say Obama is reluctant to take chances or give McCain a high-profile stage now that Obama's the front-runner.

On Saturday, in a letter to the Commission on Presidential Debates, Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said the short period between the last political convention and the first proposed debate made it likely that the commission-sponsored debates would be the only ones.

"We've committed to the three debates on the table," campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Saturday in an interview. "It's likely they will be the three appearances by the candidates this fall."

Asked by The Associated Press if that meant Obama would not agree to any other debates, Psaki said, "We're not saying that." She said the McCain campaign had rejected Obama's proposal for two joint town hall meetings.

McCain's campaign disparaged Obama for backing off. McCain has not yet formally agreed to the commission-sponsored debates, but the McCain campaign says he plans to.

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Obama accuses McCain camp of cynicism, not racism

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Republican candidate John McCain's presidential campaign is cynical, not racist, in its efforts to distract voters from real issues, says Democratic rival Barack Obama.

"In no way do I think that John McCain's campaign was being racist," Obama said in his first meeting with reporters since predicting that McCain and other Republicans would try to scare voters because Obama looks unlike "all those other presidents on the dollar bills" — most of them older white men.

"I think they're cynical," he said. "And I think they want to distract people from talking about the real issues."

Obama spent a second day in Florida to speak to the National Urban League, the predominantly black group McCain had addressed a day earlier. The Illinois senator offered a fiery defense of his push to bolster the nation's schools and dismissed what he called McCain's "slim record on education."

Obama also used Florida — a state both sides see as central to victory in November — as the setting for a shift in policy on offshore oil drilling. While still opposed to expanding oil exploration and development on American coastlines, he said he could reach compromise on the issue if drilling initiatives were part of a broad program aimed at energy independence.

"What I'm interested in, ultimately, is going to be governing," he told reporters at a morning news conference. "What that means is we're going to have to try to get things done."

Asked about the McCain campaign's claim that Obama had "played the race card" — one McCain spokesman had suggested that McCain was being painted as a racist — Obama called the criticism an attempt to alter the campaign's focus.

He added of the Republicans' approach: "They're very good at negative campaigning. They're not so good at governing."

A McCain campaign spokesman, Tucker Bounds, contended that Obama was backing off.

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In veep search, McCain asks Cantor for records

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — John McCain's campaign has asked Virginia Rep. Eric Cantor for personal documents as the Republican presidential candidate steps up his search for a running mate, The Associated Press has learned.

Cantor, 45, the chief deputy minority whip in the House, has been mentioned among several Republicans as a possible running mate for McCain. A Republican familiar with the conversations between Cantor and the McCain campaign said Cantor has been asked to turn over documents, but did not know specifically what records were sought.

The individual spoke on the condition of anonymity because neither the McCain campaign nor Cantor's office wishes to discuss the running mate selection process.

Cantor through a spokesman declined to comment. McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said the campaign would have "no comment on anything related to the vice presidential issue."

With just weeks till the national conventions, McCain and Democratic Sen. Barack Obama have knuckled down in their search for vice presidential candidates. They have been regularly huddling behind closed doors with a small circle of advisers to examine the backgrounds and records — and weigh the political implications — of at least a handful of prospects.

Cantor has been a visible McCain surrogate for weeks, appearing frequently on cable news outlets chiefly to promote McCain's positions on domestic and economic issues.

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THE DEMOCRATS

Barack Obama has no scheduled public events.

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THE REPUBLICANS

John McCain has no scheduled public events.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY:

"As we meet, our country is in the sixth year of a two-front war. Our economy is struggling. Our planet is in peril. These challenges, and many others, demand new leadership." — Preamble to draft of the 2008 Democratic Party platform.

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STAT OF THE DAY:

In the 1948 presidential election, Republican Thomas Dewey narrowly defeated Democrat Harry Truman in Michigan; Dewey won by less than 2 percentage points — 49.2 percent to 47.6 percent.

Compiled by Ann Sanner and Ronald Powers.

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DanS.

Apparently the party is sick of Pelosi too?

anyways....what do you think about Obama backing away from the debates? I think it was a dumb move and makes him look like he's scared....

julia

It was the town hall debates with McCain that Obama does not wish to partake in very many.

Have you seen any of those so-called town hall meetings? I grew up in New England where towns really had town hall meetings.


McCain's version are so ridiculously stacked that this week, someone even said 'they were afraid of Obama" as a part of their question.

After that horrible "debate"/smear fest on abc, it's a wonder that Obama wants to take part in any debates.

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The candidate does not speak for the campaign.

jdanton

All reminds me of the of "prevent" defense. How many times have we seen a team play it safe only to lose?

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Author: Memoirs of a Sleepless Mind, a book you CAN judge by its cover.

jdanton

This may all be true, but the "perception" is that he's changed his mind; again.

More and more, though you won't like this, Obama has shown no spine.

He disowned a man after emphatically saying he couldn't.
He voted for a FISA bill after emphatically saying he couldn't.
It appears he agreed to publc financing; then didn't
Now we have another

It's equally true that McCain's been all over the map on so many issues that flip flopping is his area of greatest expertise. However, that is not the subject of attention at this point in time.

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Author: Memoirs of a Sleepless Mind, a book you CAN judge by its cover.

julia

Wow.
Who's side are you on, anyways?

You are a very delusional man if you think this world is a static, unchanging place.

I'm not going to nit pick with you or anyone that doesn't know details on the issues.

You're just still obviously bitter because Mrs Clinton did not win.

WELL GET THE FUCK OVER IT!!!

My candidate did not win either! But I'm not whining the right wing Mrs Clinton talking points.

You should be angrier at the guy who wants to keep spying on Americans and snatching laptops, etc.

I mean seriously, who's side are you on?

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The candidate does not speak for the campaign.

EvilMonkey

He's on any side that isn't Obama, he always has been. He fits in that "old man who would never vote for a black man" category. How many posts of his have you read on here where he states a black man will never get elected? Over and over he's beaten that horse to death and he till take any opportunity to make anti Obama posts he gets.

Environment Man

Are you hinting that jdanton is anti black?

Or at least anti black president?

EvilMonkey

That or anti Obama. But he's made that reference so many times here in the past that is how I take it. Be your own judge though man, to each his own.

HarperLee

Just so I will not be portrayed as a big bully, here is a recent post
to jdanton from another place:

JD, I'm talking about your snide comments about Obama. You take sideswipes at him in most of your posts, then criticize people for taking issue with your sideswipes, and claim they are derailing the discussion. If you want the discussion to stay on target, don't pontificate about what's wrong with Obama and then insist that no one can respond to that. That's what I find hypocritical.

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Oliver Stone on George W. Bush: "the banality of evil"

http://www.nationalpriorities.org/costofwar_home