Today’s installment of campaign-related news items that wouldn’t generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers:<\/p>\n
* Following a series of staffing changes in April, John McCain’s presidential campaign continues to change the players at various positions. Yesterday, Michael P. Dennehy, McCain’s national political director, stepped down<\/a> from his job, saying he wants to spend more time with his family.<\/p>\n * Barack Obama delivered a surprisingly stern message<\/a> to the auto industry yesterday, giving a speech at the Detroit Economic Club on using government incentives to modernize U.S. car companies. “I’m making this proposal here today because I don’t believe in making proposals in California and giving a different speech in Michigan,” he said. His goal “is not to destroy the industry, but to help bring it into the 21st century,” he said.<\/p>\n * Kentucky state Treasurer Jonathan Miller (D) withdrew<\/a> from the state’s gubernatorial race yesterday and threw his support behind his rival, former Lt. Gov. Steve Beshear (D). Miller said he wanted to avoid a situation in which Democrats chose a candidate “whose baggage would be picked apart and exploited’ by Republicans.”<\/p>\n * The New York Post reported<\/a> today that New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) may say he’ll be done with politics at the end of his second term, but he’s reportedly interested in taking on Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) in 2010.<\/p>\n * The Nation’s Ari Berman wrote a very unflattering profile<\/a> on Mark Penn, Hillary Clinton’s pollster and chief strategist. Berman asks, “Is what’s good for Penn and his business good for Hillary’s political career? And furthermore, can she convincingly claim to fight for the average American with Penn guiding strategy in her corner?”<\/p>\n