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
* In response to Iranian missile tests this morning, John McCain said<\/a> the developments “cry out for collective action,” and insisted the U.S. should end “trade and diplomatic” activities. Barack Obama said<\/a> in a statement, “Now is the time to work with our friends and allies, and to pursue direct and aggressive diplomacy with the Iranian regime backed by tougher unilateral and multilateral sanctions. It’s time to offer the Iranians a clear choice between increased costs for continuing their troubling behavior, and concrete incentives that would come if they change course.”<\/p>\n * More intra-party unity<\/a>: “In another sign that Barack Obama’s campaign is moving with all deliberate speed to deal with tensions created by the long primary season, it announced today that Dana Singiser, who was Director of Women’s Outreach for Hillary Clinton’s campaign, would be brought aboard as a senior advisor to ‘help direct efforts to win the women’s vote.'”<\/p>\n * And still more intra-party unity<\/a>: “The Democratic unity-fest is set to continue this week, with Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton teaming up for some big-money fundraising events on Wednesday and Thursday, the Obama campaign has announced. The two will meet for a Wednesday evening fundraiser in Washington, followed by a Women For Obama breakfast Thursday morning in New York City.”<\/p>\n * The NYT had a very good piece<\/a> today on the McCain campaign’s healthcare plan and how it relates to those with pre-existing conditions.<\/p>\n * Don’t expect any more Obama-family interviews<\/a> anytime soon. * Obama hit McCain on immigration<\/a> yesterday, reminding a Latino audience that McCain abandoned his support for McCain’s own immigration legislation during the campaign.<\/p>\n * I think it’s safe to say Congress, as an institution, is not especially popular<\/a> right now.<\/p>\n * The Planned Parenthood Action Fund officially endorsed<\/a> Obama yesterday, and Obama spoke to hundreds of the group’s members on a celebratory conference call yesterday afternoon. Keep in mind, this is only the second time the Planned Parenthood Action Fund has officially endorsed a presidential candidate.<\/p>\n * John Kerry won’t be<\/a> Obama’s running mate.<\/p>\n * Mark Warner has some advice for Obama in winning Virginia<\/a>: “The roadmap Warner laid out for Obama — win major margins in northern Virginia, drive turnout in the outer suburbs of Washington and “not get smoked in the rural parts of the state” — is a carbon copy of the strategy Warner used to win the governorship in 2001 and that he is implementing in his race this fall against former Republican governor Jim Gilmore.”<\/p>\n * If the catch phrase in McCain’s new TV ad sounds familiar, it’s because the Tories used the exact same line<\/a> in England in the ’70s.<\/p>\n * Democrats gain ground in Nevada<\/a>: “According to the secretary of state’s office, 55,560 more Democrats than Republicans are on the active voter rolls in Nevada, as of the end of June. The gap widened from 50,020 in May and represents 5 percent of the 1,031,984 active voters.”<\/p>\n * In Alaska, Mark Begich unveiled two new statewide TV ads<\/a>, one of which is a biographical spot, while the other talks about energy policy. (That sound you hear is Ted Stevens getting increasingly nervous.)<\/p>\n
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\n* I’d probably avoid hiring this firm<\/a>: “Former Clinton strategist Mark Penn is teaming up with former Bush strategist Karen Hughes to ‘create a bipartisan consulting organization to advise corporations in crisis.’ Penn will hire Hughes as his vice-chairman. Penn ‘has been blamed in recent months for [Hillary Clinton’s] failed candidacy,’ while Hughes failed in marketing Bush’s policies to the Muslim and Arab world.”<\/p>\n