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- Joe Biden, in an Obama campaign conference call, criticized John McCain's grip on Iraqi affairs while pumping up military commanders for Obama's imminent visit: "One thing I can tell you for certain from recent trips is commanders in the field ... they all want to see Barack Obama. They're going to see a man, when they see him, of real strength. They're going to see a man who emanates, who radiates from him conviction and strength, and that this is a solid, solid, solid guy." Hot stuff. Meanwhile, the NY Times Caucus has more substantive details on the upcoming visit.
- The Washington Post has a nice retrospective on the influence of Jesse Jackson on Democratic politics. Also, Ta-Nehisi Coates has a thoughtful essay on the "tragedy of Jesse Jackson."
- Arnold Schwarzenegger said in a recent interview that he would be open to a cabinet position as energy and environment czar in an Obama administration -- despite previously endorsing John McCain.
- Barack Obama has revamped his entire communications team. Marc Ambinder names names.
- Jonathan Cohn makes the case for Jack Reed (D-RI) as Obama's veep. Reed is expected to accompany Barack Obama -- along with Chuck Hagel -- to Iraq next week.
- The Sunday NY Times has a long interview with John McCain, quoting him saying, "I am learning to get online myself, and I will have that down fairly soon, getting on myself. I don’t expect to be a great communicator, I don’t expect to set up my own blog, but I am becoming computer literate to the point where I can get the information that I need."
- In Florida, Democrats are registering seven times more new voters than Republicans are. In Michigan, Obama is investing twice as much resources as John Kerry allocated in 2004.
- Polls, polls, polls: Newsweek scales back their earlier 15-point national lead for Obama to a more pack-following 44-41 lead for the Democrat, Rasmussen has him up 47-39 in Michigan, and Public Policy Polling gives him a 47-43 advantage in Colorado.
- Finally, John McCain apparently needs a refresher on post-Cold War Eastern European political history, seeing as he keeps referencing a country that hasn't existed for 15 years.
--Mori Dinauer
