Today on the presidential campaign trail

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IN THE HEADLINES

McCain fundraisers, once off limits to media, open to press ... First lady Laura Bush says she admires Hillary Clinton's 'grit and strength' ... Group's complaint questions transactions involving McCain aides ... Racial attitudes, spoken or not, pose challenge for Obama in Pennsylvania

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McCain opens fundraiser to media

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Republican John McCain reversed course Monday and allowed the media into a private fundraiser where he chided Democratic rival Barack Obama for his reluctance to agree to a series of joint town hall meetings.

The $10,000-per-ticket reception for the presumed Republican nominee, the national party and several state parties marked the first time McCain, a champion of open government, had allowed reporters into his fundraisers. The four-term Arizona senator had kept such events off limits to the media for months with little or no explanation.

The event and a $1,000-a-ticket luncheon raised $800,000 for McCain and the GOP.

McCain reiterated his offer to Obama to join him at a town hall meeting and field questions from voters. McCain said he'd meet Obama wherever and whenever, then suggested this week in New York.

"He's not going to be there, but we'll keep asking," McCain said to a few chuckles. "Over time, maybe he'll agree. At least I hope so."

McCain has proposed 10 such meetings in the coming months, and campaign managers for both sides said they had agreed in spirit to schedule some type of joint appearances.

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First lady says she admires Clinton's 'grit and strength'

KRANJ, Slovenia (AP) — First lady Laura Bush said Monday she admired the "grit and strength" Hillary Rodham Clinton demonstrated in the Democratic Party's long, hard-fought primaries, but said she would want to see a Republican woman as president.

She also came to the defense of Barack Obama's wife, Michelle, who has been harshly criticized by Republicans for saying last February in a Wisconsin campaign appearance that for the first time in her adult life she's proud of the United States.

"I think she probably meant 'I'm more proud,' you know, is what she really meant. You have to be very careful in what you say. Everything you say is looked at and in many cases misconstrued," she said in an interview on ABC's "Good Morning America." In fact, Michelle Obama later clarified the remark, saying she had always been proud of her country.

Bush flew to Slovenia on Sunday after making an unannounced trip to Afghanistan — her third as first lady — to rally international aid for the war-weary Afghans. President Bush left Washington on Monday for Slovenia for his final U.S.-European Union Summit. He and his wife are also traveling to Germany, Italy, France, England and Northern Ireland.

In her interview, Laura Bush said she's been paying close attention to the 2008 election.

"Of course I want the woman to be a Republican woman," she said. "But I will say, I have watched the campaign and I admired Hillary's grit and strength. I know what it's like to run those campaigns and so I'll have to say I have a lot of admiration for her endurance."

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Group files complaint against McCain campaign

WASHINGTON (AP) — A group that supports public financing of campaigns filed a federal complaint against John McCain's presidential campaign Monday, calling for an investigation into two financial transactions involving two top McCain aides.

The Federal Election Commission complaint by Campaign Money Watch, a group that has received financing from Democratic leaning donors, questions payments from former finance chair Tom Loeffler to campaign finance director Susan Nelson. It also questions the reduction of a debt to a Web services firm co-owned by McCain campaign manager Rick Davis.

"A campaign manager renegotiating a debt with a company he partly owns raises serious conflict of interest questions," said David Donnelly, the director of Campaign Money Watch.

Donnelly also questioned whether Loeffler's payments to Nelson amounted to an illegal subsidy to a campaign staffer. Loeffler is a lobbyist and former congressman and Nelson is a former associate of Loeffler's lobbying firm. The campaign has said the payments, first reported by Newsweek, were for legitimate work and were legal.

Campaign spokesman Brian Rogers called the complaint "baseless."

"All campaign actions were carefully reviewed by legal counsel and were fully in accord with FEC rules and election law," he said. "These are fact-specific issues, and Campaign Money Watch, a pro-Democratic, anti-McCain group, does not know any of the relevant facts. The FEC will undoubtedly throw these complaints out as soon as they review them."

The campaign did not address the specific issues raised in the complaint.

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Racial attitudes pose challenge for Obama

GREENSBURG, Pa. (AP) — Joyce Susick is the type of voter who might carry Barack Obama to the White House — or keep him out. A registered Democrat in a highly competitive state, she is eager to replace George W. Bush, whom she ranks among the worst presidents ever.

There's just one problem.

"I don't think our country is ready for a black president," Susick, who is white, said in an interview in the paint store where she works. "A black man is never going to win Pennsylvania."

Susick said her personal objection to Obama is his inexperience, not his color. "It has nothing to do with race," she said.

If Susick is right about Pennsylvania voters, it presents a major hurdle for the presumed Democratic nominee. Democrats have carried Pennsylvania in the last four presidential contests, and Obama would have to offset a loss of its 21 electoral votes by taking Republican-leaning states from John McCain.

Polls suggest that Susick, a grandmother of three, does not represent most registered Democrats here or elsewhere. But there may be enough like-minded voters in Pennsylvania, whose last two presidential elections have been close, to tip it to McCain.

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DAILY TRACK

Democrat Barack Obama has a slight edge over Republican John McCain, 48 percent to 42 percent, in the presidential race, according to the latest Gallup Poll Daily tracking update.

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THE DEMOCRAT

Barack Obama gives a speech in Raleigh, N.C., before traveling to St. Louis for a fundraiser.

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THE REPUBLICAN

John McCain raises campaign cash in Virginia and Washington.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY:

"It's one thing to come out of the voting booth and say that. It's another thing when you're faced with a choice in the general election." — James Antoniono, a lawyer and veteran Democratic activist from Greensburg, Pa., who says many Hillary Rodham Clinton backers will support Barack Obama this fall, including some who told exit pollsters they would not.

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STAT OF THE DAY:

Over the past 17 months, the Republican National Committee has raised $166 million to the Democratic National Committee's $82.3 million.

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Compiled by Ann Sanner.

Back To Top

	Democratic Party returns lobbyist, PAC money	Associated Press	Fri Jun 6	1
	Bill Clinton regrets language used in tirade	Associated Press	Mon Jun 2	0
	McAuliffe denies report Clinton will concede race	CNN	Tue Jun 3	1
	First lady says she admires Clinton's 'grit and strength'	Associated Press	Sun Jun 8	0
	Clinton suspends campaign, endorses Obama	Associated Press	Tue Jun 3	38