• If the “Country I Love” ad buy in places like Alaska, Colorado and North Dakota didn’t already indicate that the Obama campaign is thinking big when it comes to traditionally red states in the West, than Obama’s scheduled campaign swing through New Mexico and Nevada next week and the campaign’s statement that those two states are “big targets” makes it abundantly clear. They are trying to put in place a hybrid of strong grass roots organization and carpet-bombing of the airwaves and campaign trail that will assure Obama of running competitively in formerly long-shot states for Dems and put some action to the rhetoric of the 50-state strategy. The game has also changed drastically now that Obama has opted out of public financing. He doesn’t have to be worried that McCain and his weaker cash haul will be able to game the system and even the playing field with Obama’s potentially massive war chest. The fate of the Western states like NV and even Montana could be the difference.
  • More fallout from Obama financing opt out decision yesterday. With the Obama coffers set to overflow with donations throughout the campaign, liberal advocacy group MoveOn has announced it will follow Obama’s directive and shut down its 527 PAC that had been famous for hard-hitting attack ads against President Bush and the GOP in general back in the ‘04 election. Gutting the 527 portion of the PAC doesn’t mean MoveOn will be out of the cash raising or advertising game entirely. It will be able to raise funds for the overall MoveOn organization and poll them into specific projects. But no large amounts of donations will come in from outside groups. No word on whether they will comply Obama’s full plea to refrain from ads on his behalf during the election.
  • Hillary is all set to go on the trail with nominee Obama next week. But what of Bill? Is he still pouting over what he feels were personal attacks from the Obama campaign that destroyed his image in the African American community and other Dem demo’s? Not sure, but no doubt that his legacy in politics and within the party has shifted in blatantly negative ways. NatJo has a good piece on it.
  • McCain heads to the Great White North today for a speech in Ottawa that will attempt to do several things for his campaign. First, the mere journey to Canada will back up McCain’s arguments that he is the candidate able to handle foreign policy and understand issues beyond the U.S. McCain will also get to hammer Obama for his murky position on NAFTA and how his stated goal of gutting the trade pact would harm U.S.-Canadian relations. Another hit at Obama’s ability to handle the POTUS job. Canadians can’t vote in November, but that’s OK: JMac is going more for big picture here.
  • Looming trouble for McCain on his thorniest issue; immigration? McCain held a low key late-night meeting with Hispanic leaders in Chicago on Wednesday, trying to retain the Hispanic vote for the GOP the fall by soothing fears over the heated immigration rhetoric constantly emanating from conservatives. McCain had caved to the Right by essentially adopting the enforcement-first policies of Romney and the Right Wing after months of standing behind his own more mild proposals that were shot down on Capitol Hill and loathed by GOP primary voters. McCain then stayed away from the hot button issue for months. Now he may have reversed course yet again. At the meeting, McCain told the Hispanic leaders that he would start work immediately - if elected - on a “fair” immigration reform bill apparently with few tweaks from his original Senate plan that was lambasted by conservatives as “amnesty.”
  • Has NBC found a new permanent host for “Meet The Press”? Nightly News anchor Brian Williams is set to host the program this Sunday, when Lindsey Graham and Joe Biden come on. They were the guests Russert had booked for last Sunday’s program. Is Williams the answer? We would prefer the immensely talented Chuck Todd - NBC News political director and good friend to PB. He’s fresh, has a tremendous knowledge of politics, has done an excellent job in his 1 year-plus at NBC, and would have a great respect for the late Russert. Tim was the man who brought Chuck over from NatJo all those months ago.
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