The Page
Politics up to the Minute
Headlines from August 21st, 2008
THIS...MEANS...WAR
McCain campaign fires back at Obama for “house” attack with new TV ad targeting Obama and Tony Rezko. "From Obama, Rezko got 'political favors' including '14 million from taxpayers.' Now, he's a convicted felon, facing jail. That's a housing problem." Read full script. Watch one of his toughest spots yet above. Actual size and duration of the ad buy TBD. McCain official to the Atlantic: Obama "opened the door to this." Obama's comments "attack Cindy. She owns the homes. I thought he said the wives were off-limits." Plus: See Obama's own housing ad: click here. Permalink
HE'S DECIDED
The Land of Lincolner tells USA Today he's made up his mind on a veep choice -- but he's still not spilling the beans. Says he's chosen someone "to challenge me so we have got a robust debate in the White House." Listen to the audio here. Plus: He also teases the press at a deli in Petersberg, Virginia when asked about the timing of his announcement text message, saying "Wouldn't you like to know?" More: At a stop at Virginia Favorites Ltd., Obama confirms: "I did say that I've made the selection and that's all you're going get." Scheduling conflicts suggest it's not the former Georgia Sen. Sam Nunn. Permalink
McCain, Obama to Appear at 9/11 National Service Forum
The presidential candidates will discuss their views on service and civic engagement in a post-9/11 world during prime-time in New York City Sept. 11. They will appear separately on the stage, fielding questions from TIME Managing Editor Rick Stengel. It will be their first joint appearance following the party conventions. Forum audience will include 9/11 family members, young Americans, military veterans, and thought leaders with questions being submitted by the general public. Read the release with all the details here. Permalink
Conservative TV Spot Links Obama to 9/11, Ayers
New independent group American Issues Project produces an ad tying Obama to the former Weather Underground bomber, hints he had something to do with failed 9/11 attacks on the Capitol. Watch it above. The group says it will spend $2.8 mil on the ad in Ohio, Michigan -- which would be the largest single third-party expenditure this cycle. Obama camp responds here. Update: Organizers sought to air the ad on Fox News Channel, but a Fox spokesman said the network declined to run it. Permalink
DREAM TEAMMATE
Non-members of the political class, listen up: EVERYONE in the political class is talking about the possibility of Obama shocking the world and picking Hillary Clinton as his running mate. To get the inside scoop on what this speculation is based on, click here. Permalink
Dems Going Nationwide With "Houses" Offensive
Prominent Obama surrogates in 16 states hammering McCain for not knowing how many homes he has. See the full list of events here. Earlier: In a Chester, Virginia, town hall with Gov. Kaine, Obama slams McCain on the issue. Watch video here. "If you don't know how many houses you have, then it's not surprising that you might think the economy is fundamentally strong!" PLUS: Obama releases ad on McCain's houses. Watch it here and read script here. More: Politico analysis finds McCain's family owns at least eight properties. Permalink
See the Podia Here
GOP's main convention stage above. And the Dems' above here. Permalink
McCain Camp's Denver Office Evacuated
The office receives a letter containing a threat and "an amount of white powder in it," a McCain campaign spokesman says. Permalink
Obama: McCain's Policies “Don't Represent Change”
At a deli in Petersburg, Virginia, the Democrat says McCain is "out of touch." McCain "has presented himself as an agent of change, and it's clear that his economic policies don't represent change." Read more from TIME's Jay Newton-Small. Permalink
ANOTHER TIGHT NATIONAL POLL
Latest Fox News/Opinion Dynamics numbers show McCain, Obama within the margin of error going into the Democratic convention: Obama 42, McCain 39 Last month’s poll was Obama 41, McCain 40 Read more -- including what a Clinton versus McCain race might look like -- here. Dates conducted: August 19-20. Error margin: 3 points. Permalink
Obama Heads to Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Montana Before Denver
After appearing with his No. 2 in Springfield, Illinois Saturday, the Land of Lincolner will stump through a slew of swing states on his path to Denver. The Obama camp says he will be in Eau Claire, Wisconsin Sunday, the Quad Cities area in Iowa Monday, Kansas City, Missouri Tuesday and Billings, Montana Wednesday. Expected to be the veep rollout tour. Permalink
Republicans Push Back on "Houses"
McCain's campaign, and others, hit back hard against Obama's attack. --Campaign statement: "Does a guy who... bought his own million-dollar mansion with the help of a convicted felon really want to get into a debate about houses?" --Spokesman Rogers: Says Obama lives in "a frickin' mansion" that was "bought in a shady deal with a convicted felon." Says they will hit harder on Tony Rezko. --Limbaugh: Takes out the brass knuckles on Thursday's show. Listen here. McCain "and his wife did not get a sweetheart deal from a fraud embezzler like Tony Rezko to buy their houses. But the Messiah did." Permalink
McCain, Obama Agree to Debate Formats, Rules
The two candidates release a joint statement Thursday on the dates, times and exact format of the questioning for their three fall debates. The statement say the details on the veep debate will "be resolved after both parties' Vice Presidential nominees are selected." All four debates will begin at 9 pm ET and last 90 minutes. Both camps agree to accept the Commission on Presidential Debate's participation rules for third-party candidates. Read the full statement and all the details here. Permalink
Obama's Moment in Denver
Inside the new TIME: Obama talks to Karen Tumulty and David von Drehle, drops a big veep tea leaf. Read interview here. Joe Klein asks, "Where's Obama's passion?" Gwen Ifill writes about a new generation of African-American leaders who are stepping up. Mike Murphy debates whether Obama should target liberals and independents or fight for the working class. Permalink
New Minnesota Numbers
Minnesota Public Radio/University of Minnesota poll: Obama 48, McCain 38 Conducted August 7-17, error margin +/- 3.6%. Permalink
Sign up for the daily email from The Page and get the very latest political news delivered directly to your inbox.
The Political Schedule
The Page on the Go
Read THE PAGE on your Mobile Device
Bookmark thepage.time.com on your mobile device for an easy to read version of Mark Halperin's The Page.
