Today on the presidential campaign trail

[Ron Burgundy]

AP - IN THE HEADLINES

Through personal history, McCain seeks to define himself and Obama ... Officials say Bill Clinton to speak at Democratic convention, ahead of Obama's running mate ... Some white supremacists believe election of Obama would set off backlash they long for

___

McCain seeks to define himself and Obama

LIMA, Ohio (AP) — John McCain's efforts to define Barack Obama have been well cataloged in recent days, from the substantive (calling Obama a tax raiser slow to offer an energy plan) to the silly (comparing the Illinois senator to Britney Spears and Paris Hilton.)

What's less apparent are McCain's efforts to define himself.

The GOP presidential hopeful has adopted a new campaign slogan, "Country First," a paean to his years in the military and decades in Congress. He's begun speaking more openly about his years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. And despite his wealth and elite legacy as the scion of admirals, McCain has tried to cast himself the embodiment of middle-class, middle-American values.

The new effort was in full swing Thursday, when he spoke at a town hall meeting in northwestern Ohio.

"This is the heartland of America!" McCain proclaimed repeatedly, saying there is no more patriotic part of the country.

The Arizona senator then repeated his usual litany of complaints about Obama, warning, "We don't need another politician in Washington who puts self-interest and political expediency ahead of problem solving." But in closing, McCain offered supporters a more personal glimpse into his own history.

It's a new twist on a time-honored GOP strategy for McCain, who continues to trail Obama in national and most state battleground polls.

For years, Republican presidential candidates have successfully cast their Democratic rivals as big spenders and out-of-touch elitists, an approach McCain is heartily embracing this time.

A new McCain ad unveiled Friday shows Obama on the cover of several national magazines, including Vanity Fair, and contends that the Democrat would raise taxes on the middle class and small businesses. In fact, Obama's proposal would raise taxes on couples making more than $250,000.

___

Officials say Bill Clinton to address Democrats

CHICAGO (AP) — Party officials say former President Clinton will deliver a speech on the third night of the Democratic National Convention before an address by the as-yet-to-be-named running mate for Barack Obama.

Exactly what role the former president would play at the gathering in Denver Aug. 25-28 has been the subject of speculation since his wife, New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, ended her bid for the Democratic presidential nomination in early June and endorsed Obama.

The officials spoke Thursday on condition of anonymity before the details were formally announced.

Obama clinched the nomination after a sometimes bitter primary contest with Sen. Clinton. She's expected to speak on the convention's second night.

___

White supremacists hope Obama win prompts backlash

PEARL, Miss. (AP) — They're not exactly rooting for Barack Obama, but prominent white supremacists anticipate a boost to their cause if he becomes the first black president. His election, they say, would trigger a backlash — whites rising up, a revolution of sorts — that they think is long overdue.

He'd be a "visual aid," says former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, in trying to bring others around to their view that whites have lost control of America. Obama's election, says another, would jar whites into action, writing letters, handing out pamphlets rather than sitting around complaining.

While most Americans have little or no direct contact with white supremacists, organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center keep close tabs; the law center estimates some 200,000 people nationwide are active in such groups. These observers think the prospect of a white revolution is fantasy.

___

THE DEMOCRATS

Barack Obama travels to Hawaii for vacation and holds a welcome event in Honolulu.

___

THE REPUBLICANS

John McCain visits the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, before holding an informal news conference in Rogers, Ark.

___

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

"Painful taxes, hard choices for your budget. Not ready to lead. That's the real Obama." — An announcer in a new McCain campaign ad, aimed at rival Barack Obama.

___

STAT OF THE DAY:

Voters say they would like to see Democrats control Congress next year, a recent AP-Ipsos survey finds. Democrats were favored over Republicans 53 percent to 35 percent.

___

Compiled by Ann Sanner.

source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080808/ap_on_el_pr/2008_race_rundown [link]