Okay, it's not quite happy hour yet, but that's something we're willing to be very flexible about here at TPM Election Central. So here's some must-reading...

* Ben Smith has an excellent take-down of the bogus notion that Hillary could have won if only she'd cracked the Obama-struggling-with-blue-collar-whites code earlier. Short version: It's the calendar, stupid.

* Mark Halperin reports that Terry McAuliffe says the Hillary camp has bought airtime in Oregon and Kentucky.

* Big Hillary supporter Chuck Schumer says he's changed his mind about a joint ticket -- he now thinks "they'd be a strong ticket together."

* McClatchy explores a new group that's been set up to push the idea of that joint ticket -- and its connections to Hillary.

* Chris Bowers says that Obama will win the popular vote, and that the "will of the electorate" will have made itself manifestly clear.

* Noam Scheiber reports that Obama campaign insiders are dead set against the idea of retiring Hillary's campaign debt.

* Steve Benen aptly observes that the sparring today between Obama and McCain over what constitutes real support for our veterans is "what campaigns are all about" -- and that it "beats debating pins and pastors."

* Obama is heading to Michigan to start campaigning for the general and to start negotiating a solution to seating the delegation.