NYT Goes After Obama On Ethanol
Barack Obama's squeaky-clean image is targeted in a new article this morning in the New York Times, challenging his support of corn-ethanol subsidies. "And when it comes to domestic ethanol, almost all of which is made from corn," the paper says, "he also has advisers and prominent supporters with close ties to the industry at a time when energy policy is a point of sharp contrast between the parties and their presidential candidates."

McCain To Propose Cash Prize For Clean Car Technology
John McCain is set to deliver a speech today in Fresno, where he will lay out his proposals to encourage cleaner cars. The key proposals will be to offer a $5,000 tax credit to the auto companies for every customer that buys a yet to be developed zero-emissions vehicle, and to offer a $300 million prize for the successful development of battery technology that can overtake current plug-in auto solutions.

Obama Courting Women Voters In New Mexico
In a further act of outreach to women voters who supported Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama will be holding a campaign event in Albuquerque today to discuss "the unique economic challenges facing working women," according to his campaign's morning e-mail to reporters.

Obama Campaign Working To Turn Out Black Voters
The Obama campaign is working to boost African-American turnout in crucial swing states like Florida, Virginia, North Carolina and others in order to turn those states from red to blue. It will be a delicate balancing act, though -- while Florida has more than half a million black voters who didn't turn out in 2004, for example, the campaign will have to focus on that community without embracing identity politics and alienating white voters.

SurveyUSA: Obama's Lead Slipping In Oregon
A new SurveyUSA poll of Oregon gives Barack Obama only a 48%-45% lead, within the ±4.3% margin of error. Their last poll from three weeks ago gave Obama a 49%-39% lead.

Alaska AFL-CIO Endorses Dem Against Ted Stevens
In a blow to the re-election campaign of GOP Sen. Ted Stevens, the Alaska AFL-CIO has endorsed his Democratic opponent, Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich. Unlike most states, unions in Alaska often endorse the dominant Republicans, and the AFL-CIO has endorsed Stevens in all his past re-election campaigns -- but his lagging both numbers and ethics investigations may have changed the calculations this time.