WaPo: Obama Got Discounted Home Loan
The Washington Post casts a critical eye on Barack Obama's reformer image this morning, with a report that he received a home loan in 2005 with a below-average interest rate, saving him as much as $300 per month. The Obama campaign said that the interest rate was low due to competition from a competing bank, as well as other factors that went into the rate calculation.

Obama To Speak On Public Service, Address Steelworkers
Barack Obama will be delivering a speech today in Colorado Springs -- a Republican stronghold in a swing state that he is trying to move into the Democratic column -- and deliver a speech on national service. He will also address the United Steelworkers annual convention in Las Vegas via satellite, an effort to secure support among union members and blue-collar workers.

McCain Speaking Today In Mexico
John McCain will be delivering a speech today in Mexico City, part of his tour this week of Latin America. McCain is expected to address issues like immigration and trade, all controversial subjects back home in the United States that have split the Republican Party from Hispanic voters also have have led to much distrust of McCain himself with the conservative base.

Poll: Fear Of Terrorism Is Fading
A new CNN poll shows that Americans are much less afraid of terrorism now than they used to be: Only 35% of respondents think a terrorist attack against America is likely, compared to 41% in the summer of 2007 and majorities in the five summers before that. From the pollster's analysis: "As the threat of a terrorist attack continues to recede in the mind of the American voter, the state of the economy and other domestic issues are likely to become even more important."

CQ: Dems Now Likely To Pick Up Staten Island House Seat
CQ is now changing its rating for the open New York House seat of retiring GOPer Vito Fossella from "Toss-Up" all the way to "Democrat Favored," an upgrade of two whole ratings for the Dems. Republicans have had a serious run of bad luck here, with a long search for a new candidate, the death of an actual candidate, and now a whole new search that has so far come up empty.