BURBANK, CA — McCain and Leno had a lively exchange and took cracks at one another in addition to talking politics during this afternoon’s taping of the Tonight Show, the Arizona Senator’s 13th appearance on the show.

Leno began poking fun at McCain during his opening monologue. Best Leno hits:

–”Tropical Storm Fay has soaked Floria, ringing thousands of homes, ruining thousands of homes, most of them belonging to John McCain. In fact to make Sen. McCain feel at home tonight, I gave him 7 dressing rooms.

–”It was this week in 1814, British troops set fire to the White House. Did you know that? The White House was saved, it was saved thanks to the actions of one brave young soldier, John McCain.”

McCain, who turns 72 years old Friday, immediately reacted to Leno’s 1814 joke and had fun with age upon walking on stage:

McCain: By the way, thanks for mentioning about my heroism in there, it was remarkable-
Leno: 1814
McCain: Saving Washignton. A lot of people think I shouldn’t have like a lot of people. But also you forgot to mention when I warned the people about the British coming–
Leno: Right. You know I didn’t want to go on, you know. Sometimes its too much (laughter) Now speaking of that, I know you have a birthday Friday.
McCain: Thank you for mentioning that. (pretends to fall asleep in his chair)
Leno: We were going to have a cake but the fire marshal—
Leno: Now we have done a few jokes about that-
McCain: A few?
Leno: A few jokes-
McCain A few thousand!
Leno: Does that ever bother you ?
McCain: I’ve got one. My Social Security number is 8.
Leno: Wow.

McCain then took his own shot at Leno but the late night host immediately turned around the joke on the GOPer, playing off of the housing kerfuffle from last week.

McCain: I know you have been asking about who I want to be as my runningmate. Now wouldn’t it be good to have a person, you don’t know what party they’re with, they have no political principles whatsoever, they may need a job about that time. Who could I be referring to?
Leno: Thank you, thank you very much. I can make more doing a week in Vegas but thanks! It’s a lousy job for the money.
McCain: The house is nice. The house is nice.
Leno: Yeah, but you got enough of those
McCain: There you go–
Leno: You need a white one too?

While the conversation stayed relatively light, when Leno brought up the houses issue later on during the interview McCain took the conversation in a more sober direction.

McCain: You know, could I just mention to you Jay in a moment of seriousness. I spent five and a half years in a prison cell. Without a - I didn’t have a house, I didn’t have a kitchen table. I didn’t have a table, I didn’t have a chair. And I spent those five and a half years not because I wanted to get a house when I got out. And you know I am very proud of cindy’s father. He was a guy that barely got out of high school, fought in World War II in the Army Air Corps, came home and made a business and made the American dream. And so somehow - you have had Cindy on this show and the fact is that she is very generous. She goes around the world doing humanitarian stuff. She’s now in Georgia as we speak looking at the humanitarian aspects of the results of this Russian invasion. So I am proud of my life and my record and we spend our time at condominum in Washington, a condominum in Phoenix, some time over here in the state of California and we have a place in Northern Arizona. And my friends, I am proud of my record of service to this country and it has nothing to do with houses. What it has to do with putting Americans in houses and keeping them in their homes.

Just yesterday Barack Obama was up until 2am fiddling with his convention speech. It’s the third day in a row Obama has spent hours working on the speech, set to be delivered on Thursday in Denver.

Yesterday Obama downplayed expectations, saying, “It may not be as good as the other headliners the first three nights, but hopefully it’ll make clear the choice that the American people are going to face in November.”

But expectations are high thanks to his widely heralded speech at the 2004 convention in Boston, which catapulted him into the national spotlight and gave legitimacy to his presidential hopes.

Today Obama told reporters things have changed over the last four years. “2004 I think was unique. Nobody knew who I was and, I think, even up to the time that I walked onto the stage and we handed out Obama signs people were thinking, ‘What is this? And so you know, I don’t think you can duplicate that kind of moment, but more importantly my role is different now,” he said.

In 2004, Barack Obama had just been elected to the U.S. Senate - hadn’t even been sworn in yet - and was a self-described “member of a supporting cast” for Team Kerry. “So I could structure a speech that was all about inspiration and broad themes,” he explained.

Don’t expect that same kind of broad inspiration from this year’s Belle of the Ball. “This speech is different. I think people know that I can give the kind of speech that I gave four years ago. That’s not the question on voters’ minds. I think they’re much more interested in what am I going to do to help them in their lives, and so in that sense I think this is going to be a more workmanlike speech. You know, I’m not aiming for a lot of high rhetoric. I’m much more concerned with communicating how I intend to help middle class families live their lives,” he said.

Obama will accept the nomination of his party at Invesco Field in front of an estimated 70,000 on Thursday night.

BURBANK, CA — One day, four new ads. The Republican National Committee and the McCain campaign continued to try to divide Democrats and use previous Hillary Clinton comments and voters in their new spots, while the DNC and the Obama campaign continued to hit McCain on the economy and compare him to President Bush.

McCain’s latest spot:

From the RNC:

From the DNC:

From Camp Obama:

SACRAMENTO, CA - Barack Obama is doing his best imitation of a potential president but will not make the cut, actress and McCain supporter Patricia Heaton told Republican donors Monday.

“As an actor I recognize that our opponent, someone who thinks that if he puts on the right costume and stands on the right set, that we will all believe that he is presidential material but John McCain doesn’t have to pretend because he walks the walk,” Heaton said during her introduction of the presumptive GOP nominee at a McCain Sacramento fundraiser.

Heaton, an award-winning actress best known for her role as Ray Romano’s wife on the hit series “Everybody Loves Raymond,” said McCain is more in touch with the concerns of regular Americans than his rival. She specifically cited the contrasting images Obama in Berlin “giving his blessing in messianic fashion to thousands of adoring Germans” and McCain talking to voters in a supermarket aisle.

“You know what I thought when I saw that photo? I thought, ‘yeah baby, we are going to win this election.’ Because I am in the cheese aisle in the grocery store a lot more often than when I am in Berlin and so are most other Americans,” Heaton added.

Heaton also joked about Cindy McCain’s as a beer heiress and what that would mean for McCain White House parties.

“I was a little bit disappointed in not being able to introduce Cindy as was originally planned, as she is a beer heiress and I’m Irish-Catholic. I have a vested interest in seeing her becoming First Lady so I get invited to those White House keg parties,” she said.

Sen. McCain later told the crowd that his wife is currently en route to the war-torn country of Georgia.

Last week when John McCain failed to recall how many houses he and his wife Cindy own, the Obama immediately campaign alerted reporters to the story published on  Politico. com. When asked by a reporter for a number, the Republican replied, “I think - I’ll have my staff get to you.”

Since that time, it’s been revealed that the McCains own between eight and a dozen homes - providing the Obama campaign with great material to use as evidence that John McCain is “out of touch.”

Obama has incorporated the story into his stump speech on the campaign trail and the campaign began airing - not one - but two ads on the gaffe.

But my favorite utilization of McCain’s blunder can be found in Obama spokesman Hari Sevugan’s email signature. Under his name, telephone number and AOL Instant Messenger handle - much like one would include an inspirational quote or poem verse - is McCain’s line.

“I think — I’ll have my staff get to you.” - John McCain when asked how many houses he owns.  [Politico, 08/21/08]

DENVER, CO — Joe Biden’s first official campaign event: a stop at Boney’s Smokehouse in Writer Square, where the newly minted VP candidate ordered 5 pulled pork sandwiches and told excited onlookers “we’re gonna give ‘em the Devil.”

Biden arrived with his brand new Secret Service detail and traveling press corps, held back from the regular folks by a white rope. The crowd erupted as Biden arrived with his wife Jill, brother Jim, and kids Beau and Ashley — but some weren’t quite sure who they were seeing.

“Are you running with Obama?” one young woman asked.

“I’m running with Obama. I’m running for Obama,” he said to cheers.

Biden ignored most questions — including one on the kind words he’s had for McCain in the past. But when asked whether he was surprised to be chosen as Obama’s VP Nominee, he said simply “I was pleased.”

Biden has no more public events until he arrives at the Pepsi Center with his wife to catch Michelle Obama’s speech tonight at 8pm.

(sorry for the headline, I promise not to use “Joe Knows” ever again)

The McCain campaign is pouncing on the latest firestorm ignited by the one and only Madonna at the premiere of her world tour in London Saturday night.

According to AP:

…The first show of Madonna’s world tour made a foray into U.S. politics with a none-too-subtle dig at U.S. presidential hopeful John McCain Saturday night.

Images of destruction and global warming flashed on to a screen during a video interlude. Those were followed by pictures of Adolf Hitler, Zimbabwe’s authoritarian ruler Robert Mugabe — and McCain.

A later sequence showed slain Beatle John Lennon, climate activist Al Gore, Mahatma Gandhi and finally McCain’s democratic rival, Barack Obama…

Campaign spokesman Tucker Bounds returns fire and continues to push the Obama celebrity angle:

“The comparisons are outrageous, unacceptable and crudely divisive all at the same time. It clearly shows that when it comes to supporting Barack Obama, his fellow worldwide celebrities refuse to consider any smear or attack off limits,” Bounds said in a written statement.

Barack Obama had some fun with his Secret Service detail this afternoon at a BBQ in Eau Clarie, Wisconsin. “People ask me, ‘Why did you decide to run for president?’ - and I decided that the real reason is Secret Service protection for my two girls as they enter into their teenage years,” he joked at the casual affair.

At 7 and 10, Obama’s daughters Sasha and Malia are a little young for dating, but in four years – or eight years – suitors are sure to come knocking.

When they do, Obama said he’d have one of the “mean looking guys with glasses” keep the teenage boys at bay. “They don’t crack a smile. They’re armed. They’re dangerous,” he said gesturing to the agents donned in suits, sporting sunglasses, and wearing ear pieces. As the candidate and crowd laughed, the agents looked on stone faced.

Obama has had Secret Service protection since May of 2007, and is widely liked by the three details that cover him. The candidate often plays basketball with the agents, and has invited them into his home for meals, including on Christmas Day and during the Super Bowl. Last year for his birthday, Obama’s three details presented him with a United States Secret Service watch that the senator wears daily.

Barack Obama walked up to a gaggle of reporters waiting to tape him boarding his campaign plane today in Eau Claire, Wisconsin - a move that surprised reporters and staff alike. Here’s what he had to say this Sunday afternoon about his new running mate and the upcoming Democratic convention. The soon to be official Democratic nominee did not take questions.

“Listen, nothing wrong. I just wanted to say I am thrilled with Joe Biden as my vice president. The conversations we’ve been having over the last couple of days make me absolutely convinced he is the right man for the job. He’s got the passion to lift up middle-class Americans. He hasn’t forgotten his working-class roots. He’s got the expertise that will make him a great counselor on international crisis that may come up. More importantly, I think he can help shape a long-term strategy to keep America more secure and move us out of the disasterous economic and foreign policies that have characterized the last eight years. I am very excited about the convention. I can’t wait to hear Michelle’s speech tomorrow. I will tell you that I did get a little preview of the video they did of her, and she was extraordinary and I think you guys will enjoy it very much. And I am still tooling around with my speech a little bit. It may not be as good as the other headliners the other three nights, but hopefully it will make clear the choice the American people are going to face in November. All right? Let’s get back up.”

With that, Obama boarded his 757 plane bound for Chicago.

Barack Obama’s day was far from over once his high profile VP announcement rally in Springfield, IL, ended yesterday.

Upon returning from his day trip, Obama dropped his wife Michelle off at their Hyde Park home in Chicago Saturday evening. 20 minutes later, the candidate hit the road once again and headed to a downtown Chicago hotel, where he spent four hours and 15 minutes inside working on his convention speech Thursday.

It was the second day in a row that Obama spent on the speech, and considering his 2004 convention speech was the genesis of his political stardom, the bar has been set pretty high. If it’s not the most important speech of his career, it certainly ranks right up there.

The campaign explained that Obama is working out of the hotel because he prefers a quiet place to write (longhand - not on a computer). 27-year-old writer Jon Favreau is aiding the senator on the project.