Barack Obama left his press corps on the tarmac at Chicago’s Midway Airport this afternoon after returning from St. Louis, to head to an undisclosed downtown location to meet with about 30 religious leaders from around the nation.

Senior Advisor David Axelrod told reporters traveling with the campaign that this type of meeting is not new, but part of an ongoing dialogue with religious leaders while spokesperson Jen Psaki emailed reporters that “reaching out to the faith community is a priority for Barack Obama and will be a priority under an Obama Administration. This is one of several meetings he will have over the coming months with religious leaders.”

The campaign explained that the meetings were closed to press because some of those in attendance were not comfortable talking to the senator in front of media, but did offer up three names of those who will be there:

Bishop Philip Cousin, Reverend Stephen Thurston, and Dr T Dewitt Smith.

On a flight aboard the campaign jet from Raleigh to St. Louis, Obama senior advisor David Axelrod shared little details of Senator Obama’s secret meeting with Hillary Clinton last week.

According to the senior staffer, Obama was “pleased” with the rendezvous meant, in part, to help heal the rift caused by 16 months of often contentious infighting between the two Democrats. “It was a friendly meeting, it was a productive meeting and it was very clear as was reflected in her speech on Saturday that she’s doing everything she can help,” Axelrod explained.

Of their hour-long discussion, Axelrod would only reveal, “There was a lot to talk about. It was a long campaign. It was good, but I’m not going to tell you specifically what was discussed, but I mean I think it was characterized by their joint statement. It was very much about the future and it was very good,” he said, maintaining the veil of secrecy surrounding the underground meeting.

When asked if the NY Senator would be making appearances on the campaign trail on behalf of the presumptive Democratic nominee, Axelrod said, “We hope so, we expect so based on what she said publicly. But this has been an unbelievably grueling process and she deserves some time to chill out. So when she’s back in circulation, hopefully we’ll see her out there.”

Perhaps Bill Clinton will emerge on the campaign trail too, as Obama himself told reporters last week he hopes to take advantage of Clinton’s political prowess. “I think Bill Clinton is an enormous talent, and I would welcome him campaigning for me,” he said responding to a question on whether he could overcome the bad blood between the two.

Axelrod afforded the ex-president the benefit of the doubt when asked about his often volatile remarks on during the course of the primary campaign. “You know what – he was out there, he was campaigning for his wife – I think he was fighting very hard and you know you can’t begrudge him that. I think it’s different when you’re campaigning for someone that close to you,” Axelrod explained.

Perhaps more importantly, President Clinton may help advise Obama as he tries to fight his way into the Oval Office this fall. “There aren’t that many presidents of the United States. Bill Clinton was very successful, and is a very smart guy, so I think beyond the campaigning elements of it, you know he’s somebody who I think Obama would want to have a relationship with. He’s got a storehouse of knowledge that very few people have,” Axelrod said.

It finally happened. Senator Obama managed to ditch his traveling press corps (thanks to some nasty weather in Wisconsin that led to the cancellation of his Sunday rally) to make the trip down to the Edwards’ home in Chapel Hill. The meeting, originally scheduled for February 11th, had been postponed when the national media found out and staked out the site.

Yesterday the campaign would only reveal that the meeting, one that Senator Clinton also had with John and Elizabeth Edwards, took place and that they discussed “the state of the campaign and the pressing issues facing American families.”

Here’s what Senator Obama said about the meeting and what an Edwards endorsement would mean to his candidacy at a media availability today in Ohio:

done

At a coffee shop in Silver Spring, Maryland, Senator Barack Obama weaved his way through pro-Obama coffee drinkers and a massive throng of reporters and cameras for a pre-election day photo-op. The senator shook hands, posed for photos, and bought a couple to-go coffees — and took questions here and there from the many journalists crammed into the cafe.

The question on the minds of national reporters today was about the once secret meeting scheduled between Obama and his former rival, John Edwards. Both Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton were invited to meet with Edwards, in theory, to discuss a possible endorsement. Clinton managed to fly down to North Carolina to meet with Edwards without the company of any press Monday night. Obama had originally been scheduled to fly to North Carolina following his Baltimore rally today for his turn.

Yesterday the Obama camp declined comment on the alleged meeting, pointing press to Edwards’ people. As word spread and the press found out the likely day and general time of the meeting, cameras and reporters set up and waited for the meeting near Edwards’ home. Suddenly, word came that the meeting was postponed.

So what do we know now? Obama staffers still won’t say anything on the record, but when asked at the coffee shop, Obama revealed, “It will be rescheduled. We’re gonna make it happen.” He then turned to greet more voters. On with the photo-op.