The latest poll suggests trouble for Barack Obama, even though he continues to hold a small lead in other surveys, bloggers note. John McCain may be gaining ground because of the continued disillusionment among Democrats who backed Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), conservative bloggers write. But all Democrats will be heartened by news that Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) plans to address the party's convention Monday.

The latest CNN survey has McCain and Obama tied at 47 percent, notes TalkLeft's Big Tent Democrat, who thinks that Clinton as a running mate would have helped Obama. While CNN reported that Obama's support among Clinton supporters has dropped, the news organization hasn't made a fair comparison between Obama's current support among Clinton backers and his past support from them, writes Nate Silver at FiveThirtyEight. The poll by Gallup and USA Today, however, shows Obama leading after having McCain in the lead last month, notes DemFromCT at Daily Kos.

Trying to steal some of Clinton's old support, the McCain campaign has cut an ad featuring a former Clinton backer who now supports the Republican, notes Hot Air's Ed Morrissey. Clinton again needs to persuade her supporters to vote for Obama, which is what she did adeptly when she first conceded the Democratic presidential nomination, writes The Plank's Jonathan Cohn. For all the talk of disunity, Democrats are remarkably united when it comes to policy, notes Cohn and Kevin Drum.

Kennedy, who was diagnosed with brain cancer in May, is planning to address the Democratic convention on Monday, reports the Boston Globe's blog, Political Intelligence. That's great news, writes MyDD's Josh Orton.

FROM THE BLOGS:
CNN Poll: No Biden Bounce - Big Tent Dem, TalkLeft
CNN Poll Suggests Trouble, But Omits Context - N. Silver, 538
USA Today/Gallup: Obama By 4 w/ RV - DemFromCT, Daily Kos
CNN Poll Says Dead Even - Ed Morrissey, Hot Air
New McCain Ad Targets Hillary Voters - Ed Morrissey, Hot Air
More on the Clinton Controversy (Sigh) - J. Cohn, The Plank
Self-Parody Watch - Kevin Drum
Kennedy Plans to Address DNC - Milligan/Lehigh, Political Intel.
Kennedy to Address Dem Convention? - Josh Orton, MyDD

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Party Unity Tops Agenda for Democrats - Washington Post
Biden Camp Pressed Hard for a Slot on Ticket - WSJ
Poll: Most Clinton Voters Still Not Sold on Obama - USA Today
Delegates for Clinton Back Obama, But Still Show Concerns - NYT

The newest polls show that the addition of Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) to the Democratic ticket has yet to make much of a difference for Barack Obama, bloggers note. With the veepstakes spotlight now on John McCain, bloggers don't believe the possibility that the Republican could pick former Secretary of State Colin Powell. And McCain hears it from liberal bloggers for using his prisoner of war experience in his push back against criticism over his multiple homes.

The first Gallup tracking poll taken after the announcement of Biden as Obama's running mate shows Obama tied with McCain. Perhaps Obama is losing ground because he didn't pick Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), suggests The Next Right's Sean Oxendine. With a Rasmussen poll showing that women voters are less enthralled with the pick than men, Clinton has the opportunity at the Democratic convention to shore up support for Obama and go after McCain, writes FiveThirtyEight's Nate Silver.

Since Powell has made it clear he's not interested in electoral politics, McCain's campaign may be floating his name to counter reports that Powell could endorse Obama, writes Hot Air's Ed Morrissey. The more likely pick for McCain is former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R), who could help in his native state of Michigan and in Nevada, which has a large population of Mormons, writes Patterico.

McCain is risking "hyperinflation" by again turning to his experience as a prisoner of war in response to Biden's crack about the Republican's seven kitchen tables, writes TPM Election Central's Greg Sargent. McCain seems willing to use his POW story to deflect questions about any topic, despite media reports that he's loath to exploit it for political purposes, writes AMERICAblog's John Aravosis.

FROM THE BLOGS:
The Biden Bump - Sean Oxendine, The Next Right
Rasmussen: Biden a Lukewarm Choice - Ed Morrissey, Hot Air
Is There a Clinton Backlash? - Nate Silver, FiveThirtyEight
Why and How Obama Picked Biden - Jonathan Cohn, The Plank
The Democrats' Glass Ceiling - William Kristol, Weekly Standard
Confident in His Charm? - Carol Platt Liebau, Townhall.com
The Powell Card, Redux - Ed Morrissey, Hot Air
McCain Running Mate: Powell? - J. Gandelman, Moderate Voice
Colin Powell as GOP VP? - Justin Gardner, Donkelephant
Biden Makes Romney Most Beneficial Pick - Patterico's Pontifications
McCain Invokes POW Past to Deflect Criticism - G. Sargent, TPM EC
McCain Plays POW Card Again - J. Aravosis, AMERICAblog

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
McCain Ad Says Obama Snubbed Clinton - Associated Press
In Obama's Choice, a 'Very Personal Decision' - New York Times
The Year of the Political Blogger Has Arrived - New York Times

Barack Obama's selection of Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) as his running mate is the only show on the blogs on Saturday. Both conservative and liberal bloggers point out that Biden, a senator for more than three decades, won't reinforce Obama's "change message." But traditional media pundits and most of Obama's online backers hail the pick as sensible. Biden also gets backup from liberal bloggers miffed at analysis from Associated Press's Ron Fournier.

Obama has picked the ultimate insider, someone who has been a senator for 36 years and won't do much for Obama's message of "hope and change," writes The Next Right's Patrick Ruffini. His presence on the ticket could make it seem like Obama is trying to compensate for his lack of national security credibility, writes kos. And for all the talk about the seriousness Biden can provide to the ticket, Biden is someone who has plagiarized a speech and has played loose with the facts, writes Power Line's Scott Johnson.

Biden, however, will be a "fun, free-wheeling attack machine" for Obama, whose campaign's biggest emerging problem is its reluctance to get into feisty debates, writes Andrew Sullivan. With wars in Iraq and in Georgia, Obama needed to make a pick that demonstrates he realizes the intellectual seriousness of current times, and he has done so, writes Marc Ambinder. Choosing Biden shows that Obama is willing to take on Republicans when it comes to foreign policy, writes TPM Election Central's Greg Sargent.

Fournier, who wrote that Obama's pick reveals a lack of confidence, could be moonlighting for McCain, whose campaign once tried to hire Fournier, reminds MyDD's Jonathan Singer. When then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush picked veteran Washington hand Dick Cheney as his running mate in 2000, pundits praised the pick as one of sound judgment, notes Balloon Juice's John Cole, who derides the idea of a liberal media.

FROM THE BLOGS:
Obama Picks The Ultimate Insider - P. Ruffini, The Next Right
Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe - Scott Johnson, Power Line
On Liberal Media - John Cole, Balloon Juice
Is Fournier Moonlighting for McCain? - J. Singer, MyDD
Filled a Gap, Rather Than Reinforced - kos, Daily Kos
Weighing My Options - Jeralyn, TalkLeft
An Outside The Comfort Zone Pick - Marc Ambinder
Biden is Vital and Right Choice - Steve Clemons, HuffPo
Joe-Bama... O-Biden - Taylor Marsh
Biden: Smart and Solid - and Adult - A. Sullivan, Daily Dish
Biden Signals Foreign Policy Debate - G. Sargent, TPM EC

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Biden Pick Shows Lack of Confidence - Associated Press
Obama Picks Biden, Adds Foreign Policy Experience - NYT
Obama Opts for Experience Over Change - Washington Post

Anticipation for Barack Obama's vice presidential pick has grown to a fever pitch as everyone waits for that text message from the Illinois Democrat's campaign. Some aren't surprised that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) was reportedly not being vetted by the Obama camp and liberals wonder if John McCain is going to accuse the Bush administration of advocating defeat after signing off on a troop withdrawal timetable.

The plan to deliver the vice presidential announcement via text message has heightened anticipation for the pick as reporters and bloggers check their cell phones nonstop, The Caucus writes. Marc Ambinder sums up what has been a fast a furious day of rumor and speculation by pointing out even that camps for Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) and Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) are contradicting each other.

Clinton has been plenty vetted, The Corner's Kathryn Jean Lopez writes, adding that entire book shelves can be filled with investigations of the New York senator's life. In addition to her massive public record, Hot Air's Ed Morrissey points out that her massive campaign debt ruled her out of what is becoming a more and more competitive money race between Obama and McCain.

And the Bush administration embracing "aspirational timetables" puts McCain in a very uncomfortable spot, Satyam at Think Progress writes. Cernig at Crooks and Liars says the issue plays right into Obama's hands as all the Illinois Democrat had to do was release a statement declaring "it's time to succeed in Iraq."

FROM THE BLOGS:
I Think It's Me - David Kurtz, TPM
Biden vs. Biden - Patrick Ruffini, The Next Right
Falsh Alarms - The Caucus
Oh God Pick Someone - Wonkette
Obama-Bayh Sticker - Erick Erickson, RedState
McCain Tries to Raise Expectations - The Trail
Rove Goes Nuts on Housing Slip - Daily Kos
New Obama Ad: Hey McCain's Old! - Hot Air

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
My Long War - New York Times Magazine
Dems Keep up Pressure on McCain Housing Gaffe - The Hill
Obama Prepares to Name Veep - AP

Conservative columnist David Brooks

John McCain's counterattack on Barack Obama in the debate over his multiple houses has conservative bloggers pleased. And with both candidates ready to announce running mates, bloggers on both sides contemplate two very familiar possibilities, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.).

Obama's criticism of McCain for not knowing how many houses he has and for his ties to Ralph Reed, the former business partner to Jack Abramoff, has opened the door to McCain's new attack on the Democrat for his connections to convicted felon Tony Rezko, who sold Obama property, writes Townhall's Carol Platt Liebau. This latest campaign dust-up helps McCain, since it will allow him to make the contest about character, which the former Vietnam War veteran should win, writes Contentions' Jennifer Rubin. But McCain is leaving himself open to questions about his role as a young senator in Keating Five scandal, which cost taxpayers billions, writes MyDD's Jonathan Singer.

Romney, whom Mark Halperin reports will be McCain's pick, would help McCain more in Nevada and Colorado, which have large Mormon populations, than other veep possibilities would help in their home states, writes The Corner's Byron York. By choosing Romney, McCain would be choosing demographics instead of shifting the debate away from homes and wealth, since Romney himself is worth up to $250 million and owns several houses, writes FiveThirtyEight's Nate Silver.

Obama will pick either Clinton or Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D), predicts The Next Right's Patrick Ruffini, who reminds readers that Obama likes to make bold decisions. Obama needs help in the big swing states such as Ohio and Pennsylvania where he can't rely on his organizing, and that's where Clinton can help, writes TalkLeft's Jeralyn. Republicans should root for Obama to pick Clinton, since that decision would undermine the "change" message and could be portrayed as an overreaction to current polls, suggests Townhall's Platt Liebau.

FROM THE BLOGS:
Barack's Glass House Politics - Carol Platt Liebau, Townhall.com
McCain Rezko Spot - Josh Kahn, The Next Right
McCain Hits Back - Jennifer Rubin, Contentions
McCain Prepares 'Rezko' Ad, Wright 'Fair Game' - Marc Ambinder
McCain Opening Door to Keating Five - Jonathan Singer, MyDD
Romney Helps in Nevada and Colo. - Byron York, The Corner
Romney: Demographics Over Narrative - Nate Silver, FiveThirtyEight
Why the GOP is Freaking Out - kos, Daily Kos
It'll Be Clinton or Sebelius - Patrick Ruffini, The Next Right
Another Case for Hillary as Veep - Jeralyn, TalkLeft
Narrative Shifting for Hillary? - John Amato, Crooks and Liars
Could It Be Hillary? - Carol Platt Liebau, Townhall.com

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Draft Accord With Iraq Sets 2011 Pullout - New York Times
Houses Add Up to a Snag for McCain - Washington Post
Obama and McCain Seek Common Touch - New York Times
Obama May Announce Pick Later Today - Associated Press

Barack Obama has capitalized on John McCain

John McCain is facing fierce criticism from liberal bloggers for failing to know how many houses he owns. Reports that the Bush administration and the Iraqi government are nearing a deal on a U.S. troop pullout befuddles some bloggers wondering about the political implications. And Barack Obama's latest interview about his veep choice sets off more speculation online.

McCain's remark that he doesn't know how many houses he has is devastating, writes Time's Joe Klein, who jokingly calls the Republican a "man of the people." McCain's staff says he has at least four, while the actual number could be 10, writes Carpetbagger Steve Benen, who adds that the remark will show that McCain is "out of touch." Perhaps it's hard for McCain to count because he has a huge ranch with six properties, Matthew Yglesias notes.

The reports that U.S. and Iraqi officials are set to sign off on a U.S. troop pullout is good news for Democrats and Obama, who can now say that the president has come around to their view, according to Political Animal Kevin Drum. But McCain can benefit from the deal since he'll be able to claim that the surge made the withdrawal possible, writes Megan McArdle.

Obama seems to be leaning toward picking Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), who isn't self-aggrandizing and can complement the young senator's strengths, writes Time's Karen Tumulty. But Obama's remark about avoiding "yes-men" can be perceived as throwing former Secretary of State Colin Powell under the bus, writes the Weekly Standard's Dean Barnett.

FROM THE BLOGS:
Man of the People - Joe Klein, Swampland
The Ranch House Dilemma - Matthew Yglesias
McCain Owns So Many He's Lost Count - S. Benen, Carpetbagger
McCain Unsure of How Many Houses - Aravosis, AMERICAblog
Shocker! A Rich Senator - R.S. McCain, The Other McCain
Coming to a Commercial Near You - John Cole, Balloon Juice
Iraq Withdrawal Thoughts - Kevin Drum, Political Animal
Iraq Deal: Good News, Bad News - Shaun Mullen, Moderate Voice
No, Really, I'll Pull Out - Megan McArdle
The Candidate Drops Some Hints - Karen Tumulty, Swampland
Time Uncovers More Than Veep Criteria - Stephen Rose, HuffPo
Obama on Powell - Dean Barnett, Weekly Standard

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
A Housing Issue: McCain Not Sure How Many They Own - AP
U.S., Iraq Near Final Accord on Withdrawal - Wall Street Journal
Obama on His Veep Thinking - Time