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(CNN) — Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, picked up Friday where President Bush left off Thursday.

In the latest episode of CNN=Politics Daily, Sen. McCain and Sen. Barack Obama, the front-runner for the Democratic Party's nomination, spar over U.S. foreign policy in what appears to be a preview of a possible general election match-up.

CNN's Jim Acosta reports on how Obama responded Friday to Pres. Bush's remarks in Israel a day earlier.

Dana Bash is out on the campaign trail with McCain.  She reports on how the Democratic Party has targeted McCain in the wake of Bush's controversial comments and Wolf Blitzer brings you McCain's latest salvo launched at Obama during the Arizona senator's speech Friday evening in Kentucky.

The California Supreme Court's historic ruling Thursday striking down the state's ban on same-sex marriage may send shock waves through the 2008 presidential race that reverberate to the benefit of one candidate in particular.  Carol Costello takes a look at the politics of the gay rights issue.

It's Friday.  That means it's time for Jennifer Mikell's Trail Mix — a retrospective of the most memorable moments in the presidential race this week.

Finally, Wolf Blitzer recently sat down with both Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton.  In two special episodes of CNN=Politics Daily, watch Blitzer's entire interviews with the Democratic rivals.

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(CNN) — A day after receiving the endorsement of a former rival, Sen. Barack Obama cemented his status as the front-runner in the Democratic nomination race by becoming the target of a very powerful Republican.

In the latest episode of CNN=Politics Daily, White House Correspondent Ed Henry reports from Jerusalem about President Bush's controversial remarks during a visit to Israel to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Jewish state's founding.

It did not take long for Sen. Obama and his fellow Democrats on Capitol Hill to respond to Bush's comments.  Suzanne Malveaux reports on how the Obama campaign reacted and how high-ranking Democrats quickly closed ranks around Obama.

Sen. John McCain, the Republican Party's presumptive nominee, also reacted quickly to Bush's remarks — by attacking Sen. Obama.  Dana Bash was on the campaign trail with McCain and explains how McCain's reaction is part of a broader strategy that McCain's campaign intends to use against Obama should he become the Democratic nominee.

McCain also made an unusual speech Thursday.  He envisioned the state of affairs in the U.S. and globally at the end of his first term in 2013 if he is elected president. Bash also reports on McCain's unorthodox method for setting forth the broad agenda of his presidency.

Finally, Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider puts President Bush's dust-up with Obama and other Democrats into the broader context of the contest for the Jewish vote during the general election.

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Sen. McCain laid out a bold vision of what he intends to accomplish during his first term in a new web ad.

(CNN) – On the same day that Sen. John McCain gave an ambitious speech laying out what he intends to accomplish by the end of his first term in office, his campaign released an accompanying Web ad dramatizing those hypothetical achievements.

“The year: 2013,” an announcer says as the words “2013” appear on screen. Then the ad goes through a laundry list of accomplishments McCain envisions: stabilizing the Middle East, reducing the threat of nuclear terrorism, strengthening border security, advancing energy independence, reforming wasteful spending by the federal government, delivering health care choice, and restoring economic confidence. “The year: 2013, the president: John McCain,” the announcer says as McCain’s image appears on screen.

McCain, the Republican Party’s presumptive presidential nominee, has been touring fall battleground states for the past several weeks while he lays out his policy proposals and reaches out to constituencies he will need to win the White House in November.

Related: McCain predicts Iraq war over by 2013

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(CNN) — In the final weeks of the race for the Democratic Party's nomination, the battle is for delegates . . . and for momentum.

In the latest episode of CNN=Politics Daily, Sen. Barack Obama tries to steal back momentum from rival Sen. Hillary Clinton by going to Michigan, a general election battleground, and announcing the he has locked up the endorsement of John Edwards.

On the same day that Obama nabbed one of the most coveted remaining endorsements in the Democratic race, Sen. Clinton sought to capitalize on her landslide victory in West Virginia by sitting down for a one-on-one interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer. Clinton answers questions from two CNN iReporters, explains why she's staying in the race and then opens up about her daughter Chelsea.

Finally, Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider reports on the results from a special election in Mississippi that may have troubling implications for the Republican Party in the fall.

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(CNN) - West Virginia is the next battleground in the Clinton-Obama battle.

In the latest episode of CNN=Politics Daily, Sen. Barack Obama all but concedes defeat in Tuesday's contest in West Virginia. But, on the same day, Obama takes the lead over Sen. Hillary Clinton in another metric — the support of superdelegates — in the race for the Democratic Party's nomination. Jessica Yellin reports from the campaign trail in West Virginia.

As Sen. Obama appears to be beginning his general election campaign in some ways, watch Chief National Correspondent John King explain Clinton's best argument for why she should face Sen. John McCain in the fall. King also takes a look at alternative scenarios in the Electoral College if Obama runs against McCain, the Republican Party's presumptive nominee.

As the Clinton-Obama race rages on, McCain continues to lay out a number of policy positions in battleground states. Dana Bash reports from Oregon where McCain rolled out his plan to combat global warming.

Another candidate announced his intention Monday to enter the presidential race. Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider takes a close look at how a possible run by former Republican Congressman Bob Barr might affect McCain.

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(CNN) – CNN has learned that former first daughter Chelsea Clinton will be campaigning for her mother in Puerto Rico Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of this week.

The announcement comes on the heels of the Clinton campaign's admission that it is currently $20 million in debt and among increased talk by political pundits about when and how Sen. Hillary Clinton will exit the race and concede the Democratic presidential nomination to Sen. Barack Obama.

Puerto Rico holds its presidential primaries on June 1 so the decision to send Chelsea Clinton to the island appears to signal her mother's intention to remain in the race at least until early next month.

In her efforts to help her mother, Chelsea Clinton has lucked out by getting assigned to campaign in not one, but two tropical locales. The younger Clinton previously campaigned in Hawaii prior to that state's Democratic caucuses in February and this week's trip will be her second to Puerto Rico on her mother's behalf.

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(CNN) – It was a split decision — with a substantial win for Sen. Barack Obama and a razor-thin victory for Sen. Hillary Clinton — in the North Carolina and Indiana Democratic primaries.

In the latest episode of CNN=Politics Daily, Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider breaks down exit polling data from Tuesday by age, race, and gender.

Suzanne Malveaux was with the Clinton camp on primary night, and has an inside look at the candidate’s next moves. Will Clinton fight to have the Florida and Michigan delegations seated? How will the New York senator raise the money she needs to continue her battle against Obama and his fundraising juggernaut? What arguments is she readying for her party’s superdelegates? Malveaux has all the answers – straight from sources inside the Clinton campaign.

Despite Clinton’s commitment to soldier on through the remaining contests, the math of the Democratic Party’s proportional pledged delegate allocation is working against her. Chief National Correspondent John King uses CNN’s “Magic Wall” to explain Clinton’s uphill battle to secure the delegates necessary to claim the nomination.

The next Democratic contest is in West Virginia, and CNN’s Jim Acosta is already on the ground there. Acosta takes a look at the demographics and issues in the state before Clinton and Obama face off there.

Finally, in a special post-primary version of his “What if?” series, CNN Special Correspondent Frank Sesno takes a look at what might happen at the Democratic convention if Democrats have not settled on a nominee before the party gathers in August.

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Watch Dean's interview with CNN's Don Lemon.

(CNN) – Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, set forth three principles that he thinks should govern any effort to reach a compromise regarding seating the Michigan and Florida delegations to his party’s nominating convention.

First, “we want to respect the voters who went to the polls,” Dean said. “It was politicians that made a mess of this — not the voters,” he told CNN’s Don Lemon Tuesday.
“Secondly, you have got to respect these two candidates,” Dean said of Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. “You cannot change the rules at the end of the game and change the outcome.”

“Thirdly, you’ve got to respect the 48 states that followed the rules they way they were supposed to,” the former presidential candidate said.

“So there will be some sort of compromise in the Rules Committee on the 31 of May, I hope,” the DNC chair said. “But we don’t know what that compromise is going to look like right now.”

While Clinton and Obama have continued to battle for the Democratic nod, the DNC has run ads targeting Sen. John McCain, the Republican Party’s presumptive nominee, and Dean took the opportunity to take a shot or two at McCain Tuesday.

“He’s wrong on the courts. He’s wrong on Iraq. He’s wrong on the economy. He’s wrong on healthcare,” said Dean.

(CNN) – Despite concern among Democratic Party leaders that the drawn-out nomination battle between Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama may be damaging their party, a majority of Democrats want the race for the nomination to continue, according to a USA Today/Gallup poll released Tuesday.

Sixty percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters surveyed said the nomination fight should continue while 23 percent said Clinton should drop out, 15 percent favored Obama dropping out and 2 percent had no opinion.

Among Obama supporters, opinion was evenly split – 49 percent to 49 percent — between preferring to have the campaign continue and preferring that Clinton drop out. Sixty-nine percent of Clinton supporters, by contrast, preferred that the nomination battle continue and 28 percent said they would like to see Obama concede the nomination to Clinton.

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Watch Query and Stacy discuss Indiana's Democratic primary.

(CNN) – Tuesday’s Democratic primary in Indiana is a major test for three campaigns: Hillary Clinton’s Barack Obama’s — and Rush Limbaugh’s.

Because many Republicans believe Sen. John McCain, the Republican Party’s presumptive nominee, has a better chance of beating Clinton in the general election, Limbaugh has encouraged listeners to his popular radio show to vote for the New York senator. Limbaugh’s pro-Clinton campaign has been dubbed “Operation Chaos.”

Some exit polls from Ohio and Texas suggest that Limbaugh’s “Operation Chaos” may have had an impact on results in both states.

Indiana “is so red and so Republican,” said Indianapolis radio host Jake Query, that one of the interesting questions on Tuesday “is how many people who are actually registered Republicans will now switch over for this primary and vote” for Clinton.

“There is some talk about that, there really is,” Query’s co-host Terri Stacy said Tuesday about Limbaugh’s campaign in favor of Clinton.

Query and Stacy host a morning news show on Indianapolis radio station WIBC. They discussed Indiana’s Democratic primary with CNN’s Alina Cho on American Morning. Indiana’s open primary system allows supporters of the Republican Party to vote in Tuesday’s Democratic contest between Clinton and Obama.

Watch Obama's comments Monday.

(CNN) – Sen. Barack Obama made a case for his ultimate electability in the general election in response to a question by an undecided North Carolina voter on the day before the state’s primary.

Obama conceded that his campaign has faced challenges during the last month since the bright light of front-runner status has been shined on him by the media, Sen. Hillary Clinton, and Republicans including Sen. John McCain, the GOP’s presumptive nominee.

“Once you’re a front-runner then it is, I think, the obligation of the candidates who are behind to try to whack you over the head and the press is happy to oblige,” he said only half jokingly. “There was a kitchen sink strategy employed,” he added.

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Watch Obama's comments Monday.

(CNN) – On the eve of critical primaries in Indiana and North Carolina, Sen. Barack Obama sought to draw a contrast between him and rival Sen. Hillary Clinton by laying out three major differences between himself and the New York senator.

Speaking at a North Carolina light bulb manufacturer, Obama told workers that his differences with Clinton are “not that much about policy, for the most part.” Instead, Obama identified differences in style, approach and outlook.

“Right now, on May 6, here in North Carolina, the question you have to ask yourself is: Who is best able to lead that Democratic Party to deliver on change?” said Obama. “This is where there are big differences between Sen. Clinton and me.”

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Watch Arianna Huffington assess the 2008 presidential race.

(CNN) – Arianna Huffington, Editor-in-Chief of the Huffingtonpost.com and author of a new book, didn’t pull any punches in assessing the 2008 presidential race.

Sen. Hillary Clinton “has really taken a page out of Karl Rove’s playbook when it comes to her advertising especially,” Huffington told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer Friday.

Huffington compared Clinton’s “3 a.m.” ad to advertising against Sen. John Kerry orchestrated by Rove during President Bush’s 2004 re-election bid. “The assumption was that if people elected Obama they would not be as safe as if they elected her.” “Their children would not be as safe,” added Huffington.

“And then on the eve of the Pennsylvania primary, we had the Osama ad appear,” Huffington said, refererring to a Clinton campaign ad that contained an image of Osama bin Laden, the alleged mastermind of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

“It is a very powerful image in America,” Huffington said of the bin Laden image. “Every election after 9-11 is going to be a national security election and manipulating the electorate’s fear has been key to the re-election of George Bush,” she added.

Huffington, the founder of the popular liberal news and commentary website, also shared her views on Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama, on the way the media is covering the Iraq war, and on “the extreme right of the Republican Party.” “Right is Wrong,” Huffington’s new book, was released recently.

Paul on his presidential run: 'The race is still on'.

(CNN) — Even though Rep. Ron Paul has never officially ended his long shot presidential bid, he’s ready to weigh in on the three remaining major candidates for the White House.

In an interview on The Situation Room, Paul told Wolf Blitzer that endorsing Sen. John McCain, the Republican Party’s presumptive nominee, “would really confuse” his supporters “because they know we have a precise program and we have to defend that program.”

Having a Republican win the upcoming presidential election is “secondary” for Paul who is more interested in defending the Constitution, having the country go in what he considers the right direction, having a sound currency, and achieving balanced budgets. Paul parts ways with McCain over McCain’s support for the Iraq war, his approach to U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and his willingness to spend federal dollars to support military operations in Iraq.

Instead, Paul favors Sen. Barack Obama because of positions on foreign policy. “But that’s doesn’t mean that’s an endorsement,” Paul quickly added.

Paul recently released a new book titled “The Revolution: a Manifesto.” “Unfortunately, it is revolutionary to talk about obeying the Constitution,” Paul said of the book’s title.

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(CNN) — With the Democratic primaries in North Carolina and Indiana less than a week away and with deepening concern about the sputtering economy, all three major presidential candidates are targeting voters with economic messages.

In the latest episode of CNN=Politics Daily, Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider reports on a new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll on how the American public feels about the way things are going in the country.

Senior Political Correspondent Candy Crowley reports from the campaign trail about the latest battle between Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama over gas prices.

Not to be outdone, Sen. John McCain, the Republican Party's presumptive nominee, is targeting blue-collar, white voters — the so-called "Reagan Democrats" — in crucial states while his Democratic counterparts continue to fight for their party's nod.

Internet Reporter Abbi Tatton also explains what supporters of Rep. Ron Paul are doing to make the Texas legislator's new book a bestseller.

Finally, it's Friday. That's means it's time for Jennifer Mikell's Trail Mix — a look back at the most memorable moments from the campaign trail this week. (Let's hope you have the "fortitude" for the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, a gas station cappuccino machine, and a gender-bending compliment for Sen. Clinton).

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It's granny versus granny in this clip from American Morning.

(CNN) – Even though the high turnout among young voters may be getting a lot of attention this primary season, senior citizens also have strong feelings about the long, tight nomination race between Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

In this clip from American Morning, watch Jean Weiss, an Obama supporter made famous by Obama’s offer to make her his No. 2 on the Democratic ticket, as she faces off against Clinton supporter Margaret O’Brien.

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(CNN) — With less than a week to go until the critical primaries in Indiana and North Carolina, it's getting close to crunch time for Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

In the latest episode of CNN=Politics Daily, Jessica Yellin reports on how Clinton and Obama are courting blue collar voters in Indiana and courting their party's superdelegates.

In an effort to dissuade the so-called "Reagan Democrats" from choosing Sen. John McCain in the general election, unions in several key states have already begun to target the Republican Party's presumptive nominee. Chief National Correspondent John King is out on the campaign trail with McCain. King explains what the unions are up to and what McCain intends to do to court a key group which both he and the Democrats will likely need to win the White House.

As Clinton and Obama continue to battle it out in the remaining primaries, their party has yet to resolve how to handle the delegations of Florida and Michigan — two states who held their primaries in violation of the Democratic National Committee's rules and were punished by being stripped of all their delegates to the nominating convention. Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider reports on a new proposal by Michigan's congressional delegation to apportion the state's delegates between Clinton and Obama and allow the state's delegation to participate in the convention.

Clinton, Obama, and McCain have been trading barbs lately over who has the best plan to tackle rising gas prices. Dan Lothian reports on the proposals of the three candidates.

Finally, a union leader in Indiana gave Sen. Clinton an unusual introduction Wednesday. Watch Clinton be complimented for her "fortitude."

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(CNN) — A day after Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Jr's speech at the National Press Club, Sen. Barack Obama decided that Wright is all wrong.

In the latest episode of CNN=Politics Daily, Suzanne Malveaux reports on Obama's effort Tuesday to cut his ties with Wright in the hopes of limiting the political fallout from Wright's return to the public spotlight.

Sen. John McCain also laid out his plan for health care reform Tuesday. Dana Bash reports on how the Arizona senator would like to treat the nation's ailing health care system.

Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider has another report about health care. Schneider takes a look at how health care is increasingly becoming an economic issue for voters.

Carol Costello does a reality check on proposals by Sens. McCain and Hillary Clinton to provide a federal gas tax holiday.

Finally, Wolf Blitzer gives you an update about whether Sens. Clinton and Obama stand with the Democratic Party's all-important supderdelegates.

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Watch Obama explain why he sometimes takes political punches without firing back.

(CNN) – Sen. Barack Obama used a question during a campaign event Saturday to explain his unusual approach to politics.

“How do we get rid of that huge divisiveness in this country?,” a voter asked Obama in Anderson, Indiana.

“The president sets the tone,” the Illinois senator said before explaining the bipartisan approach he’d take if elected to the White House.

“But, I’m also going to try to show this during the course of the campaign,” he added. “Sometimes you take some hits. Even during this campaign, I’ve been taking some hits.”

“One of the things that I learned in the school yard was: the folks that are talking tough all the time, they’re not always that tough. If you’re really tough, you’re not always looking to try to start a fight. If you’re really tough, sometimes you just walk away. If you’re really tough, you just save it for when you really need it,” Obama said.

“I’m not interested in fighting people just for the sake of scoring political points.” “If I’m going to fight somebody it’s going to be fighting over the American people and what they need.”

Obama’s effort to explain his sometimes non-confrontational approach came on the same day that his rival Sen. Hillary Clinton proposed a Lincoln-Douglas style debate. Prior to Clinton’s challenge, Obama said in a television interview set to air Sunday that he would not agree to any more debates with Clinton before the May 6 primaries in North Carolina and Indiana. After learning of Clinton's proposal, the Obama campaign maintained that the Illinois senator would not participate in any more debates until after May 6.

Related: Clinton to Obama: Let's debate like Lincoln

Huckabee and McCain spoke with reporters Friday on the Straight Talk Express.

(CNN) – Mike Huckabee, a former contender for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination, said it would be “a little bit presumptuous to ever assume” that a congregant agrees with everything a pastor says.

“Influential? Sure. Necessarily transferable? Usually not,” Huckabee told a reporter while speaking with the press aboard Sen. John McCain’s campaign bus, the Straight Talk Express.

Huckabee, who was a Baptist pastor before eventually becoming Arkansas’s governor, is campaigning with McCain in Little Rock Friday. The former rivals maintained a cordial relationship before Huckabee ended his presidential bid leaving McCain as the GOP’s presumptive nominee.

Related: Huckabee and McCain do the rounds