Obama is making a run at several states Bush won in 2004.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Critics sneered when Barack Obama vowed to challenge John McCain in states that traditionally have been Republican strongholds. But a review of early television advertising spending shows that the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee is making robust buys in a handful of “red states.”

So far, Obama has spent $60,000 in Alaska; $3.5 million in Florida; $1.3 million in Georgia; $1 million in Indiana; $100,000 in Montana; $1 million in North Carolina; and $1.8 million in Virginia, according to a new analysis by TNS/Campaign Media Analysis Group, CNN’s political television advertising consultant.

“Obama’s targeting of these red states is unprecedented,” said Evan Tracey, chief operating officer of CMAG. “He is clearly looking to expand the playing field.”

In all, McCain has outspent Obama — $23 million to $19 million – on political television advertising when you look at these figures through the lens of the general election. To be fair, McCain has had a head start – CMAG’s point of reference for McCain’s general election buys is mid-May and the Republican National Committee accounts for $3 million of the McCain total.

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CNN's Mark Preston at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Obama and McCain are vying for the support of the tens of millions of race car enthusiasts – fans that would fill the stands of venues such as the hallowed grounds at Indy. Credit: CNN’s Alec Miran.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - The political and sporting worlds collided Friday afternoon when CNN's sister publication, Sports Illustrated, reported that Barack Obama is considering sponsoring a car in a NASCAR race next month.

Oh, but not any NASCAR event. Obama's name could whiz by at speeds of 150 to 200 mph before 100,000 or more fans at Pocono Raceway in the electoral rich state of Pennsylvania (21 votes). You might remember that Obama lost Pennsylvania to Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary, a defeat that was seen as another example of his problem with attracting support from so-called blue-collar, white voters.

Obama has vowed to run a 50-state campaign with a specific emphasis on states such as Georgia, North Carolina, and Indiana. It is fair to say that these three states have a healthy share of white, blue-collar NASCAR and Indy Racing fans.

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Watch Bob Barr explain why he left the Republican Party.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Bob Barr was once a loyal soldier in the Republican Party — ­ a lawmaker GOP leaders could count on to return home each weekend and echo their talking points at local political events, town hall meetings and civic lunches.

As a young political reporter in Marietta, Georgia, I often heard Barr serve up generous helpings of Republican doctrine over buffet lunches and chicken dinners.

For Republican leaders such as House Speaker Newt Gingrich,­ who represented a neighboring district, ­Barr was a dedicated warrior. And he remained so even after he lost a primary fight in 1992 to colleague John Linder,­ a battle set up by redistricting.

But a few years later, Barr went AWOL from the Republican Party — or, as he tells it, the GOP abandoned him.

He is now the Libertarian Party's presidential nominee and is crisscrossing the country promoting its principles and hunting for votes.

So why did Barr abandon the Republican Party in 2006?

"It probably wasn't any one thing," he said during our conversation last week outside the White House.

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Van Hollen said Bush's policies were responsible for high gas prices.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — House Democrats will use a President Bush impersonator in a new radio advertising campaign that seeks to link 13 incumbent Republicans to rising gas prices as the country heads into the Fourth of July holiday.

The ad will run Monday through Friday in radio markets throughout the country, according to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, with a total buy of more than $100,000.

After an opening tailor-made for each targeted Republican, the impersonator then reads this boilerplate script:

"'W' here, wanted to thank you for your support of the big oil energy agenda. 'Preciate you voting to keep giving billions in tax breaks to the big oil companies. Sure, gasoline is over four bucks a gallon and the oil companies are making record profits, but what's good for big oil is good for America, right? I guess that's why they call us the Grand Oil Party. Heh, heh, heh."

CLICK PLAY to HEAR the DCCC's Bush impersonator

Maryland Rep. Chris Van Hollen, chairman of the DCCC, told CNN that Democrats chose to use a Bush impersonator because the president's "big oil energy policies delivered high gas prices to the American people, so who better to deliver our message than someone who sounds like him? Every time Americans fill up their tanks or buy groceries high gas prices grab their attention, so it's important to give credit where credit is due."

Danny Diaz, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee, sharply criticized the ad and said Democrats were being disingenuous.

"It is an outrageous attack," Diaz said. "It seems like it would be more appropriate leveled against Barack Obama who voted for the '05 energy bill, yet Democrats rail against subsidies to energy companies. The hypocrisy is stunning."

(List of targeted Republicans after the jump)

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Watch Preston on Politics with Evan Tracey as this week's featured guest

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Barack Obama's decision to forgo public financing for his presidential campaign provides him with the tools needed to implement a "Shock and Awe" television ad strategy designed to paralyze John McCain's campaign, an expert on political TV advertising said in an interview with CNN.

The better-funded Obama is likely to force McCain to spend money on TV ads in Arkansas, Georgia and North Carolina, said Evan Tracey, CNN's consultant on political television advertising. At this point in the campaign, these are states that CNN projects McCain has an edge over the Illinois Democrat, but by no means are these states safely in the Arizona Republican's column.

DON'T MISS: analysis on the deceptive South Dakota primary attack ad that only ran once.

Obama is expected to raise three or four times the $85 million he would have received from the public financing system, providing him with a huge financial advantage over McCain, who has opted to take the public funds.

Full story

Ron Paul is suspending his presidential campaign.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Texas Rep. Ron Paul announced Thursday he is suspending his bid for the Republican presidential nomination to focus his time on building an organization to help recruit and elect “limited government Republicans.”

“We want to elect constitutionalists, limited government Republicans across the country at the state and federal level,” said Paul spokesman Jesse Benton.

The congressman will speak about his political plans at the Texas Republican State Convention being held in Houston. Late Thursday afternoon, Paul launched a Web site for his new organization where he explained the decision to suspend his presidential campaign and form “Ron Paul Campaign for Liberty.”

“With the primary season now over, the presidential campaign is at an end,” Paul said in the letter. “But the larger campaign for freedom is just getting started.”

Arizona Sen. John McCain locked up the GOP nomination back in March, but unlike his fellow Republicans running for president, Paul never abandoned his White House bid.

Paul’s decision to leave the race is an acknowledgment he had no chance of winning the GOP nomination. But even in loss, Paul is one of a handful of candidates who walked away from this presidential contest a winner. His presidential campaign had a broad base of support that included traditionally fiscal and socially conservative Republicans to young people who were angry about the U.S. decision to wage war against Iraq.

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Supporters of Sen. Hillary Clinton lined up Saturday outside the site of her anticipated concession speech. Photo credit: Getty Images.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign tells CNN that 6,000 people signed up on the New York senator's Web site to attend her endorsement speech of Barack Obama Saturday in the nation's capital.

Braving oppresive heat, supporters began lining up mid-morning outside the National Building Museum, to hear Clinton exit from the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Clinton is scheduled to address the audience at noon, but looks to be running at least 30 minutes late.

Sen. Clinton's anticipated concession speech Saturday may help united the Democratic Party.

WASHINGTON (CNN) –  Hillary Clinton will "endorse" Barack Obama for president Saturday, and use her final campaign speech to urge supporters to back him in November, a source close to Clinton familiar with her prepared remarks, tells CNN.

"She say the stake are high in this election and it's imperative that the party come together behind Obama and to put a Democrat in the White House," said the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to speak candidly about the speech.

Clinton is scheduled to deliver the endorsement at a campaign rally in the nation's capital at noon. Obama is not expected to attend.

"She'll also talk a bit about the historic nature of her campaign and the progress made on behalf of women," the source added.

Most exit polling from the Democratic primaries and public polling shows that Obama needs to convince Clinton's women supporters that he will support issues that she championed during her 17 month run for the White House.

Full story

Sen. Barack Obama on Tuesday told supporters he will be the Democratic nominee.

NEW YORK (CNN) — Barack Obama made history Tuesday night when he became the first African-American in U.S. history to clinch a major party's presidential nomination. But the Illinois senator faces several challenges as the campaign now turns to the general election — notwithstanding a first order of business of helping to heal the wounds of a deeply divided Democratic Party.

Obama offered an olive branch to rival Hillary Clinton on Tuesday evening, telling supporters at his victory rally in St. Paul, Minnesota, that the country and the party "are better off because of her." He added that Clinton has "an unyielding desire to improve the lives of ordinary Americans, no matter how difficult the fight may be."

Obama and Clinton rounded out the 2008 Democratic primary season by splitting the final two states: Montana and South Dakota. And despite his loss in South Dakota, Obama gained enough delegates to cross the finish line an hour before the Montana polls closed.

The big question now: Will Clinton offer her full support to Obama?

NEW YORK (CNN) – Over the next several days, one of the main questions will be how much help Hillary Clinton will offer Barack Obama in his effort to win back the White House, which has been under Republican control ever since her husband Bill Clinton left office in January 2001.

Two top Clinton supporters told me Tuesday evening they are ready to get behind Obama once the New York senator officially acknowledges that her Senate colleague has won the nomination.

James Carville said he is ready to open up his wallet to help Obama build a political warchest to take on John McCain in November.

“As soon as she gets out I am going to write him a check,” Carville said.

Clinton campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe said earlier in the day – prior to CNN projecting that Obama clinched the nomination – that he too would help out the Illinois senator.

“If he is the nominee, listen, I will help,” McAuliffe said. “I have helped Democrats now for 30 years, and I will continue to do so.”

Carville and McAuliffe both predicted that the two Democratic rivals would join together to help unify the party, but Carville noted that there needs to be a healing process as the party prepares for the general election.

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NEW YORK (CNN) – John McCain and Barack Obama will make indirect pitches to women voters Wednesday, with both presumptive presidential nominees appearing in “salutes” to military families on the Lifetime Network.

The 30-second spots will coincide with the Sunday premiere of the second season of “Army Wives,” a drama that focuses on the day-to-day lives of families living on an army base. In addition to recognizing the sacrifices of the military personnel and their families, the two senators – who filmed the salutes separately – also tell viewers “how they can get involved in efforts to support military families,” according to an advance release of the salutes provided to CNN.

(Excerpts of the salutes after the jump)
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Brady remained neutral until tonight.

NEW YORK (CNN) – Pennsylvania Rep. Robert Brady endorsed Barack Obama for president Tuesday evening, putting the Illinois senator in striking distance of securing enough delegates for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Obama is expected to secure enough delegates by night’s end to claim the nomination.

Brady, a superdelegate who stayed neutral in the 2008 primary battle between Obama and Hillary Clinton, told CNN he chose not to take sides in an effort to encourage the two candidates to participate in a presidential debate and party dinner earlier this year. Following the debate and dinner, Brady said he then decided it was best to “let the primary run out, and see what happens.”

Clinton defeated Obama in the Pennsylvania primary held on April 22.

The congressman said Tuesday it was time for the party to come together and focus on defeating John McCain in November.

The New York Observer will endorse Clinton to be Obama’s choice for VP.

NEW YORK (CNN) – With Barack Obama on the verge of securing enough delegates to become the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, a New York newspaper signaled it will use its editorial page Wednesday to urge him to pick rival Hillary Clinton as his running mate.

The New York Observer informed the media Tuesday evening of its intention to endorse Clinton to be Obama’s vice presidential pick. Prior to the New York primary on February 5, the newspaper threw its support behind Obama to be the Democratic presidential nominee.

The RNC posted this video on YouTube.

NEW YORK (CNN) – Hours before the polls closed Tuesday in the final two Democratic presidential primaries, the Republican National Committee began circulating a video of Hillary Clinton questioning Barack Obama’s qualifications to be commander-in-chief, and acknowledging John McCain has this important presidential credential.

“Senator McCain will bring a lifetime of experience to the campaign, I will bring a lifetime of experience and Senator Obama will bring a speech that he gave in 2002,” Clinton says in the one-minute video of CNN’s coverage of a news conference she held on March 8 – the day Obama won the Wyoming caucuses. “I think that is a significant difference. I think that since we now know Senator McCain will be the nominee for the Republican Party, national security will be front and center in this election. We all know that.

"And I think it is imperative that each of us be able to demonstrate we can cross the commander-in-chief threshold. And I believe I have done that. Certainly, Senator McCain has done that. And you will have to ask Senator Obama with respect to his candidacy.”

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Protesters voice their concerns outside the DNC headquarters on Capitol Hill in April.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Bleary-eyed Democrats failed to reach consensus early Saturday morning on a plan to seat the Michigan and Florida delegations — setting up a potentially explosive hearing later in the day between supporters of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama on how to address this politically sensitive situation.

Members of the Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws panel convened for more than five hours behind closed doors Friday evening. The meeting ended at 1:30 a.m. ET Saturday — eight hours before the committee is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the matter.

Democratic presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton disagree over how best to address the situation of Michigan and Florida, which were penalized for holding their primaries early. The DNC sanctioned Michigan and Florida by excluding them from representation when the party nominates a candidate at the August convention.

"It was a full discussion," said Harold Ickes, a DNC Rules member from the District of Columbia who supports Clinton. "I think there was some agreement on some issues and still some disagreements on others."

The Democratic presidential hopefuls have both said they want the Florida and Michigan delegates to attend the convention, but Clinton's campaign is calling for the results of the primaries to be honored and the delegates awarded based on the results. This approach would help her chip away at Obama's lead in pledged delegates because handily won both states and would be awarded a greater share of the delegates.

Obama's campaign disagrees, saying that this is not reasonable because he followed the rules, took his name off of the Michigan ballot, and did not campaign in either state.

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Gov. Richardson endorsed Sen. Obama in March.

NEW YORK (CNN) – Former presidential rival turned supporter Bill Richardson will campaign this week for Barack Obama in Puerto Rico, 10 days before the Commonwealth holds its Democratic primary, a Richardson aide tells CNN.

Richardson, the governor of New Mexico and former Cabinet official, is one of the most prominent Hispanic politicians in the nation. He sought the Democratic presidential nomination, but dropped out of the race after a poor showing in the New Hampshire primary.

While Richardson served in President Bill Clinton’s Cabinet, he chose to endorse Obama over Hillary Clinton in late March. Hillary Clinton has performed better than Obama with Hispanic voters, although the latest Gallup tracking poll suggests that the Illinois senator has erased his disadvantage with that key voting bloc.

Richardson will visit the Commonwealth on Thursday.

Fifty-five pledged delegates are at stake June 1 when Puerto Rico Democrats head to the polls.

CNN will have exclusive poll data from the Puerto Rico primary.

Watch Senior Political Correspondent Candy Crowley report on the latest superdelegates totals.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Sen. Barack Obama closed in Friday on Sen. Hillary Clinton's lead among supedelegates, the Democratic party officials who hold the balance of power in determining which one will be the party's nominee for president in November.

The Obama campaign announced the support of two new superdelegates early Friday morning — including one who had been backing Clinton. Clinton also announced a new supporter, maintaining her lead over the Illinois senator, but only by a handful of delegates. (Related: Another Clinton superdelegate jumps ship to Obama)

Rep. Peter DeFazio of Oregon announced his support for Obama to his local newspaper, the Oregonian. Oregon voters are currently in the middle of primary voting, which takes place through the mail.

Rep. Donald Payne, a New Jersey Democrat and an early Clinton supporter, told the Newark Star-Ledger he was switching to Obama. He is the third person to leave Clinton for Obama in the past 72 hours. Former Sen. George McGovern, D-South Dakota, announced Wednesday he had decided to switch, as did a Virginia superdelegate.

Rep. Christopher Carney of Pennsylvania said he was backing Clinton, the Clinton campaign told CNN.

Obama's huge victory over Clinton in North Carolina's Democratic primary Tuesday, coupled with a narrow loss in Indiana, put him within striking distance of the number of delegates he needs to cement the nomination.

A flood of endorsements from superdelegates could virtually end the race.

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Watch portions of Obama's interview Thursday.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Barack Obama chastised John McCain Thursday for engaging in “smear” politics, and defended himself from critics who question whether he is capable of being commander-in-chief, during a wide-ranging interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer — his first sit-down since the Indiana and North Carolina primaries.

“This is offensive, and I think it's disappointing,” Obama told Blitzer, when asked his thoughts about McCain’s comments that the terrorist organization Hamas wants Obama to be president. “Because John McCain always says ‘I am not going to run that kind of politics,’ and to engage in that kind of smear is unfortunate, particularly because my policy toward Hamas has been no different than his.

“I’ve said it’s a terrorist organization and we should not negotiate with them unless they recognize Israel, renounce violence, and unless they are willing to abide by previous accords between the Palestinians and the Israelis. So for him to toss out comments like that I think is an example of him losing his bearings as he pursues this nomination. We don’t need name calling in this debate.”

Blitzer’s interview with Obama can be seen in full at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. ET in The Situation Room. (Related: Obama: World wants to see U.S. lead)

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WASHINGTON (CNN) — Hillary Clinton made a personal appeal to Barack Obama Thursday to work with her to make sure Florida and Michigan Democrats votes are counted in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Clinton and Obama are at odds over how to deal with these two states, both of which broke Democratic National Committee rules that resulted in their loss of delegates. Clinton would benefit if Michigan and Florida delegates were allocated according to their January primary results. She made the appeal in a letter that was made public by her campaign.

(Full letter after the jump)

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Bob Barr will announce a presidential run Monday.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Former Republican Rep. Bob Barr will announce Monday that he will run for president as a Libertarian, a source close to the Georgian told CNN.

Barr will officially declare his candidacy at a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington. The four-term congressman left the GOP in 2006, saying that Republicans had "lost their core principles."

Barr made a name for himself in Congress for his ardent conservative philosophy and his role in President Clinton's impeachment. He lost a primary election in 2002.

Last month, Barr formed a presidential exploratory committee as he weighed a run for the White House. The source said that Barr had been considering a presidential bid "for several months. He currently runs Liberty Strategies, a consulting firm in Atlanta and Washington.

Barr joins a handful of other candidates seeking the Libertarian Party's presidential nomination including former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel, who unsuccessfully sought the Democratic presidential nomination this year. Libertarians meet in Denver on May 22 for a four day convention where members will choose the party's presidential nominee.