TRAIL MIX: JibJab Does Obama, and the Return of McCain the Reformer

By: Kathryn Carlson Hit the campaign trail with today's highlights from newspaper poilitical blogs.

JibJab's 'Time for Some Campaigning' is Out
On Politics
USA Today
By Mark Memmott

It's an emotional rollercoaster out there on the campaign trail and, if you're not sure whether to laugh, cry, or cringe as the candidates embark on their mud-slinging adventures, check out this recently released campaign spoof posted by Mark Memmott at the USA Today's On Politics -- heck, may as well get a giggle out of it all. The JibJab spoof premiered last night on NBC's 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno' and features "Barack Obama surrounded by Disney-like animals. Hillary Rodham Clinton trying to push him off the political stage. John McCain driving a tank," according to Memmott's post.


Political Perceptions: John McCain the Reformer Returns
The Washington Wire
The Wall Street Journal

Ever the "scourge of the finance system," McCain is back from his hiatus from emphasizing the need to "reduce the role of money in politics," according to a post in The Wall Street Journal's The Washington Wire. Check out The Wire's tidbit for details on McCain as the reformer, his tax plans, and the "exhaustion that seems to be hitting the Democratic fund-raising machine."


The Case for Charlie Crist
The Fix
The Washington Post
By Chris Cillizza

The Veepstakes continue over at The Washington Post's The Fix, as Chris Cillizza makes the case for why Florida Republican Gov. Charlie Crist should be McCain's choice to round out the ticket. In his post, Cillizza points out Crist's recent newsworthy moments including how "on the policy front, he backed up Sen. John McCain's call for lifting the moratorium on offshore drilling" and "on the personal front, Crist announced his engagement to Carole Rome; the couple had been dating for nine months." To be fair, be sure to check out tomorrow's post as Cillizza argues the other side: why Crist should not make the cut as McCain's running mate.


Mayor, Protesters, Discuss Options
Politics West
The Denver Post
By Christopher N. Osher and Jeremy P. Meyer

"Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper suggested alternative campsites and buses Tuesday to resolve a controversy over allowing thousands of protesters to camp in City Park during the Democratic National Convention, according to those involved in the closed-door discussions," said Christopher N. Osher and Jeremy P. Meyer in their post at The Denver Post's Politics West. With about 20,000 protesters expected daily (5,000 of which are projected to camp overnight), the Mayor is in a bit of a pickle, considering the location is technically a no-camping zone. As protesters make arrangements to flock to the city, the Denver City Council is working to resolve the issue while DNC organizers catch flak for not having made "arrangements to find suitable housing for the protesters," according to Politics West.


McCain Clarifies Remarks on Gay Adoption
The Caucus
The New York Times
By Michael Cooper

McCain's camp is working to clarify his recent remarks on gay adoption which ran in The New York Times last Sunday, according to a post by Michael Cooper at The New York Times' The Caucus. The Arizona Senator's campaign issued a statement Tuesday saying that "he believes the issue should be decided by the states, and that such adoptions should not be subject to a federal ban," said Cooper. Read the rest of Cooper's post for more on the presidential candidate's position on the issue and how gay rights activists are reacting.