Sen. John McCain delivered his Iraq speech yesterday, defending the war, President Bush's new strategy and assailing Democrats. The New York Times' Adam Nagourney and John Broder write that "Republican primary voters, unlike the rest of the nation, appear to remain supportive of the president and the war" and that backing away from Bush or the war "could prove problematic" for Republicans seeking the nomination even if it "could prove helpful in the general election."

The Politico's Jonathan Martin reports the speech was "billed as a crucial moment in McCain's efforts to rebound from lackluster first-quarter fundraising -- and from an aura of unfulfilled expectations about the early months of his second presidential bid" and may also benefit him among Republicans according to some party activists.

The speech wasn't the only news out of McCain's campaign yesterday as his team starts to trim some of the campaign's edges to "pare down costs and more efficiently distribute key staff," reports Marc Ambinder at Hotline On Call. "Contrary to rumors, the campaign is not shedding weight in order to slow down its cash burn rate." Though because McCain won't release a detailed campaign spending report until Saturday, "it's not clear whether the campaign began to pay the legion of consultants it has signed up."

Two senior Senate Democrats aren't pulling punches on Iraq either. Yesterday Sen. Joe Biden said the Bush administration's new strategy is doomed and criticized Gen. David Petraeus for giving a skewed assessment of the war, reports the Washington Post's Dan Balz and Chris Cillizza. Meanwhile, Sen. Chris Dodd continues to push the Reid-Feingold bill that would end funding for the Iraq war by March 31, 2008.

So far only Democratic candidates have agreed to meet with retired generals and admirals in New Hampshire this weekend for private briefings on detention and interrogation practices, reports the Concord Monitor's Laura Dorgan. Republicans, including McCain, said they're working on their schedules.

In non-war news, Fred Thompson said his cancer is in remission and "not a big deal" and that it shouldn't threaten his life expectancy, reports the Chicago Tribune's Mark Silva.

Education Week reports that GOP education policy advisers and advocates are not yet sold on one candidate or education strategy. Some are looking for someone with strong credentials on "vouchers, charter schools, and extra pay for effective teachers," while others want candidates to scrap the "federally driven accountability system at the center of the No Child Left Behind law" but have yet to hear that proposal from the field.

Sen. Barack Obama and John Edwards are making news with some unorthodox campaign practices. Yesterday Edwards visited a New York nursing home to work with a nurse tending to senior citizens. This weekend Obama will host a $25-per-person fundraiser in Florida, reports the St. Petersburg Times' Adam Smith. Organizers hope to draw more than 1,500 people. (That would bring in $37,500 for the math-challenged out there.)

Find the rest of today's election news at RCP's Politics and Elections page.