Chris Dodd's campaign has accused Bill Richardson of flip-flopping on gun control, saying he first opposed closing the "gun-show loophole" but now endorses it.

Hari Sevugan, communication director for the Dodd campaign, sent an article from yesterday's Albuquerque Journal that said Richardson changed his position during Monday's debate when he said he is for "instant background checks," including "gun sales at gun shows." Previously, Richardson answered "No" on a 2006 NRA questionnaire that asked him if he supported legislation to close the loophole. The loophole exempts some private sales from having to go through background checks.

Sevugan also included an excerpt of Richardson's May 27 appearance on "Meet The Press," during which he said he was for instant background checks, but didn't mention gun shows. Richardson also said "I don't change my positions" after Tim Russert accused him of flipping on the issue of assault weapons.

Opponents of extending the current system of checks to the exempted sales have said it would delay sales and harm business because those checks can take days to complete. Richardson isn't for expanding current checks to those sales for that reason, but he is for checks that would be instant.

Richardson communications director Pahl Shipley said in a statement, "Governor Richardson has been consistent in his belief that instant background checks - if truly instant - should apply to all sales, private and dealer, at gun shows." Richardson supported a 1999 amendment that would have made instant checks mandatory, Shipley said. "With instant background checks we are able to keep guns out of the hands of those who are not eligible to own them while protecting the rights of gun owners...."

Shipley said the Dodd campaign's attack was out of desperation.

"Based on their poll numbers in Iowa and New Hampshire I'm not surprised they're going negative," he said.

The Bush administration continues to back Alberto Gonzales.

After it emerged that NASA astronauts were having a little too much fun on the job, Congress is looking into holding hearings.

Another one? Jonathan Martin hears that another Fred Thompson staffer has resigned.

But will Bob Dole switch his support from John McCain to Thompson?

Not pleased with a Washington Post article on her cleavage, Hillary Clinton sent out a fundraising letter today. Ironically, the Post is, um, covering it.

John Edwards took advantage of the Clinton-Obama squabble to ... criticize Clinton and Obama.

In response to Rudy Giuliani saying the upcoming Republican CNN/YouTube debate conflicts with his schedule, a campaign has begun to "Save the Debate."

Liberal activists are forming their own campaign against Fox News by going after Fox advertisers.

Marc Ambinder has some thoughts on how Joe Trippi's ideas have shaped today's Democratic party.

It's an incredibly hot day in Washington. But it's not just the air conditioners working overtime. Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee are hard at work, and have been for days, on the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) extension. More specifically, thanks to certain parliamentary maneuvers, a woman named Sharon Davis, the committee's clerk, has been hard at work reading and re-reading H.R. 3162. All 465 pages of it. Multiple times.

Last night, SCHIP came up for the first reading, which, as you see on C-SPAN, is when the clerk must read through the entire bill unless unanimous consent is given to forgo the reading. That usually happens, and the clerk doesn't get more than a few words into thousand-page bills before being allowed to stop.

But last night, Congressman Joe Barton, the committee's ranking Republican member, objected when Democrats asked unanimous consent to skip the reading. So Ms. Davis began to read the bill.

Democrats scrambled to figure out a way to get around a unanimous consent objection, and after they tracked down enough members to win the vote, moved to dispense with the reading. Barton, hoping to stall until enough Republicans returned to vote with him, asked several parliamentary procedure questions, but lost the vote. Ms. Davis had made it through about 120 pages of the bill, according to a source in the room at the time.

The committee moved to the bill's second reading, and Barton jumped in again, objecting to another unanimous consent request. He offered his own unanimous consent request that Davis be allowed to pick up where she left off on the first reading, but, on the advice of counsel, relented and made her start on page one. "I was just trying to be civil," he said, according to the source. Republicans allowed the second reading to be dispensed with in order to open the bill up to amendments.

Barton's amendment came first. According to one committee staffer, Barton's substitute is the Democratic bill, which, after the 465 original pages, requires the previous 465 pages to be struck and substitutes an additional 30 pages. That's another 495 pages for Davis to read.

At some point during the evening, Davis took a break when another clerk was brought in. Barton, ever the good sport, called for and led the applause for Davis' efforts. But the substitute clerk read for less than half an hour before the committee recessed.

That was last night, when the committee recessed around 10:20 p.m. It was unclear that they would take a break, and at least one staffer brought a change of clothing for the morning if they hadn't.

Today, after what we hope was a very sound night's sleep, Davis was at it again, reading the bill. At one point this morning, a committee Democrat asked unanimous consent that Davis be relieved of duty by Barton himself. Barton got up, went down to the clerk's desk and offered to take over for Ms. Davis. But Rep. Ralph Hall, a Texas Republican, objected, saying he would rather hear Davis read than Barton.

In all likelihood, Ms. Davis will be reading for quite a while. When the committee recessed in order to take part in votes on the House floor, Davis paused at page 109. It is unclear whether the committee, should Davis ever finish reading, will be in to work late into the night or over the weekend.

And, should any Davis sympathizers criticize the Republican minority for forcing so many readings, Committee Chairman John Dingell, the dean of the House, made then-Clerk Marie Burns and other substitute clerks read 138 pages of a bill to reform the Superfund program as the committee's ranking minority member in 1995.

So as Washingtonians drip sweat from their brows headed home, members of the Energy and Commerce Committee sit in the chronically over-air conditioned Rayburn House Office Building, listening to Sharon Davis read as much as she can. One hopes Ms. Davis knows where to find a good cough drop, should the need arise.

Mason-Dixon released a new Florida poll, showing a tightening between Rudy Giuliani and Fred Thompson:

Republicans
Giuliani 21 (no trend)
Thompson 18
McCain 11
Romney 7
Huckabee 5

Giuliani's lead in the RCP Average for Florida is +5.5.

On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton leads Barack Obama by 14 points:

Democrats
Clinton 31 (no trend)
Obama 17
Edwards 12
Richardson 4

Clinton has a 21.7-point lead in the RCP Average for Florida.

I'm beginning to think Bill Richardson possesses some sort of Jedi-mind trick capability, which would explain not only why he's been able to convince vicious dictators to do his bidding but also why he continues to rise in the polls despite some sub par debate performances and an incoherent appearance on Meet the Press that might have derailed other candidates.

Richardson's latest knee-slapper was his assertion yesterday that Iowa is one of the Top 10 states in the country at risk of a terrorist attack.

People are used to the standard ethanol pander in Iowa during election years. These days, with the focus on breaking our dependence on foreign oil, playing the ethanol card is not only commonplace, it's actually become fashionable.

That might be the reason Richardson felt compelled come up with a new pander to set himself apart from the crowd in Iowa, but the one he used yesterday is so ridiculous it calls his judgment and credibility into question.

Now in its fourth day, the fight between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama got more personal and their advisers got more involved.

Yesterday Obama said, "I don't want Bush-Cheney lite," after comparing Clinton's stance on meeting with dictators to that of the Bush administration. Obama painted Clinton as a divisive insider, saying that the country needs a president who can "bring this country together," but "it's not enough to just change parties." The Boston Globe's James Pindell reports Obama conceding that he has less endorsements than Clinton and said it was because, "We haven't been in Washington all that long and we haven't traded that many favors."

Clinton took to CNN after Obama's comments. "This is getting kind of silly. You know I have been called a lot of things in my life but I've never been called George Bush or Dick Cheney certain," Clinton said, adding a dig at the title line of Obama's 2004 Democratic convention speech: "You know, you have to ask: what's ever happened to the 'Politics of Hope?'"

The Politco's Ben Smith reports that Clinton adviser Howard Wolfson and Obama adviser David Axelrod continued the attacks on cable television yesterday. The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza puts it bluntly: "For anyone not paying attention, the 2008 pre-season is over."

Meanwhile Clinton is sticking to her guns on asking the Pentagon for troop withdrawal plans even after Defense Secretary Gates apologized for his undersecretary's comments about her, promised that plans are being made but can't be disclosed, reports the New York Sun's Russell Berman.

John Edwards, who gave a similar response to Clinton's on diplomacy during the debate, is staying out of the fight and sticking to his economic message. The New York Times' Lesley Wayne reports Edwards proposed raising the rate on capital gains taxes from 15 percent to 28 percent for those earning more than $250,000 annually. The profits would be to "provide tax-free savings accounts and expanded tax credits for lower-income workers."

The Des Moines Register's Kelsey Beltramea reports Sen. Chris Dodd unveiled his health care plan that would have all employers providing insurance through an marketplace based on the current health benefits system for federal workers. "Individuals and businesses would then have a choice of plans, and would contribute wages based on their ability to pay."

Also in Iowa, Bill Richardson said Iowa is in the top 10 of states under terrorist threat because of its highways and agricultural infrastructure.

On the Republican side, Rudy Giuliani will skip the Sept. 17 YouTube debate due to "scheduling conflicts."

Rival Mitt Romney told the AP he's likely deliver a speech addressing his Mormon faith.

The Nashua Telegraph's Kevin Landrigan writes that John McCain wants a more humble foreign policy, which he would bring about by closing Guantanamo Bay, committing to reducing global warming and be more willing to negotiate with foreign countries than President Bush has been, McCain said. Former New Hampshire Rep. Chuck Douglas said McCain "seems more relaxed and at ease than in the past. I think he may find the state of the campaign liberating," without the pressures of being the frontrunner.

Get these and today's other election stories at RCP's Politics and Elections page.

Go to a Democratic house party, small fundraiser, anything like that, and you're unlikely to find any Coors products. That's not just because the chairman of the board, Pete Coors, made an unsuccessful bid for U.S. Senate as a Republican in 2004. It's not because the company's PAC gave about 70% of its donations to Republicans (a ratio that remains approximately the industry standard).

The Democratic party isn't a fan of Coors because of its history of supporting conservative causes. Millions of dollars from the Coors company have landed in GOP hands. The Coors family helped found the conservative Heritage Foundation. Some liberals even tried to boycott Coors when the company gave money to anti-affirmative action activist Ward Connerly for Proposition 209 in California several years ago.

So it seemed a little odd to find, in an article detailing corporate contributions to conventions, that Molson Coors Brewing is giving $1 million to Democrats when they throw their quadrennial convo in Denver next year. How will rank-and-file delegates to the convention react when they head out for a beer and find nothing but Coors? Prepare for some strong words.

Miller, the only major brewery left which marks their bottles as "Union Made," could swoop in to save the Democrats some face, though playing on another beer company's home turf might be too much like a corporate gang war. Besides, Milwaukee is much closer to Minneapolis, where Republicans are holding their get-together next year. Ah, refreshing irony.

Seven-term Republican Congressman Ray LaHood, representing Illinois' 18th Congressional District, will announce his retirement today. LaHood told the Chicago Tribune he's announcing his retirement early to "give prospective candidates time to consider a run for the seat," adding that the race to replace him is "wide open."

Two Republicans who have declared interest are state Reps. Aaron Schock and David Leitch. Republicans consider the seat safe, though certainly not a lock, and Democrats say they will make a serious effort to try and take it next November.

Research 2000 is out with a new poll in Iowa. For the Democrats, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have lost ground since the last Research 2000 poll while John Edwards has not:

Democrats
Edwards 27 (+1 vs last poll May 14-16)
Clinton 22 (-6)
Obama 16 (-6)
Richardson 11 (+4)
Undecided 16 (+6)

Edwards leads by 1.8% in the latest RCP Average for Iowa.

On the Republican side, Mitt Romney surges into a strong lead while Thompson continues to rise and Giuliani and McCain slide:

Republicans
Romney 25 (+9 vs last poll May 14-16)
F. Thompson 14 (+5)
Giuliani 13 (-4)
McCain 10 (-8)
Gingrich 6 (nc)
Undecided 22 (nc)

Mitt Romney currently leads by 9.0% in the latest RCP Average for Iowa.

General Election Match Ups
Clinton 42 - McCain 36
Clinton 41 - Giuliani 37
Clinton 42 - Romney 34
Clinton 41 - Thompson 31

Edwards 43 - McCain 36
Edwards 43 - Giuliani 36
Edwards 45 - Romney 34
Edwards 45 - Thompson 28

Obama 44 - McCain 36
Obama 45 - Giuliani 36
Obama 44 - Romney 34
Obama 43 - Thompson 29

Other notables: President Bush's job approval is at 27% - including only 55% among Republicans. Only 24% said going to war with Iraq was worth it. A striking 45% approve of Congress beginning impeachment proceedings against the President (74% D, 8% R, and 24% I) while 46% oppose the idea. And a majority, 54%, approve of Congress beginning impeachment proceedings against the Vice President (81% D, 14% R, and 63% I), while 40% oppose and 6% are unsure.

Meeting with the press yesterday, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid laid out a heavy workload for the upper chamber in the final two weeks before members take August off. Reid will try and win passage for four major bills before the summer recess, including reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, the September 11th Commission recommendations, the Homeland Security appropriations bill and an ethics and lobbying reform package.

Signaling a willingness to play legislative chicken with the Senate Republican caucus, Reid forecast a long, cold winter. "We're certainly going to be in here until at least Thanksgiving," he said.

At a separate meeting with reporters, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Democrats would miss their goal of ensuring spending bills would be finished by October 1st. Republican leaders of the House and Senate said Democrats in charge of Congress have failed to act on major legislation while inserting tax increases into other bills. "The Democrats are running the Congress exactly the way we thought they would," said House Republican leader John Boehner.

Issuing a "turbulent tax weather alert," Senate Minority Whip Trent Lott predicted appropriations bills would fail to gain enough support and Democrats would be forced to push through an omnibus spending bill in the new year. House GOP Conference chair Adam Putnam, a Florida Republican, blamed the failure to pass spending measures on budget bills that came in over President Bush's requests. Putnam called the legislation "veto bait."

But Democrats counter-charged that Republicans were to blame for obstructing the progress of several bills. "Senate Republicans have filibustered everything but the daily prayer, and I wouldn't be surprised if they did that next week," said Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin.

Durbin pointed to an analysis by the McClatchy news agency that showed Senate Republicans on pace to break the record for most filibusters in a two-year period. McConnell, asked about the tactic, fired back. "Another way of looking at it is there have been an excessive number of cloture petitions filed," he said, accusing Reid of rushing too fast on key legislation.

McConnell signaled that both the 9/11 Commission bill and the ethics and lobbying reform package would not face significant GOP opposition, though the Homeland Security and SCHIP bills will likely be far more contentious.

Reid also said he is in favor of appointing a special prosecutor to look into charges that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales had misled the Senate Judiciary Committee in testimony regarding the firing of several U.S. Attorneys, warrantless wiretapping and other topics. "I'm convinced [Gonzales] is not telling the truth," Reid said, basing his statement on conversations with members of the Judiciary Committee.