What do Wesley Clark's comments yesterday do for his chances of becoming Obama's VP? How do certain McCain tickets stack up against Obama tickets? We take a look in the VP Watch blog today.

The Obama campaign will begin airing its second TV ad of the general election today in 18 states, including 14 that Pres. Bush won in 2004. Obama's first ad, a 60-second bio ad, began airing 10 days ago in the same 18 states. They are: Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Virginia.

Obama's second ad, "Dignity":

The Obama campaign will begin airing its second TV ad of the general election today in 18 states, including 14 that Pres. Bush won in 2004. Obama's first ad, a 60-second bio ad, began airing 10 days ago in the same 18 states. They are: Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Virginia.

Obama's second ad, "Dignity":

Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr--and proverbial skunk at the GOP garden party--made an appearance on Fox News yesterday:

"What's wrong with John McCain is symptomatic of what's wrong with the Republican Party in these first years of the 21st century," said Barr, a former Republican congressman from Georgia. "They talk one thing but do something different, and that's become very obvious to the American people."

Libertarians are known to be a purist bunch, which is why it must have been a tad awkward when Chris Wallace inquired about Barr's own inconsistencies:

In the interview, the former lawmaker was pushed on his own record, with host Chris Wallace pointing out that Barr had supported the Patriot Act and backed the Iraq war.

Barr's answer was dicey at best:

"I was wrong with regard to the Patriot Act, entrusting the administration with its assurances that the act would not be used and abused," he said. "And I certainly was wrong, along with a lot of others in the Congress, who now realize that their vote in support of military operations in Iraq was not what the administration intended. They intended to occupy the country even though they didn't tell us or the American people that at the time."

Translation: "Well, I basically trusted the government at the time." Not exactly music to Libertarian ears--many of which, it's pretty safe to bet, are still longing for Ron Paul.

At a press conference in Harrisburg, Pa., today, McCain was asked to respond to statements made by retired Gen. Wesley Clark yesterday on CBS's "Face the Nation."

Here are some of Clark's staments, as the AP reported:

"He has been a voice on the Senate Armed Services Committee and he has traveled all over the world, but he hasn't held executive responsibility," Clark said. "That large squadron in the Navy that he commanded -- that wasn't a wartime squadron."

Moderator Bob Schieffer, who raised the issue by citing similar remarks Clark has made previously, noted that Obama hadn't had those experiences nor had he ridden in a fighter plane and been shot down. "Well, I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president," Clark replied.

At today's press conference, McCain said Obama did not need to specifically address Clark's statements, but did say:

"I think that that kind of thing is unnecessary. I'm proud of my record of service, and I have plenty of friends and leaders who will attest to that. But the important thing is that if that's the kind of campaign that Senator Obama and his surrogates and supporters want to engage, I understand that, but it doesn't lower a gallon of gas by one penny. ... So I intend, in this campaign, to discuss the challenges we face."

McCain also commented on Obama's patriotism:

"I think Senator Obama is a great American success story. I think his family is. I think he's someone who is admired and respected throughout this country and the world. I think our differences are how we intend to move forward in conducting the affairs of this country. We have very different views and very different positions, and I look forward to ventilating those. But I think all Americans are proud of Senator Obama and what he's been able to accomplish, he and his entire family have been able to accomplish in this nation. And I think it's living proof of some of the greatness of America."

Obama appeared to denounce Clark's statements in his speech in Independence, Mo., today, and his campaign left no questions about Obama's feelings on it with the release of this statement by campaign spokesman Bill Burton:

"As he's said many times before, Senator Obama honors and respects Senator McCain's service, and of course he rejects yesterday's statement by General Clark."

Speaking in Independence, Mo., today, Obama talks patriotism and those that have questioned his. Here is an excerpt from his speech:

"It is worth considering the meaning of patriotism because the question of who is -- or is not -- a patriot all too often poisons our political debates, in ways that divide us rather than bringing us together. I have come to know this from my own experience on the campaign trail.

"Throughout my life, I have always taken my deep and abiding love for this country as a given. It was how I was raised, it was what propelled me into public service, it is why I am running for president. And yet, at certain times over the last 16 months I have found for the first time my patriotism challenged -- at times as a result of my own carelessness, more often as a result of the desire by some to score political points and raise fears and doubts about who I am and what I stand for.

"So let me say this at the outset of my remarks, I will never question the patriotism of others in this campaign. And I will not stand idly by when I hear others question mine."

Later in the speech, Obama said:

"As Mark Twain, that greatest of American satirists and proud son of Missouri, once wrote, 'Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.'"

With a hat tip to McCain, Obama said:

"For those who have fought under the flag of this nation -- for the young veterans I meet when I visit Walter Reed; for those like John McCain who have endured physical torment in service to our country -- no further proof of such sacrifice is necessary. And let me also add that no one should ever devalue that service, especially for the sake of a political campaign, and that goes for supporters on both sides.

"We must always express our profound gratitude for the service of our men and women in uniform. Period."

Florida has proved to be a key state over the last 80 years, voting for the winning candidate in 18 of the 20 presidential elections during that time. Only John F. Kennedy in 1960 and Bill Clinton in 1992 have won the presidency during that span of time without winning Florida.

However, the Obama campaign has mapped out paths to the White House that do not include either Florida or Ohio (which has also voted for the winner in 18 of the last 20 elections), meaning a loss in the state would not necessarily prove as fateful as years past. Obama could become the first candidate to win without either state since J.F.K., but the campaign isn't taking chances and has signed up the top Democratic strategist in Florida.

The Miami Herald profiles today the head of Obama's Florida operations, Steve Schale.

As the Herald writes, the 33-year-old Schale "may be the savviest Democratic operative in the state. He helped his beleaguered party do something it hadn't done in more than 20 years: pick up a seat in the Florida House of Representatives. Under his steady hand, Democrats netted nine seats in the past two years."

Schale told the Herald that Obama is putting in place "the largest and most comprehensive organization that my side of the aisle has ever seen in Florida."

In the Headlines

"GOP Sharpens Attacks on Obama" (Michael Shear, Washington Post) - Sen. John McCain's allies have seized on a new and aggressive line of attack against Sen. Barack Obama, casting the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee as an opportunistic and self-obsessed politician who will do and say anything to get elected.

"Lack of funds hobbling the 'Republican attack machine'" (Steven Thomma, McClatchy) - Democrats and the media have used the term so much that it's almost an article of faith. But the so-called "Republican attack machine" waiting with piles of unregulated cash to chew up Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is anything but.

"Clark hits McCain's military credentials" (Josh Kraushaar, The Politico) - Gen. Wesley Clark, acting as a surrogate for Barack Obama's campaign, invoked John McCain's military service against him in one of the more personal attacks on the Republican presidential nominee this election cycle. Clark said that McCain lacked the executive experience necessary to be president, calling him "untested and untried" on CBS' "Face the Nation." And in saying so, he took a few swipes at McCain's military service.

"Obama and McCain search for running mates" (Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times) - To believe the talk in Washington, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is considering more than two dozen candidates as potential vice presidential nominees, including 13 senators or former senators, 11 governors or former governors, two retired generals and former Vice President Al Gore.

On the Morning Shows

Morning Joe - Obama communications director Robert Gibbs, on whether the campaign is behind Gen. Clark's comments: "No, we're not. ... We certainly honor the sacrifice and the service and the heroism of John McCain. Those are the comments of Gen. Clark, not Barack Obama. ... They both love their countries, and anyone who questions otherwise doesn't make much sense.

"What we need in the next president is judgment. The judgment to lead this country."

McCain campaign manager Rick Davis on Clark's comments: "I think the question is why the Barack Obama campaign would place Wesley Clark on that show with the understanding that he's likely to talk about McCain's service to this country in this fashion.... We haven't heard a single word from the Obama campaign on how outrageous [it was].

"This is from a campaign that has tried to raises the bar ... run a different campaign. ... The new look is old politics."

From Late Night

Letterman:

(Greg Bobrinskoy contributed to the Morning Report.)

New Farleigh Dickinson University Public Mind poll (June 17- 23, 702 RV, MoE +/- 4%), has Obama up by a comfortable 16 points in the Garden State:

Obama 49
McCain 33
Undecided 15

Obama leads by 10.3% in the RCP Average for New Jersey.

From the write up:

However, the results are not all good news for Obama. Only 64% of respondents who say they voted for Sen. Hillary Clinton in February's primary election now say that they will support Obama in November; 18% say that they will support the Republican. "In many ways, this race is going to be a fight over Clinton supporters," said Dan Cassino, a professor of political science at Fairleigh Dickinson and survey analyst for PublicMind. "That fight is far from over."

However, hurting McCain is the fact that only 18% of voters say that they approve of the job President Bush is doing while 75% disapprove. Worse, only 15% say that the country is moving in the right direction and nearly three in four say the country is headed in the wrong direction.

"Obama Gives $2,300 for Clinton Debt," today's New York Times reports:

Senator Barack Obama said on Thursday that he had written a personal check of $2,300 to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, a good-will gesture intended to nudge his top donors to help ease Mrs. Clinton's campaign debt and help the two Democrats move beyond their rivalry to focus on the fall contest.

In a ballroom at the Mayflower Hotel here, Mrs. Clinton introduced Mr. Obama to about 300 of her leading contributors, most of whom raised at least $100,000 for her campaign. It was the first time the senators shared a stage since she suspended her candidacy and endorsed him nearly three weeks ago....

Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton arrived separately and entered through a side door of the hotel, a few blocks from the White House, bypassing a half-dozen demonstrators who held signs urging Mr. Obama to consider Mrs. Clinton as his running mate and to help retire her campaign debt.

Michelle Obama also donated $2,300 to the impoverished former candidate--a candidate who happens, it turns out, to have around $30-$34 million in the bank. Such is the strange nature of politics, where campaign debts inspire “disaster relief funds” for multimillionaire candidates--while other multimillionaires are recruited to pay them off.