In the Headlines

"McCain backs gun decision, Obama straddles issue" (Liz Sidoti, AP) - John McCain welcomed a Supreme Court decision invalidating a District of Columbia handgun ban. Barack Obama sought to straddle the subject by saying he favors an individual's right to bear firearms as well as a government's right to regulate them.

"Obama Leads McCain in Key Battleground State" (June Kronholz, Wall Street Journal) - Four states that are expected to be pivotal in deciding November's presidential election are trending comfortably toward Barack Obama, with independents giving him wide support over John McCain, according to a Quinnipiac University poll conducted in partnership with The Wall Street Journal and washingtonpost.com.

"McCain, GOP unleash anti-Obama plan" (Jonathan Martin, The Politico) - Republicans might have a reason to smile: John McCain and his allies seem to have finally settled on a way to draw a stark contrast with Barack Obama. After weeks of criticism from Republicans about the leisurely pace at which they seemed to be preparing for the general election, McCain's campaign has apparently settled on a highly personal campaign theme that aims to differentiate McCain and Obama on both character and issues.

"Obama, Clinton take first public step toward unity" (Beth Fouhy, AP) - When Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton step onstage in their first joint campaign appearance in New Hampshire, it will be the first public display of a rapprochement between former rivals hoping to set aside differences and unify the party while helping each other.

On the Morning Shows

Morning Joe - Susan Rice, Obama foreign-policy adviser, on North Korea giving up nuclear program: "It's an important but modest first step... Direct diplomacy can yield modest results.... But we would not have gotten this far if the Bush administration had not belatedly ... come to negotiations."

On giving the Bush administration credit for no terrorist attacks on U.S. soil since 9/11: "What we have to acknowledge is that while we haven't been attacked we are less safe. "

From Late Night

Letterman: