SurveyUSA conducted a poll, commissioned by the  conservative Civitas Institute, in North Carolina's Second District and finds that the videotape of Bob Etheridge's altercation with a pair of videographers has definitely taken a toll on his numbers.  Fully 84% of the respondents had seen or heard about the videotape, and a near-majority said it made them less likely to support Etheridge in the fall, including 48% of Independents.

On the head-to-head numbers, Ellmers leads Etheridge 39%-38%, with 13% heading to for the Libertarian.  It is obviously awful news for an incumbent to be polling at 38% against an unknown candidate like Ellmers.

Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley continues to appear to be in good shape in his quest for a sixth term in office. A new Rasmussen poll (June 14, 500 LV, MoE +/- 4.5%) finds Grassley polling above 50% and leading Democrat Roxanne Conlin by 17 points.

Grassley 54
Conlin 37
Und 8

Grassley has extended his lead since late April, when Rasmussen found him up 14 points.

RCP rates this race Likely Republican.

Billionaire Florida Senate candidate Jeff Greene (D) is launching a TV ad in the Washington media market today calling on Congress "to investigate Kendrick Meek's corruption."

The context is a month-old revelation of the Miami congressman's connection to a developer accused of stealing $1 million. The developer, whom Meek sought earmarks for, hired Meek's mother, former congresswoman Carrie Meek, and gave Meek's Miami chief of staff $13,000 to assist in buying a house.

Greene has shown he's willing to spend significant money to win the Democratic Senate nomination, as Meek had long been considered the likely nominee. Here is the ad:

Yesterday, on the fifty-seventh day of the catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico, President Obama finally found time to meet with executives from BP - even though the official schedule released by the White House showed the President only giving 20 minutes of his time. Today, however, the President found more than an hour in his schedule to meet with progressive pundits:

President Obama met for lunch on Thursday with a group of predominantly progressive columnists to discuss a range of topics, chief among them the oil spill in the Gulf.

Attendees included Gail Collins of the New York Times, Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post, Rachel Maddow of MSNBC and Gerald Seib, the Washington bureau chief of The Wall Street Journal, all of whom were spotted leaving the West Wing at roughly 1:45 p.m.

The lunch lasted more than an hour, said a White House spokesman. But no further details were offered. For full disclosure, Huffington Post co-founder and editor-in-chief Arianna Huffington was invited to attend but could not make it due to a scheduling conflict.

Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) apologized to BP CEO Tony Hawyard at the opening of today's House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on the Gulf oil spill. Barton called the pressure the White House put on BP to increase its restitution to Gulf residents a "shakedown," and referred to the $20 billion escrow account BP set up as a "slush fund."

"I am ashamed of what happened at the White House yesterday," Barton said.

The White House jumped on the comment, with Press Secretary Robert Gibbs releasing the following statement:

"What is shameful is that Joe Barton seems to have more concern for big corporations that caused this disaster than the fishermen, small business owners and communities whose lives have been devastated by the destruction. Congressman Barton may think that a fund to compensate these Americans is a ‘tragedy', but most Americans know that the real tragedy is what the men and women of the Gulf Coast are going through right now. Members from both parties should repudiate his comments.”

On RCP, Jay Cost writes that the reported Democratic plan to pass energy legislation with a lame duck Congress after the November elections would solidify the view that the president is a "bully," not a leader. Also on RCP, former New York City Mayor Ed Koch calls on supporters of Israel to speak out in defense of the besieged nation.

On Politics Nation, Kyle Trygstad writes about the messy state of Illinois politics.

On RCM, Diana Furchtgott-Roth details Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels' efforts to broaden health coverage and reduce spending on health care in his state. Also, John Tamny argues that President Obama's harsh approach toward BP is "protectionist" and will produce "blowback" in the form of reduced stateside investment and more challenges for American companies overseas.

On RCS, Jeff Neuman writes that Tiger Woods faces significant uncertainty heading into the U.S. Open.

Finally, today's slate of World Cup games is underway. For full previews of all of today's matches, visit The Cup Running Over blog.

After a triumphant primary runoff victory, Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D) opens the general election campaign with a sizable deficit to Republican John Boozman, who leads by 29 points in a new Rasmussen poll (June 15, 500 LV, MoE +/- 4.5%). And very few voters are undecided.

Boozman 61
Lincoln 32
Und 3

RCP rates this race Likely Republican.

What issues are on the minds of the average American? According to Gallup, the oil spill is quickly moving toward the top. In early May, just 1% said natural disaster response was the most important issue. Now, that has shot up to 18%, ranking third.

Gallup's Jeffrey M. Jones notes that the 17-point leap "ranks among the largest one-month changes in the percentage mentioning any issue as the most important problem since Gallup began asking this question on a monthly basis in 2001." The only bigger jump? Terrorism, after 9/11.

Here are the top issues: economy in general (28%); unemployment/jobs (21%); natural disaster response (18%); disaffection with government (14%); health care (11%); federal budget deficit (7%); immigration (5%); ethical/moral decline (4%); war/fear of war (4%); lack of money (4%).

John Kass provides the equation:

GOP Boss + Democratic Gov. + Soon-to-be Democratic President + Convicted Influence Peddler = How Illinois Works x (Peach Bellinis + Figs Wrapped with Prosciutto).

Read the rest here.

A new poll from Washington state pollster Stuart Elway finds Republican Senate candidate Dino Rossi gaining ground on third-term incumbent, Patty Murray (D). In early may, before Rossi announced his candidacy, Murray led 51%-34%. Now, Murray's under 50% and leading by just 7 points.

Murray 47
Rossi 40
Und 13

Meanwhile, Murray leads two other GOP contenders, including Sarah Palin-endorsed Clint Didier. Murray leads Didier 46%-32% and businessman Paul Akers 47%-33%.

RCP currently rates this race a Toss Up.