AP - McCain, Obama square off as race issue hits presidential campaign ... McCain defends use of Spears, Hilton in campaign ad while professing respect for Obama ... Obama seizes on record oil profit to criticize McCain over tax breaks for big oil companies ... Poll: Obama leads McCain in Pennsylvania; McCain tied with Obama in Ohio, Florida ... Ret. Gen. Wesley Clark gets online push for Obama running mate

Barack just sent out this email . . .

Amanda --

A few hours ago John McCain, the same man who just months ago promised to run a "respectful campaign," said he is "proud" of his latest attack ad.

That's the one attacking your enthusiasm, comparing me to Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, and making false claims about my energy plan.

Now, we're facing some serious challenges in this country -- our economy is struggling, energy costs are skyrocketing, and families don't have health care.

Given the seriousness of these issues, you'd think we'd be having a serious debate. But instead, John McCain is running an expensive, negative campaign against us. Each day brings a desperate new set of attacks.

And they're not just attacking me. They're attacking you.

They're mocking the desire of millions of Americans to step up and take ownership of the political process.

They're trying to convince you that your enthusiasm won't amount to anything -- that the people you persuade, the phone calls you make, the donations you give, the doors you knock on are all an illusion. They believe that in this election the same old smears and negative attacks will prevail again.

They're wrong.

And right now, we have a few hours left to prove them wrong in a very concrete way.

Can you make a donation right now before the July fundraising deadline at midnight tonight?

Show the strength of our movement for change.

Thank you,

Barack

AP - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama seized on a record oil company profit to argue that rival John McCain offers only tax breaks for Big Oil and "short-term gimmicks" to consumers struggling with soaring gasoline prices.

AFP - Republican John McCain lashed out Thursday at his Democratic White House rival Barack Obama for playing the "race card," but was accused in turn of stooping to character attacks.

AP - How many governors endorse one candidate for president and then even before the election leave the door open to working in his opponent's administration? One so far: Arnold Schwarzenegger.

With over 1.7 million donors, there are a variety of reasons why people donate to the campaign. And many supporters submitted their stories to tell us why they chose to give.

Gordon in Texas recently wrote us a letter explaining his story...

I wrote this on my first donation to the Obama campaign, and after multiple donations, it is still just as true.

To The Barack Obama Campaign,

I've been agonizing over the decision to donate to a political campaign for a while. I have never done it before, because I largely thought that politicians were the type of people that would "say anything to get elected." Unfortunately, I have been proven right time and again.

I was raised in a very Republican household and the joke around our table was that my father would likely disown my sisters if they ever dated a Democrat. I have all of the Christmas cards that my father received from the Reagan years in the White House.

Over the past ten years or so, however, I have become very disenchanted with the Republican party.

...Then I started reading about Barack Obama's positions and how he runs his campaigns.

Then I started to investigate how he was setting up his campaign.

Then I started to get excited about the possibilities that we might really have an agent for change in the "way that things are done."

Then I started to truly believe that we might really be able to start talking about the real issues in a real way and make things happen in Washington that doesn't pander to the lobbyists and political insiders.

My wife has told me that I am "obsessed" with this election. In a way, I am.

I not only voted for Mr. Obama in the Texas primary, I also attended the Caucus. I have never voted in a primary election before because I was so disenchanted with government in general. Mr. Obama has changed all that!

When I casually mentioned to my wife that I was considering donating to the campaign, she told me to "Go For It!" While I'm not able to help some of the grass roots efforts by calling, or any other ways supporting, I do want to support Mr. Obama's campaign efforts with a contribution.

I want him to know that I believe in him and his message of change, and I hope that he will prevail in this contest. I want him to know how important I think his campaign is to all Americans, and how much he has touched my life just by running and being about change and living that message. I hope that he succeeds in bringing about change in politics.

So, I am very proud that my very first, EVER, political campaign donation is going to the best cause that I can imagine: to support Barack Obama's bid for President of the United States.

Best Regards,
Gordon

AP - Republican presidential candidate John McCain expressed pride Thursday in a new campaign ad that compares Barack Obama to a pair of Hollywood celebrities, but defended his Democratic opponent after a voter said Obama "terrifies me."

AFP - John McCain's campaign Thursday accused Barack Obama of playing the "race card" after the Democratic White House candidate complained Republicans were trying to scare voters away from him.

If you are like me (and god help you if you are) you're getting a bit tired of reading the same criticisms and arguments against Obama day after day. Especially since many of them have been rebutted.

Reuters - Republican White House hopeful John McCain accused Democrat Barack Obama on Thursday of playing racial politics in some of the most biting back-and-forth of the presidential campaign.