Morning Road Map

By Michelle Levi and Steve Chaggaris

McCAIN holds a town hall meeting in Kansas City, Mo., at 12:30pm ET today. Later this evening he will attend a fund-raiser in Ferrysburg, Mich.

OBAMA will spend the day in Chicago with no public events scheduled as he prepares for his foreign trip.

McCain supporters Sens. Richard Burr, R-N.C., Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., John Thune, R-S.D., and Reps. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Eric Cantor, R-Va., will hold a press conference to unveil a new campaign video entitled, "The Obama Iraq Documentary: Whatever the Politics Demand" at 3:30pm on Capitol Hill.

Al Gore will deliver a major speech on climate change, oil and Iraq today at noon in Washington, DC.

Former President Bill Clinton will make an announcment concerning malaria drugs in conjunction with the Clinton Foundation at 12:45pm in New York City.

NEW THIS MORNING: Obama's campaign announced he raised $52 million in June and that, combined with the Democratic National Committee, they had "nearly $72 million in the bank" at the end of June. Last week, McCain's camp announced a $22 million haul in June (his best month ever). Despite the huge difference in their campaigns' fund-raising numbers, McCain and the Republican National Committee combined had more in the bank at the end of June: $95 million.

Washington Post, "Figures in Both Campaigns Have Deep Ties to Mortgage Giants"

The Hill, "Few House GOP donate to McCain"

Boston Herald, "Obama hopes you'll spend time at his birthday ba$h in the Hub"

ECONOMY

Financial Times, "McCain and Obama look overseas while investors panic"

Wall Street Journal's Karl Rove writes, "Voters Want Economic Leadership": "Elections are often reshaped by unexpected and fast-moving events, and when this happens a candidate who quickly takes the lead on the new issue can bolster his chances to win. There is such an opportunity now for Barack Obama and John McCain with the crisis facing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac."

Washington Post's Meyerson, "What McCain Economic Policy?"

OBAMA'S FOREIGN TRIP

Time Magazine, "What Obama Should Do in Baghdad"

USA Today, "Obama to kick off 5-nation tour"

NY Times, "Media Stars Will Accompany Obama Overseas"

Time Magazine, "Obama Faces His Overseas Audition"

FOREIGN POLICY

NY Times, "In Iraq, Affection for Obama ... but His Proposal?"

LA Times, "Obama unveils plan to protect U.S. from 21st century threats":

McCAIN'S NAACP SPEECH

LA Times, "NAACP gives McCain a respectful reception"

USA Today, "NAACP gives low-key response to McCain"

VEEPSTAKES

Washington Post, "The Running-Mate Question: Hill Veteran or Change Agent?"

CBS News' John Bentley, "McCain on a Possible Republican Running Mate for Obama"

CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic, "Bayh, Nunn Talk About Being Potential Obama Running Mate"

Chicago Tribune, "Veepstakes on stage at Obama stop"

Boston Globe, "Romney will eat campaign loans": "Mitt Romney, whose prospects to be John McCain's running mate appear on the rise, is preparing to formally declare he will not seek donations to repay $45 million in personal loans he made to his failed presidential bid — the biggest ever made by a candidate in a primary campaign."

CBN News's Brody, "Would VP Romney Thread the Needle?"

NY Daily News, "Dream Ticket Backers Still Pushing Hillary on Obama"

CQ.com, "Chet Edwards: 'I wish I could say more'"

ALSO:

NY Times, "Obama and McCain Expand Courtship of Hispanics"

Washington Post, "Obama Adds 20 Va. Offices In a Big Push To Win State"

Politico's Allen, "Ex-Obama aide cashing in on 'change'"

Libertarian Presidential Nominee Bob Barr writes in the Wall Street Journal, "Judges Are No Reason to Vote for McCain"

LA Times, "Obama not quite his father's son"

Politico, "McCain's humor often backfires"