President

U.S. Sen. John McCain: Getty Images PhotoU.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) sure wants to push his presidential opponent to the limit in Pennsylvania. He rolled through the state this week with dual stops in Harrisburg and the Philadelphia suburbs, determined to compete in a state that many are forecasting will go to U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).

Now he's planning on appearing in Wilkes-Barre on July 23, The Times Leader reports.

Details are still being finalized, but it looks like he'll depart from the requisite town hall meeting in favor of a luncheon, though a second event in this town 100 miles north of Philadelphia could also be in the works.

The luncheon is being coordinated by Dan Meuser, who lost a close primary race this year to Chris Hackett to be the GOP nominee for the 10th Congressional District.

Pennsylvania is one of four states that will see the Republican National Committee's first ad of the general election campaign this weekend, The AP reports.

The $3-million RNC ad campaign will put the same ad, which reportedly focuses on energy security issus, on stations in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio

The effort is being coordinated by a media firm that worked on Mitt Romney's primary campaign, The AP reports. 

The presidential campaign of U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) was able to bring in $1.5 million during a cocktail reception and fundraiser in suburban Philadelphia on Monday night, The Inquirer reports.

The fundraiser took place in the wealthy Philadelphia suburb of Bryn Mawr, which is in the battleground of Montgomery County. As McCain looks to boost his campaign coffers and catch up with opponent U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's (D-Ill.) record fundraising, many analysts have identified winning the Philadelphia suburbs as key to winning the state.

Monday's fundraiser was attended by U.S. Sens. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), as well as Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett.

PIPERSVILLE -- At U.S. Sen. John McCain's town hall meeting here Monday, the presumptive Republican nominee was challenged by a questioner who said his appraoch to development of new energy techonologies required a greater push by the federal government.

McCain respectfully disagreed, saying the approach was rooted in encouraging free-market style innovation.

"The way to solve this issue is the let a thousand flowers bloom," he said.

Here is the full video of his response. 

Anti-war protestor outside a John McCain town hall event Monday in Bucks County. Several dozen were on hand in Pipersville: Politicker PhotoPIPERSVILLE -- Anytime U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Airz.) campaigns in southeastern Pennsylvania, the Iraq war protestors are there. They were there in Philadelphia. And they were there in larger numbers today in Bucks County, where McCain appeared at a town hall event here.

This time, several dozen convened outside the contracting company warehouse where McCain spoke. A couple stood by the street corner leading to the company complex holding signs against the war.

Inside, as he usually does in campaign appearance, McCain said America was now winning the war.

When the clock strikes midnight, donations for the current federal campaign finance quarter end and candidates will have to report whatever cash they have managed to raise. Candidates on all levels made last-ditch pitches for some extra dough in the final hours.

U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) kicked off the requests at 9:16 this morning, telling supporters in an email that "right now is the time to step up and own a piece of this campaign."

After the presidential candidate made his appeal, the congressional candidates jumped in.

PIPERSVILLE -- As his town-hall style meeting here today came to a close, U.S. Sen. John McCain made it plainly clear where he considers himself in the battle for president.

"I’m the underdog," he said. "Have no doubt about it."

McCain and other Republicans have previously spoken of the large fundraising advantage his opponent, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, is likely to have leading up to November's general election. But McCain has been increasingly blunt about his chances, with most polls showing him trailing.

Still, he sought to dispel any notion that Pennsylvania is out of the Republicans' hands, and said he would be the underdog until the polls closed and he was elected president

"Have no doubt that Pennsylvania will be a battleground state," he said.

PIPERSVILLE -- The presidential campaign of U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) rolled into this quiet, rural village in the Philadelphia suburbs today, as McCain addressed voters in packed company warehouse a month after cancelling the event because of a head cold.

McCain arrived at Worth & Company Inc., in Bucks County after rolling through the state from Harrisburg. As more than 1,000 people looked on in the crowded warehouse on a hot day, he gave only brief remarks before taking questions. But he did take time to give a nod of approval to both Worth & Company, calling it a "great American story," as well as the state's residents serving in the military.

"No one has served more heroically than the Pennsylvania Guard and reserve, and I know you're very proud," he said.

John McCain's Pa. Town Hall meeting today is being streamed live on CNN.com.  You can see it here.  On the top right under videos.

On a day when his opponent was campaigning in the state, the presidential campaign of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama released its second ad of the general election. The advertisement, titled "Dignity," will air in Pennsylvania, among 18 other states, the campaign said today.

The brief spot reflects the campaign's continued efforts to introduce Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee, and his life story to voters.  It opens by telling voters that after working his way through Harvard Law School, he "turned down big money offers, and helped lift neighborhoods stung by job loss."

Seeking to win over voters right of center, it emphasizes his accomplishments in moving people off welfare and into work, and his tax cuts for workers.

As president, the ad's narrator says, Obama will "never forget the dignity that comes with work."