Clinton losing traction over Obama in Pennsylvania, Indiana  —  Her formerly double-digit lead is now just a five-point margin in Pennsylvania, survey finds.  The reduced margin makes a win for her there less significant.  She trails Obama among Hoosiers.  —  WASHINGTON — With three …

What Obama Really Got Wrong  —  Timothy Noah, surveying the literature on the white working class and its voting behavior in the wake of Obama's San Francisco fiasco, tiptoes close to an important point about the roots of culture-war politics but doesn't quite get there.

On Cable, Obama Deluges Pa. with Ads  —  As the Democratic candidates for president close in on Pennsylvania primary day, Sen. Barack Obama continues to vastly outspend Sen. Hillary Clinton on television advertising in the state, an imbalance that is allowing him to pursue voters on specialty channels …

Remarks By John McCain On The Economy  —  ARLINGTON, VA — U.S. Senator John McCain will deliver the following remarks as prepared for delivery at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA, today at 9:45 a.m. EDT:  —  Thank you.  I appreciate the hospitality of the Allegheny Business Conference …

Return of the pin  —  As a reader noticed, Obama was sporting the much-debated flag pin for his speech to veterans today.  —  UPDATE: The pin was given to Obama by a disabled vet at the event.

Senate Democrats Can't Count, And They Think You Smell Funny  —  Thanks to the amazing skill Barack Obama has shown this week of how easily he can stick his foot in his mouth while trying to speak off the cuff, the country continues to focus on who is or is not bitter, and whether guns …

Benedict in Sackcloth  —  Comments like this one, in an AFP story (but many other places, too, and will be many other places as the week progresses) irritate me:  —  In response to papal comments about the sex scandals here: … There was also a piece in the Washington Post …

J Street  —  Here's an exciting development — J Street, a new, progressive, Israel- and Mideast-focused organization has launched.  The main idea behind the outfit is to address the paradox that most Jewish Americans have liberals views on the issues, including such matters as West Bank settlements …

Montana Pol: Clinton Endorsement Preceded Obama ‘Cling’ Flap  —  Just when did Montana politico Bill Kennedy decide to endorse Hillary Clinton?  —  The Clinton campaign has suggested the Yellowstone County commissioner picked Clinton only after he heard Barack Obama's now famous “bitter” comments.

Cling V. Bitter, Elitist V. Snob  —  I agree with Rich entirely.  I don't mind him saying that small town blue collar workers are bitter over lost jobs.  I think that's objectively true in some cases and perfectly defensible as a general statement.  The offending word here is “cling.”

Abolish All ‘Taxes’  —  THE word “tax” was never pretty.  But it has lately become the ugliest word in the English language, right up there with its evil twin, “death.”  Even in time of war, ostensibly patriotic politicians blithely pledge to slay any tax that rears its ghastly head.

GOV IS PLAIN CHEAP  —  270G COUPLE DONATES JUST $150 - IN OLD CLOTHES  —  ALBANY - Gov. Paterson and his wife last year gave a shockingly low $150 to charity, despite a combined income of nearly $270,000, the couple's income-tax filings show.  —  The $150 went to the Salvation Army in the form of used clothing, a Paterson aide said.

McCain Proposes Special Summer Tax Break for Exxon  —  That is what the headlines on Senator McCain's proposal to remove the gas tax for the summer driving season should have read, since that would be the predicted effect of his plan.  —  According to the oil industry …