KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES...  From NBC's Chuck Todd and Domenico Montanaro  —  So you think you know who's on Obama's veep short list?  Well, think again.  According to sources on the Hill, Obama veep vetters — specifically Jim Johnson and Eric Holder — have been asking Dem members …

Obama's Answer on the Johnson Conundrum  —  ABC News' Sunlen Miller today asked Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, how he could “rail against Countrywide Financial Corp as an example of insiders and today's economy while your VP search is headed by someone who got questionable loans from Countrywide?”

Ron Paul plans his own convention  —  TRIBUNE-REVIEW  —  Maverick GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul has booked an arena in Minneapolis for a “mini-convention” that could steal some of John McCain's thunder just days before he accepts the Republican nomination.

Ohio Guv Won't Run with Obama  —  ABC News' Teddy Davis and John Santucci Report: Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland (D) was Shermanesque on Tuesday in saying that he would “absolutely not” be Sen. Barack Obama's, D-Ill., running mate even if asked to join the Democratic ticket.

Clinton Asks Pledged Delegates To Support Obama (Updated)  —  Multiple Democratic sources say that Sen. Hillary Clinton, in a series of private conversations and conference calls, continues to urge her pledged delegates to vote for Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention.

Changes to Fox News Afternoons  —  TVNewser has learned beginning Monday Live Desk with Martha MacCallum will be expanded to two hours, airing from 1-3pmET.  MacCallum will also be getting a co-anchor and a new set.  Trace Gallagher joins as co-anchor, while continuing to fill in for Shepard Smith on Studio B and Fox Report.

BARACK'S BITE  —  WE'RE in for taxing times if Barack Obama wins the White House, says CNBC's Maria Bartiromo.  “He's going to take the capital gains tax at 15 percent right now all the way up to 25 to 28 percent,” the “Money Honey” tells Avenue.  “Sell anything, like a home or stocks, and make a profit . . .

Gallup Daily: Obama's Lead Stabilizing  —  Leads McCain 48% to 41% in latest presidential trial heat  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Barack Obama has a 48% to 41% lead in the latest Gallup Poll Daily tracking presidential election trial heat, based on June 7-9 polling.

TERRORIST FIST JAB, REDUX  —  Fox News' E.D. Hill offers up feeble apology for “terrorist fist jab” swipe at Obama ...  Late Update: Ouch.  Turns out E.D.'s show is being cancelled.  Maybe because she wasn't pushing the terrorist card hard enough?

Barack gets dressing down for dorkiness  —  Barack Obama ditched the campaign trail for the bike trail last weekend, offering onlookers a rare peek into the Democratic nominee's casual-wear closet.  —  It wasn't a pretty picture: ill-fitting jeans, a tucked-in golf shirt …

McCain: ‘I will veto every single beer’  —  (CNN) - John McCain issued a promise Tuesday that may cause a bit of unrest with a broad swath of voters:  —  He'll veto every single beer?  —  In a slip of the tongue while railing against excessive earmarks at the National Small Business Summit in Washington …

I Was Wrong About The War On Drugs — It's A Failure  —  I'll admit it, just five years ago I was “Public Enemy Number 1” in the eyes of the Libertarian Party.  In my 2002 congressional race for Georgia's Seventh District, the Libertarian Party ran scathing attack ads against my stand on Medical Marijuana.

Lieberman Camp To Obama: Back Off  —  We've been keeping you abreast of the ongoing behind-the-scenes battle between Barack Obama and Joe Lieberman, who is fast emerging as the front man for John McCain's attacks on Obama as unfit to defend the country, and now there have been some key new developments.

The Train Wreck Ahead  —  Medicare is rolling toward disaster, and there is no easy way to fix it.  —  Social Security reform plans are a dime a dozen, but credible Medicare reform proposals are scarce.  Why?  Because Medicare's financial problems are so immense as to seem beyond resolution, and the policy environment is complex.