Dayton International Airport:

On the day when Barack Obama is to make his historic speech accepting the democratic nomination for president, the media descended on the small Dayton International Airport to wait the arrival of John McCain.  The speculation was running fast and furious on who the pick might be after Carl broke the news that Rick Davis, McCain campaign manager, confirmed that John McCain had made his decision….

No leaking of who…just that the decision was made……The Vice Presidential pick will join John McCain at a rally at noon Friday at the Nutter Center in Dayton, Oh.

Get your mute buttons ready, the attack ads have begun.

Today John McCain provided more details on his healthcare plan in Tampa, Fl….he promised to work with states to find creative ways to cover approximately 7 million Americans with pre-existing conditions who would have difficulty getting insurance. At the same time his campaign released an ad touting the already released cornerstone of his plan…a voluntary alternative to employer paid insurance:

While McCain chose healthcare as the focus of his first issue ad as the presumptive GOP nominee, the SEIU in Ohio launched its first attack ad

The ads are not only on domestic issues, the DNC unveiled an attack ad against McCain for his “100 yrs” remarks at a NH town hall mtg in January.

The ad excerpts McCain’s remarks in context then follows with some tough political hits, but the RNC is screaming foul. They want networks to refuse to air the ad asserting that it is “false and defamatory.”

In addition the RNC is threatening legal action arguing that the DNC unlawfully coordinated the ads’ message with the Clinton and Obama campaigns. They are not showing their hand prematurely by presenting evidence of such illegally coordinated communication, but there are a few people who have worked for both the DNC and the campaigns in recent months.

The RNC complaint appears flimsy on the surface, but they may have more cards to play. In the meantime the RNC has pout out a web ad aimed at shaming Obama for countenancing attacks on McCain.

As usual, our email inboxes are being inundated with “fact checks” and background info from the campaigns and Democrats.

The Democratic National Committee is particularly focussed on Rudy Giuliani thus far but is also going after Mitt Romney today. Untouched is Mike Huckabee. Calling Matt Drudge? (who reported yesterday that the DNC is laying off the new top tier candidate believing that he would be an easy general election target.) The DNC denies the story….

But here are the DNC emails we have gotten thus far:

–DMR REPUBLICAN DEBATE: Giuliani Increased NYC Government Spending
–DMR REPUBLICAN DEBATE: Giuliani’s Flawed Care Plan
–DMR REPUBLICAN DEBATE: Giuliani Changes Position on School Choice
–DMR REPUBLICAN DEBATE: Mitt Romney Knows Why Jobs Go … And Where He Sends Them
–DMR REPUBLICAN DEBATE: Romney and Giuliani Both Profit from Foreign Oil

***UPDATE***

The DNC just sent out on Huck release:

DMR REPUBLICAN DEBATE: Arkansas Failed to Meet Education Obligations Under Huckabee

But they are still focussed on the other two front-runners this afternoon:

DMR REPUBLICAN DEBATE: Giuliani Grasping for Numbers on Ending Illegal Immigration
DMR REPUBLICAN DEBATE: Giuliani Big on Secrecy as NYC Mayor
DMR REPUBLICAN DEBATE: Giuliani Changes Position on School Choice
DMR REPUBLICAN DEBATE: Romney Takes Third Position on GlobalWarming