The race card: Did Obama play it or is McCain playing games?
John McCain thinks Barack Obama is playing the race card. The Republican presidential candidate and his staff were upset by a comment Obama made on the campaign trail. During a campaign speech, the Illinois Democrat told supporters Republicans were trying to make voters scared of him. “What they’re saying is, well, we know we’re not very good, but you can’t risk electing Obama. You know, he’s new, he’s — he doesn’t look like the other presidents on the currency. He — you know,

Video: Obama Quest - The Holy Land
Barack Obama holds a press conference at the Temple of Hercules, while John McCain is on his own quest for attention in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

Ludacris Hypes Obama, Knocks McCain
Grammy Award-winning rapper Ludacris has released a new song called "Politics: Obama is Here", in which he disparages Hillary Clinton, Jesse Jackson and John McCain but has nothing but praise for Barack Obama, whom he asks to make him his vice president or give him "a special pardon if I'm ever in the slammer." Ludacris, who has clashed with Fox News' Bill O'Reilly and Oprah Winfrey in the past, uses some irreverent language in the new song and encourages black Americans to propel Obama to victory and "

New Yorker's 'terrorist' Obama cover under fire
In a campaign in which Senator Barack Obama touching fists with his wife sparked a "controversy", the New Yorker's latest cover was never going to slip onto newsstands unnoticed. In a satirical swipe at the crazy rumours about the presidential candidate and his wife, Michelle, the liberal magazine depicts them as terrorists in the oval office. Obama is in Muslim clothing; Michelle, in an Afro and military garb, has an AK-47 slung over he shoulder. Naturally, the fist bumping is there, along with a por

John McCain Compares Barack Obama to Britney and Paris in New Ad
In a new ad out by John McCain's campaign, he is comparing the stardom and the way paparazzi flock to Barack Obama, with Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. McCain campaign manager Rick Davis explained in a conference call with reporters: "What we decided to do is find the top three international celebrities in the world, and I would say from our indications, Britney and Paris came in second and third. "It is not our campaign that is trying to make him into an international celebrity," Davis added.

Ludacris' Obama song unlikely to alienate voters
Ludacris' new song, "Politics as Usual," may have cost him one of his biggest fans, Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama. And for good reason: It points up the dilemma facing the nation's potential first black president, who wants the support of the influential hip-hop community but needs to steer clear of the controversy so commonly associated with its music. Ludacris' "Politics as Usual" alludes to an imminent victory for Obama by handing out major put-downs to his rivals. It dismisses Hilla

Obama on Paris: Never Met The Woman
Barack Obama didn’t let a little rain keep him from ribbing John McCain about his latest anti-Obama ad at a Missouri cookout — ridiculing the McCain campaign for comparing him to Paris Hilton. “Since they don’t have any new ideas the only strategy they’ve got in this election is to try to scare you about me,” Obama told the crowd of 100 gathered under a picnic shelter. He’d used that line of attack throughout the day. “They’re going to send out nasty emails. The latest one, they’ve

Obama rejects Ludacris rap lyrics
A song by rap star Ludacris criticising Barack Obama's opponents has been called "outrageously offensive" by the US presidential candidate's campaign. Politics As Usual calls President Bush "mentally handicapped", and insults both Hillary Clinton and John McCain. "Ludacris is a talented individual but he should be ashamed of these lyrics," said Mr Obama's spokesman Bill Burton. The rap star's publicist initially declined to comment, reported the Associated Press.