Elsewhere: Fist Bumps, Bosom Buddies, and Starbucks

Marc Ambinder fully explains the nuances of John McCains’ sort-of-but-not-really shake-up today.

Meanwhile, whoever’s calling the shots in McCain’s campaign clearly believes they can get more mileage out of the Wesley Clark flap.

Polls, polls, polls: Gallup national: Obama +2; Florida: McCain +8; Georgia: McCain +8

Father Andrew Greeley has something to say – and you will read it (if you click this link).

There could be a very innocent explanation to the Washington Post’s story about Obama’s discounted mortgage.

Turns out that six-year-old kid wasn’t trying to get Obama to do the Terrorist Fist Bump after all.

A poll finds that there has been extensive damage to Michelle Obama’s image, particularly among white voters.

Elizabeth Benjamin has news of a meeting yesterday featuring Reps. Steve Israel and Jerry Nadler to organize outreach to the Jewish community for Obama.

(Although Obama doesn’t seem interested in reaching out like this to members of every religious group.)

The Working Families Party is starting to gloat a little, but still wants cash.

Jay Jochnowitz will leave his post as the Times Union’s state editor to become the paper’s editorial page editor. He’ll be replaces by Casey Seiler, who is now the paper’s entertainment editor.

Assemblyman Ray MacDonald formally jumped into the race to succeed Joe Bruno in the state Senate.

A gay couple in Virginia attempts to invent the ‘bosom buddies’ loophole to marriage laws – and almost succeeds.

Rush Limbaugh spends some quality time with his friends from the New York Times.

An effort to explain how the Republicans became ‘the Patriotism Party.’

And in case you missed it, Starbucks has announced that it will soon close 600 stores. Gee, I wonder how it ever came to this…