AP - Barack Obama and John McCain agree on this much: The economy is staggering under the Bush administration, and Americans are hurting. But who's to blame and how best to fix it?

Reuters - U.S. President George W. Bush on Monday kept up his tradition of informal relations with fellow world leaders by summoning Prime Minister Stephen Harper with a brusque "Yo Harper!"

AP - Republican presidential candidate John McCain acknowledged the steep drop in U.S. jobs and said he would help the economy by cutting taxes, encouraging free trade, building nuclear power plants and launching other initiatives.

AP - Now more than ever, it's the old guy against the agent of change.

AP - Democrat Barack Obama sought to link Republican rival John McCain to President Bush's economic policies as the two presidential candidates maneuvered for the upper hand on a top concern of voters.

AP - John McCain is starting a California campaign that might already be over.

AP - The airplane carrying Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama made a precautionary landing in St. Louis on Monday after the crew had a problem keeping the nose up on takeoff from Chicago.

AFP - US President George W. Bush pledged Sunday to play a "constructive" role on climate change at a summit of rich nations, but hopes for a breakthrough were dim as he pressed developing countries.

AP - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama took a day off the campaign trail Sunday in Chicago, attending a neighborhood barbecue with his family.

AP - Republican presidential hopeful John McCain attended church Sunday and later visited a Veterans Affairs hospital in his hometown.

Politico - Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) plans to promise on Monday that he will balance the federal budget by the end of his first term by curbing wasteful spending and overhauling entitlement programs, including Social Security, his advisers told Politico.

AP - John Kerry says Republican John McCain doesn't have the judgment to be president.

AP - There's a great unknown about Sen. John McCain's health plan: How many employers would drop insurance coverage for their workers because of his tax policies?