Reuters - Republican John McCain heads into the final stretch of the U.S. presidential campaign with a 4-point lead over Democrat Barack Obama, a USA Today/Gallup poll released on Sunday showed.

CQPolitics.com - The back-to-back Democratic and Republican convention extragavanzas gave both parties a chance to put their best foot forward as the general election campaign gets under way. If their competing efforts are a wash -- and the earliest post-convention polling suggests that -- the advantage remains with the Democrats as far as their push to expand their congressional majorities.

AP - Barack Obama isn't John McCain's only opponent. Sometimes McCain sounds like he's running almost as hard against President Bush and the Republican Party as he is against Obama, his Democratic rival for the White House.

Reuters - Republican nominee John McCain said in an interview aired on Sunday he would bring Democrats into his Cabinet and administration as part of his attempt to change the political atmosphere in Washington.

AP - Barack Obama isn't John McCain's only opponent. Sometimes McCain sounds like he's running almost as hard against President Bush and the Republican Party as he is against Obama, his Democratic rival for the White House.

AP - Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama said Saturday that any government takeover of troubled mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac must put the interests of taxpayers and homeowners first. His opponent, GOP nominee John McCain, said it was essential to restructure the mortgage giants.

AP - John McCain's presidential campaign did not speak with the Alaska House speaker and other leading Republicans before McCain tapped Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate.

AP - The challenge for Barack Obama is to make himself acceptable enough to disgruntled voters eager to toss Republicans from the White House if they see a comfortable, competent alternative.

AP - John McCain and Sarah Palin got a rousing welcome Friday to the final two months of the presidential campaign, stressing themes of a strong America and concern about the sinking economy. "Tough times all over America," McCain said.

AP - Obama says McCain and GOP are out of touch with middle-class struggles ... McCain and Palin present themselves as eager reformers ... Poll finds only 4 in 10 say Palin has enough experience to be president; number is higher for Biden ... Subpoenas to be issued for Troopergate probe of Palin in Alaska ...