McCain reports he spent $32M in July

WASHINGTON — Presidential rivals Barack Obama and John McCain together spent nearly $90 million in July, feeding an escalating advertising contest as they tussled for pole position in midsummer.

Obama reported spending $55 million in July, his highest level in a single month, putting about $33 million into producing and airing commercials. McCain reported spending $32 million in July, with nearly $2 of every $3 devoted to advertising.

Documents filed with the Federal Election Commission on Wednesday show Obama raised $50 million and had about $66 million in the bank at the start of August. McCain reported raising more than $26 million during the month. He began August with more than $21 million in the bank.

Both candidates benefited from new fundraising partnerships with their respective national parties. Of McCain's total raised, $5.6 million came from contributions made to a joint victory fund set up with the Republican National Committee. Obama reported getting $12.5 million of his total from victory committees connected to the Democratic National Committee.

Obama reaches out

to Virginia voters

LYNCHBURG, Va. — Democrat Barack Obama campaigned Wednesday in a conservative stretch of the swing state of Virginia, telling voters who are more in line with Republican John McCain on social issues that they should vote for Obama because of their economic woes.

At a town-hall meeting in Lynchburg, Obama told a mixed-race crowd of cheering fans that on the economy, "John McCain just doesn't get it."

"Are you better off than you were four years ago? Are you better off than you were eight years ago?" Obama said. "Well, then, why the heck would you want to do the same thing?

"You'd think that things are so bad, that the economy's in such bad shape, that we might not even have to campaign," Obama said. "But the truth is that John McCain is a decorated war hero, and the Republican Party hasn't been very good at governing, but they're very good at running negative ads."

McCain questions

Obama's judgment

LAS CRUCES, N.M. — Republican John McCain said Wednesday he is not challenging Barack Obama's patriotism in criticizing his call to pull out of Iraq, only the judgment of his Democratic rival.

"He's making these decisions not because he doesn't love America, but because he doesn't think it matters whether America wins or loses," McCain said.

During a town-hall meeting in the swing state of New Mexico, McCain repeated his charge that Obama would rather forfeit than win in Iraq to boost his own political ambitions. Obama has denounced that assertion as an assault on his patriotism.

McCain challenged Obama's positions on Iraq, including his opposition to the temporary buildup of troops last year. Obama has acknowledged the buildup reduced violence in Iraq, but he adds it has failed in its goal of facilitating a reconciliation among Iraqi factions.

McCain backtracks

on water accord

DENVER — Sen. John McCain has backed off his comment that a key Western water agreement should be renegotiated, but Democrats signaled they plan to pummel him for his remarks, which even Republicans in swing-state Colorado denounced.

McCain told the Pueblo (Colo.) Chieftain last week that the 1922 Colorado River Compact should be "renegotiated over time." But in a letter Wednesday to Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., McCain wrote that his comments were misconstrued: "Let me be clear that I do not advocate renegotiation of the compact."

The Colorado River is one of the most important water sources in the West, and the 1922 compact allocates the river among the lower basin states — Arizona, California and Nevada — and the upper basin states — Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

A second agreement signed last year was designed to ease tension among the compact states caused by a long-term drought.

Also

Threat plea: Raymond Hunter Geisel, 22, who authorities said kept an arsenal of weaponry and military gear, pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Miami to threatening to assassinate President Bush and Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. Geisel had previously been charged only for threatening to kill Obama.

Ad respite: Barack Obama and John McCain plan to pull ads Sept. 11 that criticize the other, a respite from the political fray to honor the anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks. A McCain spokesman said McCain did not plan to advertise at all on the anniversary, while an Obama spokesman said the campaign won't air anti-McCain ads.

Seattle Times news services