Independent ads tout McCain's energy policies

OnMessage Inc., a Virginia-based company with Republican ties, rolled out television ads in the battleground states of Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, touting Sen. McCain's backing of a gasoline-tax holiday and expanded oil drilling off the U.S. coast.

McCain promises to balance budget in 4 years

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...

Conservatives ready to battle McCain on Convention platform

McCain has not yet signaled the changes he plans to make in the GOP platform, but many conservatives say they fear wholesale revisions could emerge as candidate McCain seeks to put his stamp on a document that currently reflects the policies and principles of President Bush.

DuHaime joins McCain operation as Political Director

John McCain's campaign has hired Mike DuHaime as political director, the first new hire by Steve Schmidt in his capacity as the person in charge of day-to-day campaign operations.

DuHaime had served as a senior advisor for political operations at the Republican National Commitee since March, but now he will head up the political team from within the McCain operation.

The move comes as the McCain campaign essentially relaunches its general election effort, after weeks of complaints in Republicans circles that McCain, R-Ariz., has been slow to find his footing against Illinois Democrat Sen. Barack Obama.