Obama Goes After McCain Over Offshore Oil Drilling

Senator Obama is attacking Senator McCain over the Republican's call to lift a ban on offshore oil drilling, accusing him of flip-flopping from his support of the moratorium in 2000. Mr. McCain during a speech in Houston yesterday argued that it would help America decrease its dependence on foreign oil in the short term. "John McCain's support of the moratorium on offshore drilling during his first presidential campaign was certainly laudable," Mr. Obama said in a statement, "but his decision to completely change his position and tell a group of Houston oil executives exactly what they wanted to hear today was the same Washington politics that has prevented us from achieving energy independence for decades." The presumptive Democratic nominee also criticized Mr. McCain's opposition to a windfall profits tax on oil companies, and his campaign pointed out that as recently as last month, the Arizona senator said he was open to considering the idea.

OBAMA CALLS FOR INQUIRY INTO REPORT OF VETERAN DRUG TESTING

Senator Obama says he will call for an investigation into reports that the government is recruiting mentally distressed veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan to participate in pharmaceutical tests of drugs linked to suicide and other violent side effects. According to the report by ABC News and the Washington Times, officials in the Veterans Administration waited three months to warn soldiers about the potential side effects of an anti-smoking drug they were testing, Chantix. The doctors said they acted as fast as they could, the report said. "It is outrageous and unacceptable that our government would irresponsibly endanger veterans who have already sacrificed so much for our country," Mr. Obama said in a statement issued yesterday.

PRO-FAMILY GROUP FAULTS MCCAIN OVER WEB

A prominent group of social conservatives, the Family Research Council, is faulting Senator McCain for devoting less attention on his Web site to faith and family issues than Senator Obama does on his site. In a newsletter yesterday, the group pointed to several articles about Mr. Obama's faith and notes that visitors can "read excerpts from speeches, watch video clips, and peruse editorials devoted entirely to this senator's religious conviction." The council's bulletin claims that, on Mr. McCain's site, "Nowhere is faith or family referenced. With the exception of a blurb on human dignity, found on the bottom half of his issues menu, McCain's commitment to and record on social values are glaringly absent."

OBAMA PRAISES FORMER CLINTON CAMPAIGN MANAGER

Senator Obama had generous words yesterday for Senator Clinton's former campaign manager, Patricia Solis Doyle, who was hired Monday to be chief of staff for the as-yet-unnamed Democratic vice presidential nominee. Speaking to reporters on his campaign plane, Mr. Obama called Ms. Solis Doyle "a terrific, experienced campaign hand," the Washington Post reported. "She's going to be a terrific adviser and offer insight and judgment that will help us win in November "

Mr. Obama noted that he did organizing work with her brother in Chicago years ago. The candidate did not mention that Ms. Solis Doyle was effectively fired from the Clinton campaign in February after being blamed for overspending and poor strategy that contributed to Mrs. Clinton's losses to Mr. Obama in Iowa and other caucus states.

MCCAIN RELEASES ENVIRONMENTAL AD

Senator McCain is launching a new television ad that makes a play for swing voters by touting his support for legislation to limit climate change and, perhaps more importantly, his differences with President Bush. "John McCain stood up to the president and sounded the alarm on global warming five years ago. Today, he has a realistic plan that will curb greenhouse gas emissions," the ad declares. A newspaper headline shown in the spot notes that Mr. McCain's stance on the issue was at odds with other Republicans.

OBAMA MEETS WITH KEY GROUPS IN RETURN TO WASHINGTON

Senator Obama is planning to meet with a number of voter and interest groups during a return to Washington from the campaign trail this week. He will speak with a working group on national security and several retired flag officers today, his campaign said, and plans to meet with the Congressional Black Caucus tomorrow, according to the Hill. He was to talk with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus last night, and will attend fund-raisers while in the capital.