The City That Loves You Back

April 15, 2008— -- A senior McCain adviser vowed Tuesday to keep Barack Obama's controversial depiction of small-town Americans alive through November.

"This is an important and defining moment in the race because it opened up a window into how Barack Obama feels about the people in this country and it will be an issue that continues to be spoken about, certainly by the McCain campaign, for the duration of Sen. Obama's candidacy," said McCain adviser Steve Schmidt on a conference call with reporters.

"All elections, at the end of the day," he added, "are [about] 'what does the American president believe about the American people?'."

"And, I think," he continued, "that many people in this country were rightly and justifiably offended by Sen. Obama's very condescending and elitist viewpoint towards them, towards their culture, towards their values, towards their lifestyles."

Although Schmidt is already gunning for Obama, Hillary Clinton is far from throwing in the towel and she gets a prime opportunity to confront the Democratic frontrunner at Wednesday's ABC News debate which will be moderated by Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos.

The Philadelphia debate, which airs from 8:00 -- 10:00 pm ET/PT on the ABC Television Network, is taking place at the National Constitution Center.

It is the first Democratic debate since Obama and Clinton faced off in Cleveland on Feb. 26.

Bush Goes Gore?

Not quite, but ABC's Jonathan Karl reports that President Bush will use a Wednesday Rose Garden speech to announce what a senior White House official calls an "aggressive and ambitious but also realistic" way of dealing with the problem of global warming.

The Bush Administration has long resisted federal limits on green house gas emissions but the president is making Wednesday's announcement, according to Karl's reporting, to pre-empt Democratic proposals for more far-reaching efforts to limit green house gases.

During the first week of June, the Senate is scheduled to debate several Democratic bills, all of which are opposed by the White House.

"Still," according to Karl, "the move is likely to be criticized by conservatives, who have been urging the President not set specific goals."

The kicker:

"I think we got consensus here among the traveling press that nobody understood anything of what was just said" (laughter).

--Los Angeles Times' Michael Finnegan on the McCain campaign's efforts to explain the cost of its tax proposals

Sen. McCain lays out the economic policies he'll implement if elected president.
ABC's Karen Travers and Teddy Davis Interview GOP Strategist Sara Taylor about John McCain's Tax Proposals LINK

Clinton Makes Veiled Bush Obama ComparisonSen. Clinton ignores the "bitter" controversy and takes aim at President Bush's policy. LINK

Obama Says It's 'Political Silly Season'Obama argues the charge that he's "elitist" is part of "political silly season." LINK

McCain Proposes Gas Tax HaltSen. McCain introduces his economic plan which includes an alternative tax code. LINK

'Ladies of Liberty' and Justice for All!Cokie Roberts' new book on the inspiring women who helped to found our nation. LINK

Hasselbeck and Behar Talk Taxes "View" co-host Joy Behar compares Denmark's tax benefits with America's. LINK

Democrats and the Working ClassBarack Obama regrets calling small-town voters bitter about lack of jobs. LINK

Small Town With Many ViewsABC's Jake Tapper talks politics with a group of working class voters in Pa. LINK

Does Age Matter?As November nears, some Americans are concerned with John McCain's age. LINK

A Bitter BattleOnly one week of campaigning remains before the crucial Pennsylvania primary. LINK

'The Note' Rewinds the Week's Best MomentsABC News' Senior Political Reporter Rick Klein on the weekly political roundup. LINK