President

So much for our promise to liberate Iraq, not to occupy it, and not to cart off its riches.

Oh, puppies: Steele's 2006 U.S. Senate ads won critical praise, but not the electionThe Republican National Committee is preparing a $3 million ad-blitz in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin through it's latest 527 independent expenditure group.

The ads, which will attack Barack Obama on energy issues, will be created by Brad Todd of On Message Inc. -- the man who brought you the 'Michael Steele loves puppies' series in 2006.

Andrew LangerThe John McCain 2008 presidential campaign will be adding Andrew Langer to its list of volunteer staff. Langer will be coordinating Maryland's eastern shore efforts, though the campaign has not given him an official title as of yet.

Langer is the president of the Institute for Liberty and has worked for the National Federation of Independent Business. He worked on former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign during the Republican primary and wrote Giuliani's small business policy.

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell: Getty Images PhotoPennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) will be attending the Maryland Democratic Party’s Victory ’08 Unity Fundraiser, PolitickerMD.com has confirmed.

According to David Paulson, the state Democratic Party’s communication director, Rendell will “not be the only big name from out of state.” However, Paulson was not prepared to confirm who else this would include. Those “eggs haven’t hatched yet,” he told PolitickerMD.com.

EASTON – Former Lt. Gov. Michael Steele (R) joined state Sen. Andy Harris (R-Cockeysville) for a fundraiser last night in Easton. The cost of admission to the Denny family’s house party was $250 for couples. VIP entrance was priced at $1,000, which included a photo with Steele.

The former lieutenant governor and chair of GOPAC opened the event for Harris. He began by praising key Republican operatives.

“It’s important work, its hard work. Particularly in this climate, in which the Republican brand quite frankly sucks,” Steele said. “I mean it stinks, it’s ugly, it’s painful, but in all that I see opportunity.”

UMBC political science Prof. Tom Schaller has an op-ed in today's New York Times on his speciality -- Democrats competing in the South.

Denver Renaissance HotelState Democratic Party leaders will be in Denver on Friday for a day-long Democratic National Convention walkthrough. Party Chair Michael Cryor, Executive Director Quincey Gamble and Finance Director Sue Levitan will tour the Pepsi Center from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. with their respective counterparts from all 50 states.

“We're fine tuning convention planning and more importantly working on the integration of the Obama campaign and the state party efforts,” said Gamble, in an email to PolitickerMD.com.

“Yeah, I don’t do cowering.” - Sen. Barack Obama

I am far from alone as an advocate of aggressive rapid response in politics. When someone gets in your face with a lie or an attack, don’t retreat. Get in his.

Do it fast. Do it now. Don’t be shy. Don’t let an attack go unanswered.

If you take a swipe at me or mine, you should expect to get the same or worse, in return.

Obama and Sweeney: In Chicago last weekOverlooked since last month has been the story of the remaining Democratic superdelegates, as it was assumed they would all fall in line for Barack Obama -- an assumption that was correct.

After the superdelgate bonanza of June 3 to 4, two remained in the Maryland undeclared column: AFL-CIO president John Sweeney and Democratic National Committee Vice Chair Susan Turnbull.

John McCain at Annapolis in AprilMuch ink has been spilled about Barack Obama running a 50 state campaign and all the money he'll have to do it, but the grapevine says that John McCain will announce several Maryland staff members soon.

He doesn't stand much chance of winning the state, but McCain has made two public appearances in the state since becoming his the de-facto Republican nominee -- two more than Obama.