Energy In McCain's Move?

ST. LOUIS, MO -- The Varsity Squad heads to Cedar Rapids, Iowa this morning to hear Barack Obama talk about energy policy.  Exxon-Mobil's $11 billion profit will certainly show up in Obama's remarks. But will Obama mention, refer to, hint it at the the Britney ad and chatter that he's become a presumptuous celebrity?  The vaunted Obama message machine surely wouldn't go off track..not even one teensy spike... . so if Obama mentions it this morning, it means that somewhere, somehow, his advisers worry about the perception gelling. Of course, it is totally true that the press corps (moi) would notice if Obama didn't mention it and would write stories with headlines like "Obama Ignores McCain Jab."  Campaigns can't win.

To a point, it's true that the local press tends to cover the message of the day and the national press tends to cover what it wants. To a point. But the Britney ad was so compelling a moment in this campaign that I'd bet that local TV news in Missouri ran parts of the ad. (The network affiliates in St, Louis did last night... in the first block.)