US election at-a-glance: 28 June-4 July

WEEK IN A NUTSHELL

Barack Obama continues the process of rapprochement with the Clinton camp, by participating in a telephone conversation with Bill. Obama supporter Gen Wesley Clark sparks protests when he tells an interviewer that "getting in a fighter plane and getting shot down" is not a qualification to become president. John McCain shakes up his staff for the second time since his campaign began, giving Steve Schmidt more control and demoting Rick Davis.

KEY QUOTES

"I don't know forever, but right now I'm not considering changing my registration."
Anti-Iraq war Republican Senator Chuck Hagel threatens to leave his party

Obama's rhetoric on the topic [of Iraq] now seems outdated and out of touch George Packer, New Yorker At-a-glance: 21-27 June

"I don't think getting in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to become president."
General Wesley Clark

"I do believe that General Clark has made a huge mistake, here. No matter how he sugarcoats it, he's trying to question John's service."
Senator Lindsey Graham

"With the general election four months away, Obama's rhetoric on the topic [of Iraq] now seems outdated and out of touch, and the nominee-apparent may have a political problem concerning the very issue that did so much to bring him this far."
George Packer, New Yorker

"I am going to do a thorough assessment when I'm [in Iraq]... I'm sure I'll have more information and continue to refine my policy."
Barack Obama

"There appears to be no issue that Barack Obama is not willing to reverse himself on for the sake of political expedience."
Alex Conant, Republican Party spokesman

NUMBER NEWS

There has been much talk of Barack Obama's plan to reach out to the traditionally Republican so-called "Red States".

A series of polls from Red States published this week shed some light on the prospects of his plan succeeding.

Certainly the previously solid Republican state of Virginia could now be within Mr Obama's reach.

A SurveyUSA poll of the state gives Mr Obama a narrow two-point lead over John McCain.

But neighbouring North Carolina could prove more tricky - a PPP survey has Mr McCain in the lead, four points ahead of Mr Obama.

And the state of Georgia, where Mr Obama has spent money on TV advertising, is even more of a long shot: a Rasmussen survey out this week gives Mr McCain a 10-point lead there.

But another Rasmussen poll, from Montana, provides some good news for Mr Obama.

According to the survey, he is leading Mr McCain by five points in this state, which has only voted for a Democratic presidential candidate once since 1964.

WEEKLY PICTURE

John McCain this week visited Colombia and Mexico, where he received a blessing at the Basilica de Guadalupe in Mexico City