There is a fierce behind-the-scenes battle for influence over presumptive Democratic candidate Barack Obama's Hispanic and Latin American agenda, and some Democratic strategists say that its outcome could determine the result of the November elections.

Some Obama backers in South Florida, in particular, are especially miffed at what they see as excessive power by labor-union-tied, left-leaning Mexican-American leaders at Obama's Chicago headquarters over the campaign's nationwide Hispanic and Latin American policy strategies.

In a confidential July 4 memo sent to 25 prominent South Florida Hispanics, former Miami Mayor Maurice Ferre -- well respected in nationwide Democratic circles -- called for creation of a ''South Florida Hispanic policy advisory group'' to counterbalance what he perceives as excessive micro-management of state campaigns by Obama's Chicago headquarters. » read more

President Bush's disapproval rating in California has reached the highest mark for a president since the Field Poll began tracking White House numbers in 1961, according to its latest survey released Friday.

Less than a quarter of California voters – 24 percent – said they approve of Bush's job performance, compared with 71 percent who said they disapprove.

The latter mark is higher than Nixon's 70 percent disapproval rating in August 1974, the same month he resigned from office after his role in the Watergate scandal was revealed. » read more

WASHINGTON — Under fire for calling the United States a nation of "whiners" about the economy, former Sen. Phil Gramm of Texas Friday night resigned as co-chairman of John McCain's presidential campaign.

"It is clear to me that Democrats want to attack me rather than debate Senator McCain on important economic issues facing the country," Gramm said in a statement released Friday evening.

"That kind of distraction hurts not only Senator McCain's ability to present concrete programs to deal with the country's problems, it hurts the country. To end this distraction and get on with the real debate, I hereby step down as co-chair of the McCain campaign and join the growing number of rank-and-file McCain supporters." » read more

Riling Muslim leaders, one of John McCain's fellow Vietnam POWs defended the Iraq War Friday by saying, "The Muslims have said either we kneel or they're going to kill us.''

''I don't intend to kneel and I don't advocate to anybody that we kneel. And John doesn't advocate to anybody that we kneel,'' Col. Bud Day added in a conference call with reporters arranged by the Republican Party of Florida on behalf on McCain.

Muslims and Arab-American groups quickly denounced what they described as the ''bigoted'' comments from Day, a Pensacola resident, Medal of Honor recipient and member of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth attack machine from 2004. » read more

WASHINGTON — Barack Obama will spend next week touring the Middle East and Western Europe, a trip that's galvanized much of the world's attention because of his charisma, race and family background and the 180-degree shift he's promising from the Bush administration's foreign policy.

The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee will meet with top leaders of five nations considered key allies of the United States — Jordan, Israel, Germany, France and England — as well as with Palestinian leaders.

Obama foreign-policy advisers said Friday that the central goals of the trip were to exchange views with those leaders; look for ways to enhance cooperation on nuclear nonproliferation, counter-terrorism, energy security and climate change; and underscore shared values. » read more