Hillary Rodham Clinton assured thousands of AIPAC activists that Barack Obama will be "a good friend to Israel." Speaking Wednesday before thousands of pro-Israel activists in Washington at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's annual policy conference, the New York senator stressed the need for a Democratic president in the White House. "I know Senator Obama knows what is at stake here," Clinton said, adding, "Let me be very clear: I know Senator Obama will be a good friend to Israel."

“Gov. Bredesen and Chairman Sasser have endorsed a candidate who believes Americans don’t need a tax break at the gas pump and who believes the best way to deal with a troubled economy is a massive tax hike,” Hobbs said. “They have endorsed a candidate who knows the price of arugula at Whole Foods Market but criticizes rural Americans for ‘clinging’ to God and their Second Amendment rights. They have endorsed for president a candidate who is willing to meet unconditionally with the terrorist leader of Iran but refuses to meet with Gen. David Petreaus, the leader of America’s troops in Iraq, and who believes the best way to defeat our enemy is to run from them.

So why is he starting his campaign there, where a large chunk of the tri-cities media market (Bristol, Kingsport and Johnson City) goes into a state where Obama has little chance of winning? Because they make two statements by beginning in Bristol. First, it says that Obama will play and play hard for Virginia, a state that hasn't gone in the Dem column since 1964. Obama's camp, aware of their shortcomings in Appalachia and Florida, recognizes the imperative to expand the map. And Virginia, with her 13 electoral votes, a 20% black population and rapdily growing influx of liberal and moderate voters, looks awfully appealing. And, as Democrats in the commonwealth have proven over the decades, the key to winning statewide is to run up the score in Northern Virginia, drive the black turnout downstate and pick off counties in the historically competitive southwest. Obama doesn't need to worry about -- or have attention focused on -- the African-American element of this three-part equation, but he'll drive home the other two with his stop in Bristol and subsequent rally in the fast-growing outer suburbs of Northern Virginia later in the day. Further, Obama's Bristol visit is a strategic move meant to suggest that they won't write off rural America or even Appalachia.

The public squabble at least has made the city’s planning czars think twice about firing Kleinfelter. McLean now says Kleinfelter might keep his job if he’s nice to developers, and the entire 10-member commission can decide the planner’s fate in November. Kleinfelter, who at this point hopes to stay employed, isn’t commenting much publicly, except to say that he “isn’t willing to go out on that limb” and accuse anyone of succumbing to political pressure. “I invite my supporters to keep those cards and letters coming,” he says.