Walking and Chewing Gum

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While Democrats still haven’t settled on their nominee, they are honing their attack on John McCain.<br id="i0k2" />

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As Politico’s <a id="xtyv" href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0408/9514.html" title="Ben Smith reports">Ben Smith reports</a>, wealthy party donors are planning a four-month, $40 million media campaign against McCain with David Brock (yes, that <a id="x2yd" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Brock" title="David Brock">David Brock</a> ) in the lead.<br id="wzt8" />

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<blockquote id="a0s8">The planned campaign is the product of a shakeup in the top ranks of the struggling independent Democratic groups. Brock, now best known as the ex-conservative founder of the liberal group Media Matters, last month quietly assumed the chairmanship of what’s expected to be the main vehicle for independent Democratic attacks on McCain, now called Progressive Media USA.<br id="rn6m" />

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<p>The plan came together this week over dinner at George Soros’s New York apartment, Smith says, and Brock hit hard on the central theme of his new book, &quot;Free Ride: John McCain and the Media.&quot;&nbsp; While he’s still got plenty of fund-raising to do, Brock says the group’s first batch of ads has already been drafted. Look for them in your airspace soon.</p>