Lieberman backs McCain for 2008

Sen. John McCain, trying to build momentum toward a reprise of his 2000 New Hampshire primary victory, is piling up high-profile endorsements, including one from Sen. Joseph Lieberman.

The Connecticut senator, an independent who was the Democrats’ 2000 vice presidential nominee, was scheduled to announce his support for McCain at a town hall meeting this morning.

A Lieberman adviser said the senator decided to back McCain despite being a Republican because he believes his colleague from Arizona “has the best chance of uniting the country in its fight against Islamic terrorism.”

The adviser, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Lieberman would continue to caucus with Senate Democrats.

Word of the endorsement follows several other high-profile announcements for McCain, including weekend endorsements by the Des Moines Register and the Boston Globe newspapers.

COLUMBIA, S.C.

Paul donors give $6 million in a day

Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul’s supporters raised more than $6 million from more than 30,000 donors Sunday to boost the 10-term Texas congressman’s campaign for the White House.

Called a “Money Bomb,” the goal was to raise as much money as possible on the Internet in one day.

The campaign’s previous fundraiser brought in $4.2 million.

At 9 p.m. PST, donations exceeded $6 million, according to the campaign Web site.

Trevor Lyman, a Paul supporter who is traveling the country following the Ron Paul blimp, said the date of the fundraiser coincides with the 234th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party.

The Ron Paul blimp is an aerial billboard emblazoned on one side with “Who is Ron Paul? Google Ron Paul.” The other side reads “Ron Paul Revolution.”

MASON CITY, Iowa

Obama takes media to church

Democrat Barack Obama on Sunday confronted one of the persistent falsehoods circulating about him on the Internet.

He went to church.

His attendance here at the First Congregational United Church of Christ, with the news media in tow, was as much an observation of faith as it was a rejoinder to baseless e-mailed rumors that he is a Muslim and poses a threat to national security.

Obama did not address the rumors, but described how he joined Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago two decades ago while working as a community organizer.

Obama regularly attends church while on the campaign trail, but seldom with reporters watching.