There’s a holy war brewing here in the States. Republican presidential nominee John McCain flew to Ohio last week to woo the traditionally right wing bloc, but rival Barack Obama’s intent on trumping McCain’s efforts: Between now and November, the Obama forces are planning as many as 1,000 house parties and dozens of Christian rock concerts, gatherings of religious leaders, campus visits and telephone conference calls to bring together voters of all ages motivated by their faith to engage in politics. It is the most intensive effort yet by a Democratic candidate to reach out to self-identified evangelical or ...

Conservative leaders in Ohio, during a meeting this week, urged presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain to speak out more on social issues, including his support for state marriage bans, to win the backing of their constituents. "We're far from galvanized behind him," said Phil Burress, president of Citizens for Community Values and an organizer of the marriage ban on the 2004 Ohio ballot. "He's not getting out what he stands for when it comes to conservatives. The voters in Ohio are definitely stagnant right now." MSNBC/FirstRead blog ...