The Democratic nominee attacked "reckless" Republican economics and spoke of restoring the American dream. His I-44 Missouri bus tour hit Springfield, Rolla and Union, with a quick stop in Lebanon. McCain, also in the state for a fundraiser in Kansas City, has been painting Obama as a celebrity who can deliver speeches but not results. Read the Washington Post story about how Obama's game plan follows the winning strategy of Mo. Sen. Clair McCaskill. 

McCain's campaign sharpens its attack with an ad that compares Obama to Britney Spears and Paris Hilton. But McCain himself still seems more at home in a freewheeling discussion than a disciplined strategy, and sometimes he blurs his own message. Read the Washington Post story.

Both camps regard Missouri as a key swing state. Even if Obama loses rural areas, he needs to minimize the margin if he wants to carry Missouri. And he may want to force McCain to spend money throughout the state, analysts say tell the Los Angeles Times. Read the Los Angeles Times story. 

Deep in Rebublican territory, Obama links McCain to "reckless" Republican economics. Read the AP/Kansas City Star story. 

In Rolla, onlookers demonstrate the challenges and opportunities Obama faces. In addition to expressing displeasure with Obama's name, one man asserts incorrectly that Obama wasn't born in the U.S. But two fans holding a "Rednecks for Obama" sign are enthusiastic. "If he was a white man he'd be elected tomorrow," one says. Read the Post-Dispatch story.