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CAMPAIGN SCORECARD [This article contains a table. Please see hardcopy of magazine.]

ROUND 1 2 3 4 ISSUE Public Image Iraq Economy Arrival of the Cavalry ACTION Barack Obama's apparent move to the center on a range of issues has Republicans and many commentators questioning his credibility and integrity. If he loses in November, this will be remembered as a turning point in the race—just as the launch of the Swift Boat ads against John Kerry marked the beginning of the end of his presidential bid in 2004. Before this week, Obama was confident that his stark contrast with John McCain on ending the war in Iraq would be a foundation for his argument for change. Now that he's shifted from stressing the withdrawal of U.S. troops to assessing the situation in Iraq first, that advantage is reduced substantially. And it could dissipate even more when the topic is invariably raised in the fall debates. After a week in which both candidates presented their policies and attacked the other guy's record and ideas, neither McCain nor Obama has broken out as the leader on this issue. For a question that should give a huge advantage to the Democrats, the answers still sound like "yada, yada, yada"—on both sides. Sharp new battleground-state television advertising from McCain allies—the Republican National Committee and a group of American veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan—suggests that the spending disparity between the sides might not be as tilted in Obama's favor as some Republicans feared only last month.

RESULTS [This article contains a table. Please see hardcopy of magazine.]

REPUBLICANS X X   X DEMOCRATS         TIE     X  

WINNER OF THE WEEK: REPUBLICANS

Despite Obama's splashy news that he'll deliver his nomination acceptance speech in a 76,000-seat football stadium, his campaign is still proceeding with caution—leaving Obama open to aggressive GOP attacks.

NOT ALL ROUNDS ARE CREATED EQUAL

The week's winner is based on the relative importance of each fight and by how much the winner takes each round.

WEEK BY WEEK [This article contains a table. Please see hardcopy of magazine.]

    JUNE       JULY       AUG.         SEPT.       OCT.         TOTAL WEEKS WON REPUBLICANS   TIE     X TIE X                                 2 DEMOCRATS X   X X                                       3

Veepstakes Countdown.

With the clock ticking, Obama and McCain weigh running-mate options

For those keeping score, the vice-presidential picks of both candidates will be made public in less than eight weeks. But until then, most of the action will be behind the scenes. John McCain and Barack Obama are said to be soliciting the opinions of aides and friends on whom to pick (and why), while hiding their own views.

There are some developments: Virginia Senator Jim Webb took himself out of the running after the Obama team reportedly requested background materials—an indication of where it may be in the process. And Florida's Republican governor Charlie Crist stayed in the news with plans to remarry after nearly 30 years of bachelorhood.

Still, Veep tea leaves can be more distracting than revealing. So, if you're asked at a cocktail party about the most likely picks (or at least want to parrot the political pros), here are your safest choices—for now:

REPUBLICANS Crist, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty DEMOCRATS Virginia governor Tim Kaine, Kansas governor Kathleen Sebelius, Indiana Senator Evan Bayh

Refining Iraq

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