ON THE TRAIL

July 4, 2008

John McCain toured Mexico's holiest Roman Catholic site and received a blessing from its monsignor yesterday on the final day of a three-day Latin America tour. McCain began the day at Mexico City's famed Basilica de Guadalupe, where he laid a wreath of white roses at the altar and stood atop the papal balcony. He was accompanied by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who was visiting Mexico on a business trip. "I think he's going to win," Bush said of McCain's chances against Democrat Barack Obama. "He just needs to be himself and not let Senator Obama redefine himself." McCain's visit to the Basilica had clear political overtones as Catholic and Hispanic voters are expected to be key swing voters in the November election.

It will be a red-state Fourth of July for Barack Obama, who hopes to find votes in places that blue-state Democrats often bypass in presidential elections. During the weekend, Obama is making a swing of picnics and parades in reliably Republican parts of the country, including North Dakota and Montana. Those states offers few electoral votes - three each - but appearances there allow Obama to argue that he can appeal to voters of all stripes. "It may have been Woody Allen who said 90 percent of success is showing up," Obama told a small crowd at a fundraiser Wednesday in Colorado Springs. "If I didn't show up, I wouldn't get many votes around here. If I did show up, I might get something going." For Independence Day, the campaign chose Butte, Mont., where Obama is to attend a parade and a picnic with his wife, Michelle, and their two daughters. Today is older daughter Malia's 10th birthday, so a private family celebration is planned in the town.

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Related topic galleries: Barack Obama, Elections, Florida, Montana, John McCain, Government, Colorado

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