McCain - Obama Feud Update

Obama Grammy Sends McCain Heading Into Studio

Will Record Ashcroft's 'When Eagles Soar"; Says Needs To "Disabuse" Rookie Senator Again

Late Wednesday evening, shortly after the news came that Senator Barak Obama (D-IL) won a Grammy Award, Senator John McCain (R-AZ) conducted a conference call with his staff and set in motion how he will spend his President's Day Holiday weekend.

McCain will be hitting the recording studio.

This comes after days of acrimonious charges, lobbed back-and-forth between the two senators.

McCain accused Obama of "partisan posturing", after receiving a letter from the Illinois Senator, on the issue of lobbying ethics reform. Obama thanked McCain for including him in bipartisan talks on lobbying reform but expressed his concerns and differences on McCain's approach of using a task force.

McCain is sponsoring a bill that would require lobbyists to disclose more information on their activities, including the gifts they give lawmakers, double to two years the waiting period before a lawmaker can take a job as a lobbyist and require members to pay charter rates when they travel on corporate jets.

Obama wrote McCain, advising him that he would be backing a bill backed by House and Senate Democrats that would take similar action on members becoming lobbyists, disclosure and corporate jets.

McCain responded with a stinging letter, that read, in part;

"I concluded your professed concern for the institution and the public interest was genuine and admirable. Thank you for disabusing me of such notions."

Obama called McCain's office, to express his continued willingness to work on ethics reform, however, the two have not connected yet.

McCain make no bones about attempting to one-up Obama.

"I'd like to disabuse again, the junior senator," said McCain, "that he's not the only sitting member of the Senate that know his way around a recording studio. Or that can win a Grammy."

Obama won the Grammy, in the Spoken Word Category, for his recording of his autobiography, "Dreams From My Father."

In the category, Obama faced competition from George Carlin, Garrison Keillor, Sean Penn and Al Franken

McCain says he's got a sure-fire prospect, after receiving word from former Attorney General John Ashcroft, that Ashcroft will allow McCain to record his "When Eagles Soar" royalties-free.

"It is a very gracious act by the Attorney General," said McCain. "It's a great tune and I'm confident that I can do it justice."

McCain added that "anybody can talk into a microphone, I don't see what's so special about that."

When reached, Ashcroft, who once lost an election to a dead candidate, confirmed that he is "donating" the song to McCain.

"I'd like to help my party in the best way possible," said the former Attorney General. "I'd be happy to do more, and have offered the Senator the opportunity to do it as a duet with myself."

McCain says he may consider that, and record multiple tracks "When Eagles Soar", with Ashcroft, as well as in Spanish, so "I can reach all my constituents."

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), who RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman put out an advisory warning this morning that Clinton was "still mad as hell", says she questions McCain doing any recording.

Numerous political pundits are predicting the 2008 Presidential Race will be between McCain and Clinton.

"I've heard him humming little ditties in his office," says Clinton. "With all do respect, his singing that Ashcroft song, or perhaps, warbling would be more apt, may violate his own amendment on torture."

"Have you ever heard that song? Or Ashcroft singing it?" asked Clinton