**Health Care
*Bloomberg previews the town hall: "President Barack Obama will defend his efforts to overhaul the U.S. health-care system at a town hall in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, today after a series of protests met his fellow Democrats in recent days." AP adds that the president "is retooling his message on his health care overhaul, aiming to win over Americans who already have insurance."

*We noted yesterday the White House's dialing back some of its strong rhetoric on the "manufactured" town hall outrage. NBC's Chuck Todd this morning said to expect the president himself to talk about the passion at town halls. "The White House realizes he's got to use the bully pulpit to simmer things down a little," he said on "Morning Joe."

*USA Today with a new health care poll. "Public opinion on the issue is complex in ways that defy an easy Republican-Democratic divide. Analysis of a recent USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds views on what priority to emphasize, how fast to act and what's important to protect vary and sometimes conflict depending on a person's age and region of the country, whether he or she has insurance, and is healthy or ailing."

*Washington Times: "The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights says some little-noticed provisions in the House health care bill are racially discriminatory, and it intends to ask President Obama and Congress to rewrite sections that factor in race when awarding billions in contracts, scholarships and grants. The commission also fears the programs, which are designed to improve health care in underserved areas, will not be effective."

**President Obama
*In Mexico yesterday, Obama "reiterated his commitment to pursuing comprehensive immigration reform, despite his packed political agenda and the staunch opposition such an initiative is likely to face." He also predicted that he would be successful but acknowledged the challenges, saying, "I've got a lot on my plate," the Times notes.

*Obama commented this morning on the passing of Eunice Kennedy Shriver.

*CNN has the video and the explanation of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's sharp exchange with an African student in the Congo yesterday. State Dept. spokesperson P.J. Crowley: "If Africa, if Congo is going to advance, women have to play a more significant role. She was in the setting of a town hall, and the questioner was interested in what two men thought, not the Secretary of State."

*Meanwhile, Bill Clinton celebrated his birthday in Vegas!

**Congress
*The Wall Street Journal keeps up with the jets scandal, reporting that Congress is likely caving to pressure on the purchase of top aircraft for members' use. "If the Department of Defense does not want these aircraft, they will be eliminated from the bill," said Rep. John Murtha (D., Pa.), the chairman of the House panel that sought the aircraft order. Now, "the House will seek only $220 million to purchase one Gulfstream plane and three Boeing Co. aircraft, which was the original request by Department of Defense officials."

*An interesting strategy. "Several House Republicans have used Twitter to promote their August activities, keeping a national audience informed of their once-obscure local recess events," The Hill reports.

**Campaign Stuff
*The latest New Jersey governor poll from Quinnipiac has Chris Christie up 51-42, a slight improvement for Gov. Jon Corzine.

*The Fix notes how Republicans are going right after the Democratic base in the Garden State. The RGA is running an environmental-themed ad in the state, on the heels of criticism of Corzine's record from the Sierra Club. Also, the RGA will also sponsor radio ads targeted at New Jersey's Hispanic population.

*Over in Virginia, the Washington Post reports on Creigh Deeds' push on abortion. "Deeds's message could energize a Democratic base that has been showing signs of sluggishness since last year's overwhelming victory in the presidential election. It could also chip away at McDonnell's campaign promises that he would focus on education, jobs and transportation if elected governor."

*A SurveyUSA poll of likely Republican Kansas primary voters puts Rep. Jerry Moran ahead of Rep. Todd Tiahrt in the 2010 Senate race, 38-32 with 30 percent undecided.

*Republican Senate candidate Kelly Ayotte "will make a key public appearance in Wolfeboro tonight to outline her political stance. But her budding campaign ... is shadowed by a growing controversy over complaints of national interference in state Republican politics,"The Union Leader reports.

*Lynn Sweet reports that Vice President Biden will raise money for Rep. Debbie Halvorson (D-Ill.). The VP "is going to fund-raise for the House members the Democratic House political operation deem the most vunerable."

*Sarah Palin's father and father-in-law will campaign for a Republican Congressional candidate in Idaho, Vaughn Ward.

*In the NY-23 special election, Democrats have chosen attorney and Air Force veteran Bill Owens as their candidate, The Hill reports. Party leaders "portrayed Owens as a public servant who has created jobs in New York. He will face Republican Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava, who was chosen last month as the GOP's standard-bearer for the seat."