**President Obama
*Gallup: With 43% approval, "Americans rate President Barack Obama's handling of healthcare policy essentially the same as they did roughly three weeks ago, remaining slightly more likely to disapprove than approve. The update comes after several weeks of Congress' working to advance legislation through committees and the Obama administration's stepping up efforts to win public support."

*David Axelrod traveled with the president yesterday and talked about Obama's view of the town halls. "Most Americans are interested and concerned about this issue and are listening intently," he told the Washington Post. "There are people on all sides of the debate who are a little over the edge. They tend to be the best TV."

*Charlie Arlinghaus writes in the Union Leader that it's no coincidence Obama spoke in New Hampshire, and not Maine or Massachusetts where they've experimented with health reform on a state level. "Both of those plans went into effect, and neither has proved effective, which makes it odd that Congress and the President wish to develop a plan by copying the broad outlines of the 'Massachusetts model.'

*AP: "A group usually seen as one of Barack Obama's allies in the health care debate -- AARP -- says the president went too far Tuesday when he said the seniors lobby had endorsed the legislation pending in Congress."

*Speaking of third party groups, AP also reports that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce "will begin airing 30-second ads in about 20 states Wednesday criticizing the Democratic proposal to offer optional government health coverage."

*"Many presidents have directed policy from on high, shunning the details of most issues. Mr. Obama has adopted a different style, particularly when it comes to economics, as he and his team wrestle with the worst financial crisis the nation has faced since the Depression," Wall Street Journal reports. "Whatever the merits or flaws of Mr. Obama's style, it sometimes has trouble translating with opponents, and the country at large. Following a smooth first few months in office, he has seen his agenda stall amid rising opposition, even from some members of his own party."

**Health Care
*Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) "brought along some United States Capitol Hill Police officers as he traveled to two town halls on Tuesday," CNN reports.

*Specter, speaking to reporters following a rowdy town hall event yesterday in Lebanon, Pa.: "The objectors have gotten ahead of the curve, and a rumor is a lot harder to dispel," Specter said. "The old saying is, 'It's harder to build a house than it is to knock out a house.' So it's a struggle."

On CBS this morning, Specter said: "I'm not going to complain about the fact that they are organized. They have a right to do that and they have a right to speak. But I think we ought to understand that they're not necessarily representative of America ... I think there is a mood in America of anger. With so many people unemployed and so much bickering in Washington, people are disgusted with the partisanship and with the fear of losing their health care, it all boils over."

*Sen. Claire McCaskill's (D-Mo.) event yesterday went slightly better, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "After several rounds of initial boos and more than a few interruptions, the crowd seemed to warm to McCaskill's mix of frank talk and tough love. In the end, McCaskill presided over the two-hour forum mostly without incident -- there was one arrest -- and left to collegial applause. Her measured success offers a blueprint to fellow Democrats around the U.S. who, during Congress' summer break, are facing tough questions about health care in their home districts. If nothing else, McCaskill fared far better than U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan, D-St. Louis, whose combative event last week ended with six arrests."

*The Hill has talking points from Democrats on talking reform. "The document suggests senators take a strong stand on the effort of reform on private insurance, stating that mergers in the industry have led to 'near-monopolies' in the insurance industry, 'with 94 percent of insurance markets highly concentrated' as profits and CEO salaries have soared. The talking points also emphasize repeatedly that health reform 'will be fully paid for,' and that 'the cost of inaction is clear.'"

*Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) "has ordered up a dose of his own campaign-style television advertising in response to attacks by advocacy groups pushing him to back the creation of a new government health insurance plan," the Omaha World-Herald reports. "The 30-second ad will run statewide over the next couple of weeks, funded by Nelson campaign money, said the senator's spokesman Jim Fagin." Here's the ad.

*"Democrats have a senior citizen problem. Frustrated older Americans are packing the town halls on health care. They are incredibly passionate about their Medicare benefits. Polls show senior citizens largely disapprove of health care reform ideas so far. And of course, they vote -- in larger numbers than any other demographic," Politico reports.

*"House Democrats have been talking tough about continuing to hold town halls in the face of disruptive protesters. But many are quietly tweaking their events to minimize the influence of the angry participants," Roll Call reports.

**More Congressional Recess News
*NYT: "Senator Christopher J. Dodd, who revealed he had early stage prostate cancer late last month, underwent successful surgery in New York on Tuesday, his office announced in a statement."

*"Proponents of D.C. voting rights are trying to squeeze in their own agenda amid the recess racket over health care reform, initiating ad campaigns and targeting the districts of several Members," Roll Call reports. "Their goal: convince the Members to drop their efforts to insert a poison pill amendment into the D.C. House Voting Rights Act."

**Campaign Stuff
*Don't look now. "Politico has learned Santorum will visit first-in-the-nation Iowa this fall for a series of appearances before the sort of conservative activists who dominate the state GOP's key presidential caucuses."

*The Concord Monitor covers Kelly Ayotte's first event as a potential Senate candidate, where she presented herself as a law and order Republican. Talking to reporters, Ayotte "said she is pro-life. She later clarified that she would support abortion in limited cases, such as rape, incest or medical emergency. Ayotte said she is against same-sex marriage and believes marriage is between a man and a woman." Asked whether she would have voted to confirm Sonia Sotomayor, "Ayotte responded that although there are areas where she disagrees with Sotomayor, the U.S. Senate must look at a person's qualifications. 'I think I would have approved her,' Ayotte said."

*The Palm Beach Post reports that the Palm Beach County GOP is considering a resolution to censure Gov. Charle Crist (R) tonight "for bucking the GOP on a variety of matters." He's already been censured by the Volusia County GOP and lost straw polls of GOP committee members in Highlands, Pasco and Lee counties to Marco Rubio.

Meanwhile, the St. Pete Times reports, "Crist and his campaign staff have been calling Republican party chiefs throughout the state to figure out why some conservatives are fed up with him, how to defend his decisions, and how to turn on the charm."

*Former Iowa state Sen. Tom Fiegen will join the list of Democrats hoping to challenge Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Ia.) in 2010, the Cedar Rapids Gazette reports. "Fiegen believes a second federal stimulus package may be needed and says it's time for the federal government to re-commit to full employment. He's distressed at Grassley's apparent lack of concern with the unemployment rate, which is approaching 10 percent."

*Politico's Josh Kraushaar reports that a top challenger has emerged to Rep. Tim Bishop (D-N.Y.) "Businessman Randy Altschuler announced today that he's challenging the four-term congressman, who represents eastern Long Island in the House."

*Utah has a new governor. Gary Herbert was sworn in yesterday, replacing the new Ambassador to China, Jon Hunstman. Salt Lake Tribune has the details.

*VA Gov: Bob McDonnell (R) leads Creigh Deeds (D) by 8 points in a new Rasmussen poll, which also found Obama's approval rating in the state sub-50%. He now holds an 11.2-point lead in the RCP Average.

Oh, and Deeds got a speeding ticket on July 4 while campaigning, the Washington Times reports.

--Kyle Trygstad and Mike Memoli