Obama Calls on Fathers to Be Responsible

Grace Metcalf, 4, waits with her sibling and mother Tina to hear Democratic presidential hopeful U.S. Sen. Barack Obama campaign for president at Mount Moriah Baptist Chruch Friday June 15, 2007, in Spartanburg, S.C. Obama spoke about strengthening family values in today's economy. (AP Photo/Mary Ann Chastain) (Mary Ann Chastain - AP)

As for entering the 2008 race, he said he intends to serve his full term through 2009.

"I don't think the country is quite ready for me," said Bloomberg.

Not that it matters if he travels to the early primary states _ the mayor's supporters say if he launched an independent bid, he'd wait until after the early primary process has produced clear front-runners and then decide if his candidacy has a shot.

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) _ Republican presidential candidate John McCain said Friday he needs to do more salesmanship within his own party on behalf of a bipartisan immigration bill that could get another chance in the Senate.

Both of Alabama's Republican senators have opposed the legislation, with Sen. Jeff Sessions leading the opposition.

McCain, the only Republican presidential candidate to side with President Bush in support of the bill, said "we need to do a little more salesmanship" among the Republican Party. But he said the Senate will be granting "de facto amnesty" to 12 million illegal immigrants if it doesn't act.

"We have to act to secure the border and account for these 12 million people who are here in this country illegally," he said while attending an Alabama convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

The bill, which would strengthen border security before opening a path to legal status for illegal immigrants already in the country, appeared dead last week when it failed to reach the Senate floor for a vote. But Senate leaders said Thursday it could come up again as soon as next week.

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Associated Press Writers Mike Glover in Johnston, Iowa; Dinesh Ramde in Pewaukee, Wis.; Nedra Pickler in Washington and Phillip Rawls in Birmingham, Ala., contributed to this report.