With Barack Obama campaigning full-steam ahead as the Democratic candidate for this year's election, the contest for Commander in Chief has become a bit more focused. So we, too, carry on and keep watchful eye of all things 2008 election. Here's the latest:

• Scarlett Johansson revealed that she and long-time political idol Barack Obama are having an email affair of sorts. The blond bombshell, who is in constant contact with the senator, defended herself saying, "If the spotlight is on me, I might as well try to direct it on things and causes that I believe in."
• Although Chuck Berry's 1958 hit 'Johnny B. Goode' surfaced as one of John McCain's campaign songs this year, Berry calls himself an Obama man. "It's no question," he said of his support for the Illinois senator. "Myself being a man of color ... I mean, you have to feel good about it."
• Nas has responded to Obama's all-but-official nomination with 'Black President' -- a track he recorded that includes a snippet of Obama's 'Yes We Can' speech.
• Speaking of that speech, there is now a Spanish version of Will.i.am's once ubiquitous, now annoying video endorsement of Obama. Go to PodemosConObama.com to see the version of 'Yes We Can,' which features artists like Paulina Rubio, Don Omar and Alejandro Sanz.
  
• Is the Barack Obama presidential campaign at the center of a "tough twee" musical movement? Have cardigans and sweets been replaced by an angrier sort? Discuss.
• This list presents 12 cultural instances that helped Barack Obama win the ticket. No. 3 involves 'Sesame Street.'

As rumors swirl that Hillary Clinton may, in fact, bow out of the battle for the Democratic ticket soon, we'd like to take a look back on the past couple of weeks to see who's been speaking up, rocking out and getting down for their personal political views. Here is the latest ...

• The Flaming Lips' enigmatic frontman, Wayne Coyne, took several opportunities at this year's Sasquatch! festival to empower his audience. During the band's headlining UFO Show performance Coyne called for change this November and addressed the crowd, "Come on motherf------!" He not only spoke to the seriousness of the situation in Iraq, but also interrupted the show to play 'Taps.'
  
• Sasquatch! produced several more political moments, including when guitarist Mike Clark from Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks told the crowd that they were "still holding out for Hillary." Then there was Michael Stipe who, barefoot during R.E.M.'s rainy set, asked, "Who thinks Barack Obama is the coolest guy in the world?"
• The Decemberists jumped on the rock-for-Obama band wagon when they held a free concert in Portland, Ore., before the candidate's recent rally.
  
• Outspoken Everclear frontman Art Alexakis maintains that 'Jesus Was a Democrat' in a new single his band is set to record in response to their opposition to the war. "I think that a lot of people who call themselves Christians would think -- if Jesus came back today -- that he's a terrorist because he isn't blond-haired or blue-eyed," he told Spinner. "Those are the people we're trying to kill."
• During an interview with Spinner, Mick Jones said that he wants "anybody but McCain" to win this year's presidential race. He continued, "My real dream ticket would be Jed Bartlet (Martin Sheen in 'The West Wing') with the vice president being the guy from '24,' Dennis Haysbert."
• Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla, an Obama supporter, spoke out on the (non)participation of Oregon's population in the state's primary on May 20.

The latest ...

• M.I.A. felt uber political after her Coachella performance this year. "Playing right now in America, during the election times, I feel more and more connected with my fans," she told Spinner.
• During his performance at this year's Coachella Valley Music Festival, Roger Waters not only broadcast his personal presidential choice on his massive floating Obama pig (a nice Pink Floyd touch), but also with a bunch of flyers. Litterbug!
  
• Sean Penn took advantage of his Coachella time to preach volunteerism before My Morning Jacket's set. "Revolution is a young man's job," he said. "And you can be the revolution!" Oh, and he also hung out with Sienna Miller. A lot.
  
• Hillary Clinton launched Project T-Shirt. It's a design contest. And, like, if your design wins, you'll get a photo of both daughter Chelsea and Hillary rocking the thing ... in public!
  
• As previously reported, Arcade Fire and Superchunk planned to rock for Barack. And they are! Here's proof.
• 'The Hills' star (and wannabe pop singer) Heidi Montag says she's firmly planted in the John McCain camp. McCain answered, "I'm honored to have Heidi's support and I want to assure her that I never miss an episode." Barack Obama took the comedic approach to her (ir)relevance.

The latest ...

• Against Me! made a public service announcement that urges people to "Stop! Take some time to think/Figure out what's important to you." It's kinda catchy.
  
• The Roots' ?uestlove gushed about Barack Obama. "He appeals to the hopeless romantic in all of us," he told Spinner. "But I don't want people to misconstrue Obama's hope for a winning lottery ticket. If people see Obama as the lottery ticket that will instantly solve their problems, I'm sorry, but that's not going to happen. A lot of the political changes is gonna happen within these people themselves."
  
• Arcade Fire and Superchunk have teamed up to play a few dates -- the shows have been deemed 'Change Rocks' -- in support of Obama.
  
• An ironic hipster t-shirt idea touting Barack Obama has gone terribly wrong.
• Find out which kind of campaign voter you are with this NY Times poll that suggests that if you eat granola and like, totally dig lattes, you're most likely an Obama person. Really?
• We found two very, um, interesting Hillary Clinton spoof videos. The first involves a Chilean Clinton impersonator and a Hilary Duff jam; The second, 'Terminator 2: Judgement Day,' 'Carrie' and 'Fatal Attraction.' We know, but just watch.
• Speaking of movies and candidates, check out this Barack/'Rocky' spoof. He looks good in a sweat suit.
• John Mellencamp, who previously supported John Edwards, played an Obama rally during the Pennsylvania primary. The result? Obama lost, and Clinton is still in it.

The latest ...

• Jay-Z is supporting Barack Obama in a big way on his 'Heart of the City' tour.
  
• Elton John will play New York City's Radio City Music Hall on April 9 to support Hillary Clinton's campaign.
• Speaking of Radio City, former White House team Bill Clinton and Al Gore will make appearances at the venue for 'The Minds That Move the World' speaker series.
  
• Joining DMX in the totally clueless club, former Hear'Say singer Suzanne Shaw admitted that she had never heard of Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton. Really?
  
• Ministry's Al Jourgensen told Spinner that he thinks Bush is evil. Oh yeah, and he's supporting Barack Obama.
• Former Soul Coughing singer Mike Doughty told Spinner that he's firmly for ... anyone who's NOT Bush in his recent visit to the Interface.
• Heather Mills posted a pro-Clinton message on her Web site.
• You thought Will.I.Am was obsessed with Obama? See those who take it to the proverbial next level.
  
• Dave Matthews Band will perform a free concert in support of Barack Obama this Sunday at Indiana University.

The latest ...

• Jay Jay French of Twisted Sister produced an 'I Wanna Rock' redux for Barack Obama. 'I Wanna Barack' is credited to Jay Jay French alone, because the band members at large is split on their choice of candidates.
• Ubiquitous Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz spoke out about his own political efforts in Spin's April issue, saying, "I don't think anybody's [thinking], 'Whoa, dude with black hair and tight jeans supports [Barack Obama]! That's a stunning move!' I'm only interested in creating a dialog with our fans."
  
• Wyclef Jean gives 2008's presidential hopefuls a run for their money during his "vote for me" rant in the video for his latest single off 'Carnival, Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant.'
  
• Russel Simmons, Jim Jones, the President of the Hip-Hop Research and Education Fund and more launched the national Hip-Hop Team Vote: Turn Up the Vote campaign on March 19 -- a national effort whose goal is to "mobilize the hip-hop generation of youth voters to ensure the largest youth voter turnout in American history on November 4, 2008."
• In non-music-related-but-still-totally-awesome news, Bill Richardson, the nation's only Hispanic governor, announced his support of Barack Obama. The awesome part? Richardson's new beard!

Get a complete rundown on who's stepping up and speaking out after the jump.

The latest ...

• A Tribe Called Quest emcee Q-Tip has enlisted the help of Barack Obama and his distinctive voice in recording a track for his forthcoming album, 'The Renaissance.'
  
• Obama supporter Stevie Wonder and First Lady hopeful Michelle had an awkward moment during one of the camp's musical rallies. It was caught on camera.
• Brace yourself for Barackula: the Musical -- an upcoming "political horror rock musical" about the candidate's fictional younger years ... as a vampire slayer!
• The AV Club responds to Rolling Stone's glowing Obama cover story.
• Slits singer Ari Up professed her devotion to the Hillary Clinton campaign during the Fair Game radio show.
• According to some, Barack Obama and his many "isms" are the cat's pajamas. In more ways than one.
• KT Tunstall is supporting Hillary Clinton with use of her illuminating single 'Suddenly I See.'
• DMX has no clue who Barack Obama is.
• And now for some campaign humor! Check out this 'Election' spoof video, which features Hillary Clinton as Reese Witherspoon's character, Tracey Flick.
  

Get a complete rundown after the jump.

While the GOP party vote is neatly wrapped up with John McCain as its 2008 contender, the Democrat ticket battle is still raging. After Hillary Clinton's hard-won victories in last week's big Texas and Ohio primaries, it seems that the former first lady still has a chance at the nomination. And so we continue to scour the web for news on who in music is stepping up and speaking out.

• R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe work rocked a neon-green Barack Obama t-shirt at the band's first live performance of the year at the Langerado festival in Florida.
• Rolling Stone co-founder Jann S. Wenner offered his formal, might we add glowing, endorsement of Barack Obama in the magazine's March Issue, which also features the Illinois senator as its coverman.
  
• Reggae singer Coco Tea is urging people to unite in support of Barack Obama by writing a song about him called ... 'Barack Obama.' The 48-year-old singer has said that "the young people who are supporting him want change -- and that's what he represents."
• Sick of your ringtone? Hillary has you covered with these Clintones.

Get a complete rundown after the jump.

While GOP candidate John McCain has all but secured his spot in the big Election '08, the Democratic hopefuls are still in a heated battle for delegates. Gear up for tonight's crucial primaries in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island and Vermont with the latest news on who in music is getting down with politics.

• After seeing Barack Obama on the cover of Men's Vogue, rapper Mos Def insists that the Illinois senator will win the Democratic race "because he looks good." He added, "America's too vain."
• Will.i.am makes a star-studded Obama video -- Take Two!
• Hillary Clinton scored points when she hit up comedy outlets 'The Daily Show With Jon Stewart' and 'SNL' to poke fun at herself. We love self-deprecating humor.
• Russell Simmons exits the land of the undecided and backs Barack.
• Rewind: Is this what will happen if Barack secures the Democratic bid tomorrow night?
• Arcade Fire covered David Bowie, John Lennon at the Barack Rock Stop in Cleveland (rocks!). See all the sweaty shots from the event right here.
  
• Kris Kristofferson jumped on the Barack bandwagon. Better late than never.
• In sort of related news, Jenna Bush did her best to establish indie-rock cred on MTV.

Get a complete rundown of who's supporting whom after the jump.

Since the beginning of the race, the flip-flopping lead between Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have had political analysts gleefully marveling at the record-breaking turnout in state primaries. But after a recent big run from the Obama camp, it's down to the wire for Clinton this Tuesday, March 4, when primaries in Texas and Ohio may very well seal the fate of the former first lady, who trails her opponent by more than 100 delegates.

And so, the battle surges forward. If there's one thing that's certain about this year's Democratic race, it's that America really cares this time around. Not only has John Q. Voter stepped up to the plate, but many musicians have voiced their allegiances this year, which has us noticing some trends. For example, seasoned divas are pulling for homegirl Hillary. Madonna, Cher, Janet Jackson and Carole King have all sided with the former first lady. Meanwhile, rockers seem firmly planted in the Obama camp, with names like Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz, Morrissey, Jeff Tweedy of Wilco and Win Butler of Arcade Fire Baracking out.

Last week ...

• First, John Mellencamp asked John McCain to cease and desist his use of 'Our Country' and 'Pink Houses.' And now the GOP leader has run into trouble with ABBA. "It gets expensive in a big hurry," he said after formally dropping the Swedish legends' 1977 hit 'Take a Chance on Me' from his campaign trail playlist.
• Dave Matthews is rumored to be playing an Obama rally for the Bobcats on March 2. According to Ohio University's Vice President of Student Affairs, the college rock king is likely to play at Athens' Convocation Center, but sans the presidential hopeful.
  
• Speaking of Obama rallies, watch Bright Eyes and M. Ward duet in the name of Barack.
• Neil Young voiced his respect for George Bush. Sort of.
• Oh, and Ralph Nader joined the race. Better late than never? We're not sure.

If there's one thing that's certain about this year's Democratic race, it's that America really cares this time around. The flip-flopping lead between Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton has political analysts gleefully marveling at the record-breaking turnout in state primaries.

Not only has John Q. Voter stepped up to the plate, but many musicians have voiced their allegiances this year, which has us noticing some trends. For example, seasoned divas are pulling for homegirl Hillary. Madonna, Cher, Janet Jackson and Carole King have all sided with the former first lady. Meanwhile, rockers seem firmly planted in the Obama camp, with names like Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz, Morrissey, Jeff Tweedy of Wilco and Win Butler of Arcade Fire Baracking out.

Last week ...

• Previously, it was John Mellencamp pulling the plug on John McCain's campaign rally playlist. Now it's Boston guitarist Tom Sholtz (a Barack Obama supporter), who's claiming unauthorized use of tunes by presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee, who was playing the band's biggest hit, 'More Than a Feeling,' on the campaign trail. These Republicans can't catch a break, can they?
• Last week, Grammys were awarded to the usual suspects including Kanye West, Amy Winehouse, Justin Timberlake ... and Barack Obama? That's right, the Democratic presidential candidate beat out former President Bill Clinton for Best Spoken Word Album for 'The Audacity Of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream.'
• Cher jumped on the Hillary Clinton band wagon, saying that "she'd make the best President."
• Hillary targets hipsters with spoof 'Behind the Music' video.
• Want more campaign viral videos? Here you go.
• Electro eccentric Daedelus wrote a whole song about Barack Obama.
• Moby, Lou Reed and Antony and the Johnsons will put on an anti-war fundraiser on March 18 in NYC, which Moby describes as "a concert in support of the troops, for the best way to support the troops is to bring them home and not subject them to harm in another countries."
  
• Hillary Clinton was a good sport and admitted to her many fashion faux pas in US Weekly.
  
• Did God Speed You Black Emperor split due to existential crisis brought on by Iraq war? Seriously?
• We found this super handy guide to songs on the GOP campaign trail. From Mike Huckabee's penchant for southern rock ('Freebird') to (former hopeful) Rudy Giuliani's borderline comical playlist ('Eye of the Tiger'), dive in to (Republican) campaign playlist 101.
• Finally, John McCain's eager daughter, Meghan, talks insomnia and making (surprisingly awesome) mixtapes on her very own blog.

Get a complete rundown after the jump.

Last week ...

• After catching wind that Republican presidential hopeful John McCain had John Mellencamp's 'Our Country' on heavy rotation in his personal campaign song mix, Mellencamp, who was supporting Democrat John Edwards before he dropped out of the race, sent him a strongly worded letter to rethink his "logic." Needless to say, McCain has since stopped using the song.
• Republican candidate Mitt Romney, who was known more for his good looks (Letterman said he "looks like a guy wearing a golf shirt in an Eddie Bauer catalogue") and unusual name than for his politics, dropped out of the race.
• Bright Eyes, M. Ward, Jim Ward and Secret Life of Sparrows all took the opportunity to support Barack Obama at Omaha's Slowdown club last Thursday -- two short days before Nebraska's caucus, which Obama eventually won. Score one for the indie rock team.
  
• ABC soundtracked their Super Tuesday coverage ads with Matchbox Twenty's 'How Far We've Come.'
  
• In some depressing news, last Tuesday's episode of 'American Idol' trumped Super Tuesday coverage in ratings.
• Diddy is urging y'all to vote. Again.
• Paramore guitarist Josh Farro has one thought on the upcoming election and one thought only: "I hope Hillary Clinton doesn't get elected because she's crazy!!!" Look out, Tim Russert. We've got a real political analyst on our hands.

See a complete rundown after the jump.