CBS News has excerpts from the “Republicans for Obama” conference call today with former U.S. Rep Jim Leach:

Leach, meanwhile, said he hoped that Obama will consider Chuck Hagel, a Republican not as of now one of the “Republicans For Obama,” as his running mate.

Oops. Hagel announced after the call that he’s sitting 2008 out. I guess the big Iraq field trip didn’t go so well.

Double Oops. Here’s Team McCain’s response to the Leach call:

The McCain campaign, meanwhile, sent out an email noting that “Leach co-authored the Gramm-Leach-Bliley act which Obama blames for the subprime lending crisis.”

In other VP news, Dick Morris has Joe-mentum.