From the Wall Street Journal's Nick Timiraos:

John McCain is quick to tout his credentials as a party “maverick” as an advantage over Barack Obama, who Republicans have criticized for refusing to break with his party on any major achievements.

One of McCain’s biggest across-the-aisle partners, Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold, defended Obama against those criticisms Sunday, even as he refrained from any criticism of McCain, who co-authored their landmark campaign finance reform bill.

“Both candidates have a record of working with the other side … but I think Sen. Obama is more likely to lead us in the right direction,” Feingold said after introducing the Democratic nominee at a Wisconsin picnic on Sunday. “It’s interesting, I’m maybe the member of Congress who has worked most closely with both of them.”

Feingold cited Obama’s work on nuclear non-proliferation with Russia with Indiana Republican Richard Lugar and their work together on a lobbying and ethics reform bill. “That was a very tough deal where many members of the Democratic Party were pushing very hard on him personally to weaken our bill,” he said.

The Wisconsin senator wouldn’t criticize McCain. “We need to be positive,” he said, and he dismissed Democratic attacks against McCain’s inability during an interview last week to say how many houses he owned. “I don’t believe it will” matter, he said. “People in the end will vote on the issues of working families.”

Feingold, who Obama praised as a man with “the courage of his convictions,” also sounded a call for genuine bipartisanship, particularly if Democrats control the White House and both chambers of Congress next year. “The worst mistake we could make is to not include Republicans whenever we can,” he said. “That’s the formula for disaster.”

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Patrick Marley:

Pawlenty called Biden a creature of Washington, noting he’s been in the Senate since Obama was about 12.

“Where’s the change?” Pawlenty said. “Barack Obama is all for change unless or until it’s politically expedient to pick the consummate insider.”

Pawlenty noted that Biden had criticized Obama as not being ready for the job when Biden also was seeking the Democratic presidential nomination in the Iowa caucuses. He said picking Biden wouldn’t be enough to boost the ticket’s credentials.

“When you’re going to be president of the United States, it’s not a situation where you should have to have a mentor or a trainer or a supervisor,” Pawlenty said

Feingold dismissed that, saying Obama made a wise decision by choosing someone who could work with him as an adviser and partner. He dismissed the claim that Biden is a Beltway insider, noting that he takes the train home every night so he can be with his family.

“He’s a real guy,” Feingold said. “He’s not some guy who lives and breathes Washington.”

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Craig Gilbert:

Wisconsin Democrat Russ Feingold, who serves on two Senate committees with Delaware's Joe Biden, praised Biden's selection as Barack Obama's running mate today.

"I think it's a good balance," Feingold said in an interview today, referring to Biden's  longevity and foreign policy experience and Obama's "fresh approach to politics."

Feingold sits on both the judiciary and foreign relations committees, as does Biden. Biden chairs foreign relations, and chaired judiciary before Feingold entered the Senate in 1993.

Feingold said choosing someone of Biden's experience was an important signal for Obama to send.

"I think Sen. Obama wants to make the American people confident that he will have around him people that will make sure he knows and has access to all the information (he needs). He's trying to say, 'This is symbolic of the kind of people who are going to govern with me.' It's probably the most important message for him, and I've felt that way for a long time," said Feingold.

 More on Obama's Eau Claire, WI stop here and here.