Politirazzi

By Meg

Gold Star: Toning it Down for Gustav

It was necessary but also provided a good opportunity to show the “Country First” motto in action by raising funds for those in need.

Demerit: Gratuitous Self-Congratulation over Toning it Down for Gustav

Don’t start practicing those Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speeches just because you didn’t screw this one up, boys.

Gold Star: The Glorious Absence of George Bush and Dick Cheney

Obviously, I wish the circumstances that kept them away had been different but wow, McCain sure hit the lottery. Any chance he can keep them quiet until November?

Demerit: Rudy

Still an ass.

Gold Star: Sarah Palin: Hockey Mom

That pesky lack-of-experience thing made it necessary to focus on personal biography rather than policy, and it worked for her. My favorite line was about her husband: “Two decades and five children later, he’s still my guy.” Well executed and well presented.

Demerit: Sarah Palin: Candidate for VP

Smugness does not become you, Gov. Palin. I know you had many, many "responsibilities” as the mayor of Stars Hollow or wherever it is you came from, but you are undeserving of this nomination and your lack of humility highlights that strikingly. It is possible to attack your opponent and look tough doing so without being petty and without belittling and insulting everyone who has ever worked to better his or her community. For an example of how to do this, read the acceptance speeches of John McCain and Barack Obama and mimic. It will help you to sound less like the amateur that you are.

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President Nixon greets McCain in this Sept. 14, 1973 photo. (Associated Press)

Whatever your politics, there's no doubt that John McCain's had a heck of a life. We've pulled together 32 photos from his early years through the campaign; take a look when you have a minute.

By Jeff

How the Republicans ran their convention this week is an example of the types of catalyst that allowed an inexperienced candidate like Barack Obama earn such a groundswell of energized support.

The Democrats rarely mentioned McCain during their convention, and when they did it was largely to link McCain and Bush’s voting records. The easy punchline at the time was about McCain’s seven houses, and I don’t recall any of the prime-time speakers even mentioning it.

Rather than pandering to their crowd to get a few big hoot and holler applause lines at the expense of McCain or Bush, their convention was about Obama’s history, why Obama wants to be president and what he aims to do if he gets there.

Contrast that with the approach of the Republicans this week, whose major speakers have littered every speech with petty digs, snide comments and general condescension about Obama’s history and qualifications. There was little mention about McCain other than his history as a soldier, his support of the surge and his mystical “maverick” status (though no concrete details have been offered). The convention seemed to be three days of McCain biography.

Where’s the looking forward? Instead of making the case for their candidate, their focus was to tear down Obama. They continued the vile “us vs. them” narrative that has been a Republican staple since shortly after 9/11.

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John McCain and Sarah Palin campaign in Cedarburg, Wis., on Friday (AP)

By Amara

The press has been Barack Obama’s best friend. Before Wednesday, when Gov. Sarah Palin completely electrified the Republican ticket, the media followed Obama around like lost puppies — loyal, devoted and unlikely to deliberately hurt him. Enter Sarah Palin stage Rright and all of a sudden there is a new kid in town who also embodies change, who can deliver an excellent speech and who is loved by the camera.

In politics, there are two things that keep a candidate relevant. One is momentum and the second, attention. I learned this the hard way as I watched my old boss (who also gave a fantastic speech on Wednesday) fade from the national scene and lose his momentum in not playing in early primaries. That said, the more time the press spends entranced with Sarah Palin, the less personal attention Barack Obama is going to get.

The less personal attention Barack Obama is going to get, the more Gov. Palin will continue to connect with people. People are drawn to Gov. Palin and will continue to be and as that happens, Barack Obama will lose the monopoly on the ability to inspire the 2008 electorate.

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Vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin introduces herself to the nation last night. (AP)

By Bragg

I was nervous last night as I prepared to watch Sarah Palin’s speech at the Republican National Convention. For me, it had been a politically emotional rollercoaster of a few days. Initially I was thrilled with the choice of Palin by John McCain (as I indicated on Friday). Over the weekend, as I heard more of her and heard increasingly positive feedback from others, I was only further enthused. On Monday, however, when news broke about her daughter’s pregnancy, I began to worry that perhaps she had not been vetted thoroughly, or that perhaps McCain’s choice of Palin had been made in haste as several members of the media opined. Was this going to end up being a disaster?

As I learned more about her vetting and more about the situation with her daughter, I began to feel optimistic about Palin again. I was helped along in this process by the astonishingly shameful way Palin was treated by the majority of the media. I cannot recall anyone in public life who was attacked so immediately and so viciously in her public and private lives. Left-wing bloggers spread lies about her and her family — lies that were then shamefully passed off as legitimate “leads” by members of the mainstream media, allowing the falsities and innuendo to enter the national conversation. (Jeff, by the way, did an absolutely terrific job yesterday of rebutting many of the scurrilous untruths of the last week.)

When not chasing down unsubstantiated rumors about Palin, the national media — the same folks who have, for the most part, allowed questions about Obama’s qualifications for the presidency to go unasked — now were suddenly laser-focused on the issue of experience as it pertained to Palin’s qualifications for the vice presidency. Again, the press has seemed largely unconcerned with the readiness of the man at the top of the Democratic ticket for the presidency, but the issue conveniently becomes preeminent with regard to Palin — who, incidentally, has more executive experience than Obama, Biden and McCain combined.

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(The Hollywood Gossip)

By LaShawnda

“To the families of special needs children all across this country, I have a message for you. For years, you have sought to make America a more welcoming place for your sons and daughters and I pledge to you, if we are elected you will have a friend, an advocate in the White House.”

Has the White House been occupied by enemies of families with special needs children? Having sat through months of the McCain campaign ripping from various Democratic campaigns and tactics, I’m puzzled as to why they didn’t jump on the idea of an introductory video for Gov. Sarah Palin.

She could have introduced her children, parents and high school sweetheart in a video and gotten right to the business of explaining what makes her so qualified to be vice president of the United States of America. That’s what we want to know. We don’t need to know why her PTA and hockey mom experience is more suited to the Oval Office than Sen. Obama’s community organizer experience.

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(Snapshot Host)

Haterade: A figurative drink representing a modality of thought. Those who consume it are themselves consumed by the negativity which with they speak.

— LaShawnda

Listening to Giuliani at the RNC brought to mind the Gershwin song "They All Laughed." Giuliani did nothing but crack jokes and belittle Obama. So much so that by the time he got around to listing John McCain’s qualifications my ears were only listening for the punchlines. He delivered, “Sarah Palin has more executive experience than the Democratic ticket combined! She’s been a mayor! I love that!”

— LaShawnda

By LaShawnda

Last nights theme at the Republican National Convention was "Country First." The signs could have just as well read "Hypocrisy First"!

President Bush referred to Democrats as the “angry left” via satellite at the White House. His address was surprisingly and blessedly short. But, has he not heard? McCain is known for his temper!

Fred Thompson said he will take a woman who has governed the largest state in the union over someone so lacking in experience as Barack Obama. After all, he said, “She’s run a municipality and she’s run a state. I can say without fear of contradiction, she’s the only nominee in the history of either party who knows how to field dress a moose.” How offended should Americans be at that “qualification”?

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The GOP is moving toward a "reform" platform at its convention, Jeff observes. Sound familiar? (AP)

By Jeff

Quick thoughts on the start of the RNC Convention:

1. It’s clear that the Republicans have largely abandoned the “experience” angle, and are moving more toward a “reform” platform, which is eerily similar to Obama’s “change” platform. While Obama definitely has a more eloquent message about change, both McCain and Palin have more tangible examples of “reform” they can point to, while Obama and even Biden cannot. Biden has experience, but some of his tangible “reforms” are not things he will want to highlight (like the creation of the drug czar position, or writing an anti-terrorism bill in the wake of the Oklahoma City bombings that was similar to the eventual Patriot Act passed in 2001).

2. Aside from the cheers for the veterans, the biggest cheers in the crowd last night were consistently for pro-life comments. There were enough of them to make me think that this is going to be a theme for the next two days, especially with Palin and Romney on tap for today. The selection of Palin should be enough of a “pro-life” message to the base that the party doesn’t need to make so many explicit comments about abortion during the convention. This is absolutely a losing issue for Republicans as nearly 60 percent of Americans favor keeping abortion legal.

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By Dontre

Last night, as the Republicans kicked-off their version of stagecraft known as a national convention, there existed an overt sense of self-aggrandizement. Cindy McCain, wife of Republican presidential nominee John McCain, took to the stage reminding everyone that they should wear "American hats" instead of Republican hats, as they prepared for the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav in the Gulf Region.

Before she spoke, however, first lady Laura Bush introduced a video montage of the respective governors of the Gulf States. Each, in their Southern lilt, heaped praise on the Bush administration for their rapid response to federal aid requests and on each other for the great way in which they banded together helped the people of “Loo-ze-anah.” Laura then took the opportunity to remind us that each of the governors is Republican.

In her attempt to take a quick jab at the Democrats and show Republican strength, Laura ignored a few (recent) historical facts that might have caused the Republicans — indeed, all of us — to see that this glowing little display of camaraderie by the Republican governors corps was nothing more than made-for-TV infomercial, created for visual effect. Let us consider, first, that Bobby Jindal was noticeably absent from this touching little tribute to Republican cohesion, likely because the only Louisiana governor who can offer a solid perspective on Republican disaster management is former Democratic Gov. Kathleen Blanco.

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Check out these great Getty photos of the crowd in Times Square that took a break from gawking at the neon last night to watch Sen. Barack's Obama's on the big screens ...

Stay tuned, we'll have photos from the McCain/Palin rally soon ... it was due to start about an hour ago, but has been pushed back a bit.

(AP)

By Dan

The former vice president enters and exits to "Let the Sunshine In." I guess we're no longer a hippie-phobic party. Maybe the ghosts of '68 have finally been excised. He gives a very decent speech comparing Obama to Lincoln and McCain's policies to President Bush.

Talking about how they share the GOP's corporate fealty to carbon industries like oil and gas, Gore quipped:

After Gore left the stage, a full stadium wave started in the section to my left. It took three times to get it going but it finally made it around the stadium before Michael McDonald settled everyone back down again with a rendition of "America, the Beautiful," not entirely unlike the Family Guy episode that parodies him.

Another Obama video entertains us in the meantime. I feel like I've seen 100 of these over the last three days. This one was cut off in the middle and nobody seemed to notice.

I suppose everyone's too busy trying to figure out which celebrities are in the skyboxes behind their seats. A bevy of beautiful black women (and Star Jones) are in the sky box behind me. Every once in a while Louis Gosset Jr. or Forrest Whittaker stands up and everyone turns around to snap a picture.

Susan Eisenhower is up now, "not as a Republican or a Democrat, but as an American." That's been a theme for the night.

By Dan

The BlackBerry's dying as Stevie Wonder takes the stage.

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine reminded the crowd how lucky we are that he was passed over for veep. He quoted the Gospel of Matthew about mustard seeds and mountains. And he touched on his work in Honduras during law school, before leading the crowd in a chant of "Move Mountain."

Gov. Bill Richardson took the stage next and reminded us that he really wants to be Secretary of State. He delivered a good line about McCain paying "hundreds of dollars for his shoes but we're the ones who will pay for his flip-flops" on any number of issues, including what is and is not torture.

Richardson went on to remind the crowd about what's at stake in this election for union members and the Constitution, civil liberties, the war on terrorism and securing loose nukes.

He ended by asking, "Is anyone going to miss Dick Cheney?" To which the entire stadium responded in unison, "NO!"

The stadium is filling up quickly as we wait for the nights all-stars to come and speak.

More after the parties end tonight!

Olympic gold medalist in gymnastcs Shawn Johnson, left, talks to Former Vice President Al Gore as they tour Invesco Field, the site of the Democratic National Convention in Denver. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Olympic gold medalist and America's sweetheart Shawn Johnson seems to have found a pretty good guide to show her around Invesco — former Vice President Al Gore.

She later led the pledge of allegiance for the crowd of 75,000 on the final night of the Democratic National convention.

Let's see if McCain includes Shawn in his next Obama 'celebrity' attack ad.

* Click here for more photos of Shawn Johnson, and 27 more celebrities spotted at the DNC

* Click here for all the photos from Sen. Obama's speech

* And click here to see photos of Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin competing and hanging out at the Olympics

(AP)

By Dan

Apparently the good stuff starts around 5 p.m. local time. Right now we've been treated to one of those slick videos, this time praising the work of Howard Dean, who introduces himself as the chairman of the party, "and I know exactly how many houses I own." Zing!

The other recent speakers have been kinda boring. Colo. Gov. Ritter sounded quite hoarse. Then a parade of local Colorado House members delivered rather bland and uninspired speeches. Even the invocation of the famous MLK line about "justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream" fell flat.

The stadium looks about half full. A lot of seats in the sun are open. Seating was done first-come, first-served, by stadium section. The sections in the shade are also the ones with the best view of the stage.

And there's no beer being sold ... WTF, Obama campaign, WTF? (David's drinking game for Obama's speech here.)

Aretha Franklin's "Think" is playing and people on the floor are bumping. I'm somewhere between inspired and embarrassed. (If you see any of the video, you'll see what I mean!)

Up on the big screens, we're invited to text the name of Sen. Obama's comprehensive early education plan to 62262. This campaign is seriously using every stadium trick in the book to get the names and cell phone numbers of everyone in attendance. I almost expect to see the Great Subway Race pop up between Al Gore and Bill Richardson's
speeches. I'm betting on the D-Train!

Sean Johnson for the Pledge and Jennifer Hudson for the National Anthem. She rocked it out! Much better than her performance in Sex and the City.

While an Obama video plays on the large screen, everyone in my section is preoccupied with Forrest Whittaker in the skybox immediately behind us.

I didn't quite catch the current speaker but I will say that they're keeping the program moving and entertaining. Much more so than the past few days that seemed to drag at times on the teevee.

-Click here for 27 more celebrities spotted at the DNC

(Photo: AP)

— Dan

By Dan

Illinois Rep. Jan Schakowsky comes on the stage and announces the end of the Bush administration in 145 days. She reminds the crowd how close we came in 2000 to preventing the Bush disaster. (Al Gore is scheduled to speak later. I wonder if he'll touch on that.)

She followed Ray Rivera who implored people to go to the phone banks located around the stadium and asks people to make 12 phone calls to win a chance to get a floor pass for tonight. No doubt thousands of phone calls will be made tonight. Maybe you'll get one!

Pelosi's up now calling today's convention to order. She introduced Rabbi David Saperstein. He asked us to bow our heads. I don't think he meant for me to keep tapping on this BlackBerry. Oh well ... one more thing to atone for this Yom Kippur.

This was actually a very nice benediction. I shouldn't be so cynical all the time.

Invesco Field in Denver. Dan's there; we're here. (AP)

By Dan

After waiting on a long line along side the wife of former Transportation Secretary Frederico Pena (who's also one of Obama's national co-chairs) proving the powerful had to wait in line along with the peons, with free water compliments of Dasani, I finally got inside Invesco in time to see Yonder Mountain String Band warm up the
crowd.

They're followed by a number of veterans speaking out on behalf of Obama and now a quick announcement on what to do in case of an emergency evacuation ... not exactly filling me with confidence!

But security is tight, with lots of volunteers keeping people to their assigned sections. And now I know to stay calm in the event of an emergency. The weather's perfect ... so much for the right-wing plan to pray for rain!

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As you await tonight's historic Barack Obama acceptence speech at Investco field in Denver, check out these photos of his parents, baby Obama, teen rebel Obama, and Obama and Michelle on their wedding day from his family album.

While we're trapped in the office, fellow online co-conspirator Mark LaMonica is hard at work at the Democratic convention in Denver.

I think he'll get to expense this bar tab.

* Click to see photos of 30 more celebrities partying at the Democratic convention--Spike Lee, Sean Penn, Ashley Judd, Chevy Chase, Kal Penn, Angela Bassett, Richard Dreyfuss, Moby, Daughtry, and more

By Lynne

In anticipation of another boring evening watching the Democratic National Convention, I went to see “Death Race” (hard to go wrong with Jason Statham and adrenaline-filled race scenes, especially at $5 Tuesdays at the Sunnyside Theater in Queens).

I thought perhaps Hillary Clinton’s speech might be a metaphorical car crash; but instead she was able to successfully navigate her to way through support for Barack Obama, attacks on John McCain and a call for unity.

In fact, she might even have steered a path to the White House in 2012, if Obama isn’t able to pull it off this November.

Not bad for a 20 minute speech.

The general consensus is that Hillary Clinton did pretty well in last night’s speech to the Convention – never mind what she was really thinking. Equally important, though, is the question that always seems to dog her: How did she look?

Better than she used to, but there’s still room for improvement, as they used to say in grammar school: We’d give her a B-plus.

Overall, time seems to have been surprisingly good to the senator: All you need remember are the chipmunk cheeks, the Barney-the-purple-dinosaur hat, that headband, the Margaret Thatcher hair. She’s come a long way.

The shorter hair, the hints of clear color, the less-gimmicky clothes are all to the good.

Still, she could take a hint from Michelle Obama, who looks just great in her simple sleeveless dresses (Note to Hil:the traveling pantsuits are getting really old. Particularly in technicolor).

We happen to like the casual sweater-knotted-around-the-neck look; likewise, we think she looks terrific when she loosens up a little, gets a touch glam. We like her hair when it’s not so, well, controlled. Now, if she would just lose those boxy jackets, do something about the predictable pearls. And stay away from bright-colored pants.

* 56 photos of Hillary Rodham Clinton's fashion looks through the years

Hillary Rodham Clinton addresses the Presidential Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses, Aug. 14, 1995, in Washington. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

By LaShawnda

Behind every strong man is a stronger woman. Michelle Obama exudes confidence, strength and bedrock support for her husband, Sen. Barrack Obama. Her speech on Monday kicking off the 2008 Democratic National Convention was by far one of the best and most comprehensive illustrations of American family values that we strive toward and work to maintain on a daily basis. And we were blessed to see rare, unscripted family interaction when young Malia and Sasha Obama were shown onto stage to congratulate their mother and greet their father via satellite.

Michelle spoke of the improbable journey she and her husband have traversed individually and together, in both their personal lives and public. She proclaimed her life and his as evidence that the American dream endures. She spoke of simple life principles they live by: Your word being your bond and treating people with dignity and respect even if you don’t know them and don’t agree with them.

She spoke of everyone’s right to believe in America being a place where you can make it if you try. She spoke of how she and Barack share their experiences and vision of the great American story by not looking at the world as it is, but looking at the world as it should be.

She continued to speak as the audience screamed, applauded thunderously and approvingly waved signs that read: Michelle and Common Values/Common Purpose. Michelle Obama’s speech spoke to our common values and our common purpose as Americans.

Her closing kept her narrative on a continuum: “In honor of my father’s memory and my daughters’ future, let’s stand together to elect Barack Obama President of the United States of America!

* Check out 22 photos of the family from last night here

Anti-war protesters gather in Grant Park outside the Conrad Hilton, base of the Democratic National Committee. (Photo by Jefferson Siegel)

It was 40 years ago today that another Democratic National Convention began. In 1968, with the country torn apart by the Vietnam War and the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. earlier in the year, the Democrats gathered in Chicago for a convention that would come to be known as a "police riot."

Demonstrators had arrived en masse to protest the war policies of President Lyndon B. Johnson. His vice president, Hubert Humphrey, was a candidate, as was the anti-war candidate, Sen. Eugene McCarthy. Humphrey would win the nomination, only to lose to Richard M. Nixon in the general election. The war would continue for several more years, eventually claiming the lives of 58,000 U.S. troops.

In this photo, anti-war demonstrators gather in Grant Park, across the street from the Conrad Hilton, the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee. As people in the hotel turned their room lights on and off in a show of support for the protesters, the crowd cheered back.

* Click to see 12 more photos from the demonstrations

-- Jefferson Siegel

By Lynne

Michelle Obama may have worn green, but her carefully crafted convention speech left out even a single mention of the environment.

It was her opportunity to introduce her husband as a caring father, concerned about the future for his children and the children of America.

But no mention of clear air to breathe or clean water to drink.

It was her opportunity to persuade women voters that Barack cares about issues that concern them — health care, equal pay for equal work.

What about safe, healthy food to eat?

Their daughters were highlighted several times, but she did not discuss Malia’s asthma and the link between the growing rate of respiratory ailments and air pollution.

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The cutest thing I’ve ever seen in politics. But isn’t this what it should be all about: the love of family. Love in the Obama family is very obvious and touching.

— LaShawnda

* Check out 22 photos of the fam last night here... including Sasha trying to gavel the convention to order.

Prime-time speakers on other convention events to be broadcast on cable at 7 each night:

TODAY
Michelle Obama: The potential first lady will reintroduce herself to the nation.
Other highlights: Nancy Pelosi speech, tribute to Ted Kennedy

TOMORROW
Hillary Clinton: To be introduced by daughter Chelsea, this is among the senator’s last big opportunities to rally her loyal supporters behind Obama.
Other highlights: David Paterson speech

WEDNESDAY
Joe Biden: Watch for the newly chosen running mate to fill the attack dog role and play up his working-class roots.
Other highlights: Bill Clinton and John Kerry speeches

THURSDAY
Barack Obama: He’ll accept the nomination in front of about 75,000 at the Denver Bronco’s football stadium. The pressure is on to top his 2004 convention speech as well as his famous race speech.

— Emily

An Obama-Clinton ticket to stun the nation? GOP blogger Bragg believes Obama has this surprise stored up his sleeve.

By Bragg

Barack Obama has unquestionably had a tough few weeks. His overseas tour seemed to do more harm than good, as a trip designed to shore up his commander-in-chief bona fides ended up coming across as presumptuous and hubristic. McCain’s clever “Celeb” ad featuring Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, while called “juvenile” by Obama and his media cohorts, actually was quite effective — if for nothing else than because it gave McCain some attention in an otherwise Obama-dominated media narrative.

In recent weeks, stories have surfaced of “nervousness” or even “buyer’s remorse” in the Democratic party, as party activists wonder why Obama can’t seem to open up a solid lead against McCain in an otherwise slam-dunk Democratic election year. L