DENVER -- With her husband looking on tenderly and her supporters watching with tears in their eyes, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton deferred her own dreams on Tuesday night and delivered an emphatic plea at the Democratic National Convention to unite behind her rival, Senator Barack Obama, no matter what ill will lingered.
Mrs. Clinton, who was once certain that she would win the Democratic nomination this year, also took steps on Tuesday -- deliberate steps, aides said -- to keep the door open to a future bid for the presidency. She rallied supporters in her speech, and, at an earlier event with 3,000 women, described her passion about her own campaign.
And her aides limited input on the speech from Obama advisers, while seeking advice from her former strategist, Mark Penn, a loathed figure in the Obama camp.
But the main task for Mrs. Clinton at the convention -- reaffirming her support for Mr. Obama in soaring and unconditional language -- dominated her 23-minute speech, and she betrayed none of the anger and disappointment that she still feels, friends say, and that has especially haunted her husband.
Declaring herself to be "a proud supporter of Barack Obama," Mrs. Clinton urged Democrats to put aside their loyalty to her and unite behind Mr. Obama -- or risk continuing Bush administration policies under the presumptive Republican nominee, Senator John McCain. ….continue reading
Shaheen Supporters Gather At Convention Watch Party
LACONIA - The promise of a chance to participate in a conference call with former Governor Jeanne Shaheen, an evening of inspirational speeches, and free pizza attracted a group of about twenty people to a Convention Watch Party at the Laconia House of Pizza last evening.
"We'd originally hoped to hear Gov. Shaheen speak at the convention," said Jon Arsenault, a Shaheen supporter in attendance. "But the schedule was changed and she won't be appearing until Wednesday."
"I don't think anyone was terribly disappointed in the change of schedule," said Ron Tunning, Chair of the Laconia Democratic Party. "People are pretty excited about hearing Hillary's speech." ….continue reading
A group of dedicated Democrats gathered Tuesday evening for a Convention Watch Party at the Laconia House of Pizza on Union Avenue that was hosted by the Shaheen for Senate campaign.
Feds Don't Think Obama Threat Credible
By Kirk Mitchell, Felisa Cardona, Howard Pankratz and Christopher Osher
Martin Dwaine Johnson told authorities that an associate and an accomplice were planning to kill Sen. Barack Obama using a sniper rifle simply because he is black, but the threat was not deemed credible by federal authorities.
Colorado's U.S. Attorney Troy Eid said today the threats did not meet the legal standard to charge the men with making a threat against Obama.
"There is a difference between a true threat and the reported racist rantings of drug abusers," Eid said during a press conference.
But Eid did announce his office had filed federal gun and drug charges against Tharin Gartrell, Shawn Adolf and Johnson .
"(Shawn) Adolf said that he wanted to kill Obama on the day of his inauguration and additionally stated that Adolf said he would specifically use a 22-250 sniper rifle and high powered scope, and find high ground to set up and shoot Obama," according to a federal criminal complaint filed Tuesday. ….continue reading
Barack Obama, Bill Clinton Remain Distant
By David Maraniss
Bill Clinton and Barack Obama -- in so many ways two sides of the same coin. Old heat and new cool, two guys who came out of nowhere, bereft of early connections, overcoming the odds. Each raised by a single mother and grandparents, in blended families featuring a variety of half siblings, with lost and distant fathers and stepfathers and no strong male role models. Both drawing on uncommon will, Ivy League legal training, mental agility, innate adaptability and the symbolism of hope to reach the heights of American politics.
Sen. Barack Obama campaigning at North Carolina Central University in Durham in November, 2008.
Former President Bill Clinton campaigning for his wife Hillary at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pa. in March, 2008.
"They are very similar in their strengths and weaknesses," noted Rahm Emanuel, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, who views the two men from a unique perspective as a congressman from Obama's home town, Chicago, and a former White House aide to Clinton.
Take away the context of this campaign year, and they could be pals, perhaps even big and little brothers of the Democratic family -- the so-called first black president mentors a prospective real black president. But context is everything in politics, and because of that their relationship is anything but close. ….continue reading
Wind Energy Bumps Into Power Grid's Limits
By Matthew L. Wald
When the builders of the Maple Ridge Wind farm spent $320 million to put nearly 200 wind turbines in upstate New York, the idea was to get paid for producing electricity. But at times, regional electric lines have been so congested that Maple Ridge has been forced to shut down even with a brisk wind blowing.
That is a symptom of a broad national problem. Expansive dreams about renewable energy, like Al Gore's hope of replacing all fossil fuels in a decade, are bumping up against the reality of a power grid that cannot handle the new demands.
Maple Ridge Wind Farm in upstate New York.
The dirty secret of clean energy is that while generating it is getting easier, moving it to market is not.
The grid today, according to experts, is a system conceived 100 years ago to let utilities prop each other up, reducing blackouts and sharing power in small regions. It resembles a network of streets, avenues and country roads.
"We need an interstate transmission superhighway system," said Suedeen G. Kelly, a member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. ….continue reading
Today's Video Choice
Carville, Are You Happy Yet?
"PMS is a War in Iraq With No End in Sight"
By E. J. Dionne
James Carville, the Democratic uber consultant and Clinton loyalist, was not happy on the first night of the Democratic Convention.
DENVER - Swilling coffee at an Emily's List briefing and breakfast this morning, I was reminded repeatedly that poor Mark Warner will probably be an afterthought tonight. Today is ladies' choice at the DNC--a slew of female elected officials are speaking shortly, culmi- nating in the much-anticipated address by Hil- lary Clinton to her wounded warriors. At the Colorado convention center, the EL leadership makes it clear that beyond those stars at the podium tonight, there are many more amazing, talented, dedicated Demo- cratic women running up and down the ticket across the country. That's wonderful news--but who cares?
Ironically, it seems--not women. The number-crunchers at the discussion pointed out as much: ….continue reading
"The way they planned it tonight was supposed to be sort of the personal -- Michelle Obama will talk about Barack Obama personally, Ted Kennedy was a very personal, emotional speech," Carville said in his role as a CNN commentator "But I guarantee on the first night of the Republican Convention, you're going to hear talk about Barack Obama, commander-in-chief, tax cuts, et cetera, et cetera."
"You haven't heard about Iraq or John McCain or George W. Bush -- I haven't heard any of this. We are a country that is in a borderline recession, we are an 80 percent wrong-track country. Health care, energy -- I haven't heard anything about gas prices," Carville added. "Maybe we are going to look better Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. But right now, we're playing hide the message."
Now personally, I thought letting the country know more about the Obama family was a good idea for night one and that Michelle Obama's speech was a good idea, well executed. And I'm a sucker for family scenes. (Also, isn't it useful for the country to know that Michelle Obama loved "The Brady Bunch?")
In any event, I always figured that Obama's lieutenants understood they had to take on Bush and McCain. And they went right at it tonight. ….continue reading
