(CNN) – John McCain Tuesday accused Barack Obama of missing a great “chance to express such confidence in America” in his speech in Berlin last month.
“He was the picture of confidence, but in some ways the confidence itself and confidence in one's country are not the same,” McCain told a gathering of the American Legion in Phoenix.
“And in that speech, Senator Obama left an important point unclear. He suggested that the end of the Cold War proved that there was, "no challenge too great for a world that stands as one... The Cold War ended not because the world stood ‘as one,’ but because the great democracies came together, bound together by sustained and decisive American leadership.”
The Obama campaign, which has accused McCain of impugning the Illinois senator’s patriotism, responded quickly.
"The 'confusion' here is between John McCain rhetoric that no one's love of country should be questioned and the reality of his campaign's daily, false, personal and detestable attacks on Senator Obama,” said Obama campaign spokesman Hari Sevugan.
Listening to Rudy Giuliani reminds me to make mental note. Compare the two keynote addresses that we are going to hear this week and next.
Mark Warner is going to give a classic contemporary Democratic address - careful and cautious. He is going to appeal to bipartisanship. Rudy is going to tear Obama to pieces. It's going to be an extremely negative message.
This is the difference between Democrats and Republicans - and it may be why Republicans have won seven of the last ten presidential elections.
DENVER (CNN) – The hall is now teeming with people, and rumors are swirling they may stop letting them in. Folks are still not paying too much attention to what's happening on the podium, and as you go through the crowd all you hear is "Hillary" and "Clinton." Right now a stream of 'real people' are taking the stage - speaking now is Gloria Craven, a North Carolina Republican and a laid-off textile worker.
DENVER (CNN) - The arena is filling, and there are some mega-watt pols roaming the floor as the suspense builds for Hillary Clinton's speech. Spotted standing quietly by himself listening to the myriad speakers: a big-time Hillary Clinton backer, Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack. Former John Edwards campaign manager David Bonior spent quite a bit of time chatting with folks from the Iowa delegation before taking his seat with the Michigan clan.
DENVER (CNN) - Steven Ybarra, who made headlines in May when he asked for a million dollar plus payout for his vote during the contentious Democratic primaries, now says that Barack Obama's campaign will commit nearly $20 million towards Hispanic outreach.
Ybarra, attending the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado, this week, said he hopes the Obama camp will allocate $10 million towards media buys and $10 million in grass roots Hispanic outreach including voter registration, community events.
Ybarra is a superdelegate and member of the California Democratic Party State Central Committee, which has nearly 3,000 members.
Ybarra said Tuesday that he never demanded a payout.
"I never actually said I would sell my vote. What I was saying was there's no reason for me to vote for any candidate that¹s not ready to commit to my community," he said.
DENVER (CNN) - Two Hillary Clinton aides tell CNN that the New York senator will be at Invesco Field Thursday night to hear Barack Obama officially accept the Democratic presidential nomination, regardless of whether she is asked to join him on stage at any point.
The second night off the convention is off to a much stronger start than last night. The Democrats are smart to showcase 8 women senators in a row from their party, keeping their appearances short and punchy, and helping to build toward the climactic speech by Hillary Clinton.
This is a fitting way for the party to celebrate the 88th anniversary of the amendment that finally enabled women to vote - and it was literally 88 years ago on this day that the amendment was certified. Republicans will need - and want - to celebrate this occasion, too (Carl Bernstein and I have been wondering privately on the set tonight whether this might point to a surprise choice by John McCain for vice president: Kay Bailey Hutchinson of Texas. We'll wait and see.)
Watch: It's a convention of funny hats
In the meantime, one question tonight is whether the Democrats can somehow juggle the different emphases of the evening into a single message. After all, this is a night that was officially labeled a night about the economy (the number one issue of the campaign). At the same time, Democrats rightly want to celebrate women. And then, too, a central purpose of the night - especially with Hillary's speech - is to unify the party. How will the Democrats successfully blend these into a single message? Stay tuned.
DENVER (CNN) – The place is filling up, but everybody is moving around - it looks like an ant hill The truth is, during the early evening speeches, nobody pays much attention except the home state delegation of the speaker. They are little pods of wild enthusiasm amidst a sea of disinterest.
DENVER (CNN) - The 19th amendment to the Constitution — which guaranteed women the right to vote - was passed 88 years ago today. And today, women senators are getting their day in the sun. The proceedings tonight really kicked off with Barbara Mikulski — the first Democratic woman elected to the Senate in her own right, and not as result of her husband's death.
DENVER (CNN) – A source close to Mark Warner who helped the Senate candidate craft his convention keynote speech said criticism by senior Democrats that his planned remarks were not partisan enough were off-base – because the Virginia Senate candidate's bi-partisan reputation is precisely why he was asked to speak in the first place.
“That is at odds with the notion that he should be the person ripping the bark off McCain,” this source said.
In a Huffington Post op-ed titled "Please, Democrats, Attack" Begala said he recognized that Warner was running this year in a traditionally Republican state, but that "Democrats should not have put Warner in this bind."
In his speech, Warner will include one of the Obama camp’s main themes – that the Illinois senator represents change versus four more years of the same - but the crux of his speech will be talking about working together with Republicans and the lessons and success he had doing that in Virginia.
From CNN Politics
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