The Chronicle Covers The Conventions

ST. PAUL, Minn.–Since last night’s acceptance speech by Sarah Palin, the Barack Obama campaign has issued two fundraising e-mails, the latest about 20 minutes ago.

“With the nation watching, the Republicans mocked, dismissed, and actually laughed out loud at Americans who engage in community service and organizing,” the latest e-mail said.

The campaign asked for donations of $5 or more to prove “the McCain attack squad doesn’t understand is that people like you – who devote part of their busy lives to organizing and building their communities – have the power to change this country.”

Marc Ambinder reports via Twitter that the campaign says they’ve raised $10 million since last night alone.

–Samuel Rubenfeld

MINNEAPOLIS–Roger Simon, the chief columnist for Politico, sarcastically apologizes for scrutinizing media coverage of Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee.

–Samuel Rubenfeld

MINNEAPOLIS–At the New York GOP delegation’s last breakfast, the former state senate majority leader compared the Democratic nominee to former N.Y. Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who resigned in disgrace last March after being identified as a client to a high-end prostitution ring.

Bruno, now a registered lobbyist, said Barack Obama’s message hides substance in favor of the image of a magnanimous leader, just like how he said Spitzer won his seat in the governor’s mansion in 2006.

–Samuel Rubenfeld

ST. PAUL, Minn.–The Washington Post reports on e-mails sent from Sarah Palin’s personal Yahoo account indicating a much higher level of interest in her ex-brother in law’s discipline than she previously indicated.

–Samuel Rubenfeld

Update: The Washington Independent reports that as mayor, Palin cheered when she received $1.2 million in earmarks.

ST. PAUL, Minn.–Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani confirmed he’ll speak Wednesday night, Marc Ambinder reported via Twitter after having his Tuesday night speaking slot pulled and replaced by former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.).

–Samuel Rubenfeld

By Samuel Rubenfeld

SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

ST. PAUL, Minn.–In one day, the American people found out a lot about a person they barely heard of a few days ago.

Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s 17-year old daughter Bristol is five months pregnant, keeping the baby and marrying the father. Her husband Todd was arrested for drunk driving in 1986. Palin herself retained a lawyer for the growing ethics scandal involving her ex-brother-in-law, the state trooper.  She was once a member of a group advocating Alaskan secession. As Governor, Palin relied on an earmark system she now opposes, even backing the infamous “bridge to nowhere” before opposing it. She once directed an independent political group for Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) dedicated to raising money for the now-indicted U.S. Senator.

And 72 hours after revealing the shocking choice, Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s aides now say they are vetting her.

Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee, responded to the pregnancy reports at a media availability Monday by saying families are “off-limits.”

Politico’s Ben Smith hears echoes of another VP candidate meltdown: Thomas Eagleton, the running mate for Democratic nominee George McGovern in 1972 who got on the ticket with little vetting, later to reveal he received shock treatment for physical and mental exhaustion, and had to withdraw from the ticket 18 days later. McGovern lost to former President Richard Nixon in a landslide, with Nixon taking 49 states.

Update: The New York Times debunked the Alaska Independence Party membership, which belongs to Palin’s husband, Todd, in a report Thursday. Palin did speak to their convention once though, according to the story.

ST. PAUL, Minn.–The Albany Times Union noticed an interesting dichotomy from first lady Laura Bush when she made a pitch for relief to the Gulf Coast region at the Republican National Convention.

–Samuel Rubenfeld

ST. PAUL, Minn.–At the first breakfast for the New York Republican Delegation, state party chair Joe Mondello told delegates to go out and learn from Minnesotans instead of being depressed about what Hurricane Gustav has done to their convention.

–Samuel Rubenfeld

DENVER–DemConWatch blog has the delegate numbers tallied June 6 for referential purposes.

–Samuel Rubenfeld

DENVER–New York Democrats were shocked with the news that they would begin the official balloting process at 10 a.m. MDT Wednesday.

–Samuel Rubenfeld