The Chronicle Covers The Conventions

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

MINNEAPOLIS–Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford) chided Barack Obama for what he called a lack of patriotism during the New York Republican delegation breakfast Tuesday morning.

The former chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security said Obama showed Russia “moral equivalency” in his response to the conflict between Russia and Georgia over the separatist province of South Ossetia. He also said Obama opposed the Patriot Act.

King also defended McCain’s running mate Sarah Palin, who was the subject of negative news media reports Monday and Tuesday about her pregnant teenage daughter, her directing a fundraising group for indicted Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and other scandals, calling Palin a “renaissance woman.”

After the speech King answered questions from the news media, and he said “Barack Obama is not the most qualified man to be president,” adding that Palin is tough and has executive experience, and “she’s also going to be able to understand rank and file issues throughout the United States.”

Asked by The Chronicle about Palin’s judgment concerning her relationship with Stevens, King said: “She’s the one who took on the Republican establishment…so to me, her reform record speaks for itself.”

–Samuel Rubenfeld

ST. Paul, Minn.–New York GOP chairman – and University alum – Joseph Mondello on the floor of the Republican National Convention, where he said Democrats talked about putting a woman on the ticket but Republicans did it.

And a report indicates Mondello offered to make peace with former New York Gov. George Pataki, both of whom have been feuding for years; Pataki sacked him from the Republican National Committee during his last term in office to install a loyalist.

–Samuel Rubenfeld

DENVER–At the final breakfast for the New York delegation, Gov. David Paterson pushed for party unity while recognizing the historical gravity of the fight by the most fervent Clinton supporters to get her on the ticket.

He asked how African-Americans would have reacted if they had fought so hard and to not get on the ticket.

Also flashing his trademark humor, he began his talk by saying he couldn’t see the “We Luv Our Gov” signs held by the delegates and guests.

Some women shouted, “We love you David!” to which he responded, “My past is coming back to haunt me,” poking fun at his admitted affairs during the 1970s.

–Samuel Rubenfeld

Update: Video of speech:

DENVER–In a switch, New York Gov. David Paterson spoke this morning to the New Jersey delegation, while the New Yorkers got New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine. (Daily Politics)

–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

New York Gov. David Paterson poses for a photo with disabled N.Y. delegates after speaking about disability issues before the Democratic National Convention. (Samuel Rubenfeld/The Chronicle)

DENVER–When New York Gov. David Paterson spoke before the convention, he delivered a stinging attack on John McCain, but he also told his own story, explaining his blindness, and he also mentioned his educational roots, which include the University’s Law School.

“I was born in Brooklyn, and I grew up in Harlem and on Long Island,” he said to thunderous applause from the New York delegation. “I graduated from Hempstead High School, Columbia University and Hofstra Law School.”

He spoke early in the day’s session, around 4 p.m., resulting in a largely empty auditorium, but the presence of the New York delegation was loud and clear.

After explaining how an infection as an infant left him totally blind in one eye and legally blind in the other, he said, “Somehow between that low moment and tonight, I have been lucky enough to have been chosen to speak before this magnificent assembly as the governor of the State of New York.

“Whatever achievements that I have made, I am always aware of how lucky I am. There were people I knew who were smarter than me. There were those who worked harder and perhaps were more dedicated,” he said. ”But for the lack of opportunity, one of them would be standing here talking to you this evening. My story is somewhat unique, but in many ways it is not. It is the overall promise that this nation has made that if a person works hard enough, that they can make the most of their God-given talents.”

His speech though, was about hard times, and he emphasized that the promise he referred to was washed away by the Bush administration by foreclosure and economic turmoil.

The dream deficit was especially felt by people with disabilities, including a 95 percent unemployment rate amongst deaf people, Paterson said.

Instead of giving McCain and Republicans four more years, he said, “let’s give them four more months.”

–Samuel Rubenfeld

DENVER–After meeting a Hillary Clinton delegate from Harlem, New York, on the street near the Colorado Convention Center, she explained how the Democratic National Committee is looking at changing the rules as to how it chooses a nominee for president.

See here:

–Samuel Rubenfeld

New York's first lady Michelle Paige Paterson speaking to the state delegation Tuesday morning, honoring women on the 88th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment. (Samuel Rubenfeld/The Chronicle)

DENVER–The New York Democratic delegation dedicated its Tuesday morning breakfast to “Women Making History.”

Addressing the delegates, Michelle Paige Paterson, New York’s first lady, thanked Hillary Clinton for putting the cracks in the “glass ceiling,” and spoke about how Michelle Obama’s speech changed the role of women in politics.

“We are also redifining the role of the first lady both in our states and in Washington, and anyone that didn’t know certainly found out last night watching Michelle Obama,” she said.

She addressed the issue of women quitting their jobs to support the family: “If I was the one now serving as Governor, no one would be asking David if he was going to quit his job.”

Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg then spoke to the delegation:

–Samuel Rubenfeld

DENVER–The 361-person delegation representing New York’s Democrats, the second largest only behind California, which has 503, is quite diverse, with an age range of 64 years, including 14 veterans and 200 members of racial or ethnic minorities. (New York Times)

–Samuel Rubenfeld