Romney Attacks ‘Liberal’ Washington

ST. PAUL, Minn.–Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney ripped into what he called liberal Washington during his prime-time speech at the Republican National Convention.

“We need change all right – change from a liberal Washington to a conservative Washington! We have a prescription for every American who wants change in Washington – throw out the big government liberals and elect John McCain,” he said.

–Samuel Rubenfeld

Rudy Giuliani Slams Democratic Ticket At New York Delegation Lunch

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani attacked the Democratic presidential ticket as the most liberal and inexperienced in the last 100 years. (Samuel Rubenfeld/The Chronicle)

MINNEAPOLIS–Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani used sharp words to attack the Democratic the presidential ticket at a luncheon held by the New York Republican Delegation.

He confused the name of the Illinois Legislature, where Barack Obama served as a state senator, with that of the “Chicago legislature” multiple times, resigning himself at last to calling it the “Chicago machine, that’s it.”

Giuliani mocked Obama’s time as a community organizer. “What do they do?” he said. “I’m trying to figure it out.”

He also chided Biden’s verbosity. “Joe has a great amount of experience talking, and talking and talking.”

After describing Sarah Palin’s experience as mayor of Wasilla, he said something Obama used once to great criticism at a fundraiser: “They’re probably part of that group of people that clings to religion and guns,” he said.”

“They’re part of that group that doesn’t count: small-town America. Oh, gee. I guess you don’t study that at Harvard,” he said.

He left without taking any questions from the press.

Full speech here:

Fred Thompson: McCain, I Know How You Must Feel

By Samuel Rubenfeld

SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

ST. PAUL, Minn.–In the film “Die Hard 2: Die Harder,” actor and former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson plays an air traffic controller who tells the hero, John McClaine, he knows how McClaine feels after not being able to help civilians out of a crashing aircraft.

While telling John McCain’s story of how his aircraft was shot down in Vietnam and a dying pilot called to check on him, Thompson echoed his own character from the action film. His chilling narrative of McCain’s time in the “Hanoi Hilton” brought the normally chaotic convention floor to an attentive and solemn silence.

Thompson was at times folksy and other times fiery. He mixed vitriolic red meat with a certain southern geniality missing in his own presidential campaign that sputtered out of the gate, and led him to drop out early, but Tuesday night he was on fire.

“If you want to know who John McCain is, if you want to know what John McCain values, look to the men and women who wear America’s uniform today,” Thompson said. “John himself barely dodged death in the inferno and could’ve returned to the States with his ship. Instead, he volunteered for combat on another carrier that was undermanned from losing so many pilots.”

His attacks on Democratic nominee Barack Obama were hard-hitting, and sometimes downright vicious.

“Democrats present a history making nominee for president,” Thompson said to loud cheers. “History making in that he is the most liberal, most inexperienced nominee to ever run for president.

“Apparently they believe that he would match up well with the history-making, Democrat controlled Congress,” he said. “History making because it’s the least accomplished and most unpopular Congress in our nation’s history.”

President Bush Lauds McCain, Attacks Obama Via Satellite

ST. PAUL, Minn.–President George W. Bush spoke for less than 10 minutes via satellite Tuesday night in prime time, re-telling John McCain’s life story.

Introduced and followed in-person by Laura Bush, he extolled McCain for his perseverance as a prisoner of war, moving the message straight from Hanoi to the White House: “If the Hanoi Hilton cannot break John McCain’s resolve to do what is best for his country, you can be assured that the angry left never will.”

Laura got in on the attacks, too: referring to her husband’s efforts to combat malaria and AIDS in Africa, she mocked the Barack Obama campaign slogan by saying, “You might call that change you can really believe in.”

–Samuel Rubenfeld

Rudy Giuliani Confirms He’ll Speak Wednesday Night

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

VIDEO: Jesse Ventura’s Full Speech

MINNEAPOLIS– Here is full video of Jesse Ventura’s speech:

–Samuel Rubenfeld

‘Luv’ Gov. Paterson Pushes Party Unity

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:

John Kerry Launches Flip-Flop Attack On McCain

DENVER–Using self-deprecating wit, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, assailed John McCain for his stances on an assortment of policy issues.

First calling him a “friend for almost 22 years,” Kerry attacked McCain for changing his position on multiple issues.

“Candidate McCain now supports the wartime tax cuts that Senator McCain once denounced as immoral. Candidate McCain criticizes Senator McCain’s own climate change bill. Candidate McCain says he would now vote against the immigration bill that Senator McCain wrote,” he said.

“Are you kidding? Talk about being for it before you’re against it,” Kerry said, echoing a line he used in 2004 as a presidential candidate at a town hall meeting that Republicans pounced on at the time, painting Kerry’s waffling on issues as a reason not to vote for him. “Let me tell you, before he ever debates Barack Obama, John McCain should finish the debate with himself.”

McCain, it should be noted, was once a possible running mate for Kerry’s ticket in 2004.

–Samuel Rubenfeld

Bill Clinton Charms Convention, Strongly Backs Obama

Bill Clinton walks onstage to an ovation of flag-waving supporters before praising Barack Obama during his speech at the Democratic National Convention. (Samuel Rubenfeld/The Chronicle)

DENVER–Former President Bill Clinton performed as expected.

He extolled Barack Obama and attacked the Republican rival John McCain during his highly anticipated primetime speech Wednesday night at the Democratic National Convention, and his southern drawl stopped the milling on the convention floor cold.

“I am honored to be here tonight to support Barack Obama,” Clinton said.

He also went further in his praise than Hillary Clinton did: Bill Clinton praised Obama’s personality and his biography. “He has a remarkable ability to inspire people, to raise our hopes and rally us to high purpose.  He has the intelligence and curiosity every successful President needs,” Clinton said.

The attacks on McCain were frequent, highlighted by juxtaposing a hypothetical McCain first term with the last two Bush terms, saying “the third time is not the charm.”

The convention hall was completely full; each entrance into the seating area had lines of more than 20 people waiting for a seat.

–Samuel Rubenfeld

Clinton Presses Supporters To Back Obama

Hillary Clinton walks onstage in the Pepsi Center to a crowd so large, the Secret Service closed the hall. (Samuel Rubenfeld/The Chronicle)

By Samuel Rubenfeld

SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

DENVER–The Secret Service had to close down the convention hall for the most anticipated event of the night: the speech by Hillary Clinton.

Clinton did not disappoint the Democrats in attendance. Preceded by a video tribute and introduced by her daughter, Chelsea, Clinton endorsed Barack Obama’s candidacy and rationalized her own in an effort to unite the party.

“Whether you voted for me, or you voted for Barack, the time is now to unite as a single party with a single purpose. We are on the same team, and none of us can sit on the sidelines,” she said.

The primary season battle between Clinton and Obama lasted nearly 16 months, and passions ran high on both sides. Obama has sought to bring Clinton’s supporters into his fold, but he is doing it to mixed results, with only half of Clinton supporters saying they’d vote for Obama, according to a recent poll.

Clinton emphasized the historic nature of her campaign, which garnered 18 million votes but didn’t earn enough delegates to get the nomination, and directed many of her comments towards those supporters.

“To my supporters, my champions – my sisterhood of the traveling pantsuits – from the bottom of my heart: Thank you,” she said. “You never gave in. You never gave up. And together we made history.”

Attendees received white signs with Clinton’s signature “Hillary” on both sides, and they also got red signs with “McCain more of the same” in the Obama typeface.

It’s too early to tell whether the speech will have any impact on the ground, however. Walking out of the convention hall, some Clinton supporters still sounded unsure about voting for Obama.

Update: Video of Coloradan Clinton supporters unsure about Obama.