Former presidential candidate John Edwards dropped out of a politics event scheduled for Monday at Hofstra University; it would have been his first public appearance after admitting his affair. Hofstra is hosting the third and final presidential debate and has planned a series of other talks with politicians and notables in its Educate '08 program. Edwards's wife Elizabeth was scheduled to appear as well, but she canceled last week--Newsday reports, "At that time, John Edwards......

John McCain accepted the Republican presidential nomination last night, “Let me offer an advance warning to the old, big spending, do-nothing, me first, country second, Washington crowd: Change is coming... I have that record and the scars to prove it. Senator Obama does not. You know, I’ve been called a maverick, someone who marches to the beat of his own drum... I don’t work for a party. I don’t work for special interests. I don’t......

Today, Barack Obama has been campaigning in York, Pennsylvania. When asked whether, as Republicans charge, the Democrats or media has been sexist with its treatment of Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, Obama said (video below):Listen, if they want to work the refs, they are free to do so. I think the public can make their judgments about this. The notion that any questions about her work in Alaska is somehow not relevant to her......

Columbia University president Lee Bollinger confirmed that presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama will appear together at the university for a forum sponsored by ServiceNation. The Columbia Spectator describes ServiceNation as a "non-partisan coalition devoted to increasing the commitment of citizens to public service to 100 million people by 2010." The forum will be on September 11 evening (it is not a debate), and the candidates agreed not to campaign that day out of......

Senator John McCain was officially nominated as the presidential candidate of the Republican party last night, but his running mate Sarah Palin took the convention hall by storm. The Governor of Alaska addressed the crowd and energized them by introducing herself and her family--and aggressively attacking Barack Obama:Before I became governor of the great state of Alaska, I was mayor of my hometown. And since our opponents in this presidential election seem to look down......

The NY Sun ponders the "mystery" of Barack Obama's Columbia years. While most of his life is mentioned in his speeches or his DNC biopic, "one chapter of the tale remains a blank — his education at Columbia College, a place he rarely speaks about and where few people seem to remember him." His campaign hasn't released his college transcript, which adds to the intrigue (FWIW, President Bush got C's at Yale--and John Kerry's Yale......

The Republican party may be trying to make the best of their Gustav-affected convention, but the news that vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's 17-year-old daughter is pregnant has thrown a lot of attention onto things other than why John McCain should be president. The NY Times says that the disclosure of Bristol Palin's pregnancy is "one of several revelations that called into question how well John McCain had screened her" (the others being her Troopergate......

In non-pregnancy Sarah Palin news, it must be noted that Rudy Giuliani supported Republican vice-presidential candidate on CBS's Face the Nation (video). He said Palin is way more qualified than presidential candidate Barack Obama, "You know why? She had to make decisions," as a two-term mayor of a town of 5,470 and the governor of Alaska for the past 20 months. "I mean, [Obama]'s never run a city, he's never run a state, he's never......

With the first female on the Republican ticket, John McCain pulled off quite a feat by introducing Sarah Palin, first term Governor of Alaka, as his running mate. But with 66 days till the general election, the excitement of the choice will give way to many questions. The resounding feeling is that McCain was bold enogh for him to "reclaim his maverick image", but the pick has its risks. (One Republican operative tells the......

Republican presidential John McCain surprised most everyone by selecting Sarah Palin, the governor of Alaska, as his running mate. He said to the 44-year-old mother of five who joined him at an event in Dayton, Ohio, "I’m very happy today to spend my birthday with you, and to make a historic announcement in Dayton.” Palin is the first female vice presidential candidate in the Republican party. ...

Barack Obama accepted the Democratic party's presidential nomination in front of a reported crowd of 84,000 at Denver's Invesco Field, saying, "Tonight, I say to the people of America, to Democrats and Republicans and independents across this great land — enough!" He blamed President George W. Bush's "failed policies," and said, “America, we are better than these last eight years. We are a better country than this.” Obama emphasized the economic hardships Americans have had......

With most of NY's big politicians at the Democratic National Convention in Denver this week, there's a high-profile Republican in the midst--Rudy Giuliani. The former mayor is part of the "Republican attack squad" set up to counter messages coming out of the DNC. The Washington Post found him standing in front of banners saying "A Mile High, An Inch Deep" and "Not Ready '08," using Hillary Clinton's and Joseph Biden's previous criticisms against Barack Obama......

The NY Post devotes today's cover to the elaborate stage being built for Barack Obama's Democratic presidential nomination acceptance today in Denver. The Post proclaims, BARACK OBAMA'S TEMPLE OF DEMOCRATS ON MT. O-LYMPUS, noting that it was "built by the same cheesy set team that put together Britney Spears' last tour." John McCain's campaign calls it "Temple of Obama," blasts the candidate for being too lofty, telling the Post, "We would have expected to read......

The Democratic Party nominated Barack Obama as its 2008 presidential candidate, making him the first African-American presidential nominee in a major political party. He won the nomination in an emotional moment during the roll call: After New Mexico yielded its place to Illinois during the alphabetical-by-state roll call, Illinois then yielded its place to New York. In the middle of the New York delegation--surrounded by Governor David Paterson, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Senator Charles Schumer,......

After his wife's stirring speech supporting Barack Obama last night, former president Bill Clinton will be the featured speaker tonight at the Democratic National Convention (after the roll-call and nomination process). Clinton is expected to discuss foreign policy, and his aides told the Times "he intends to deliver an impassioned plea for Democratic unity." However, much has been made of the fact that the former president has made remarks suggesting skepticism for Obama's chances. Clinton......

After a bitter primary season, Hillary Clinton gave a rousing and passionate speech in support of presidential candidate Barack Obama during the second night of the Democratic Convention. She said she was a "proud supporter of Barack Obama" and "Barack Obama is my candidate, and he must be our president." Clinton, who remembered staunch surrogate Representative Stephanie Tubbs and thanked numerous people--especially her "sisterhood of the traveling pantsuits"-- articulated why Obama had her vote and......

This evening, former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton will address the Democratic National Convention in a speech that many hope will unite her supporters with those of presumptive presidential nominee Barack Obama. Republican candidate John McCain used Clinton's earlier criticism of Obama in an attack ad and Rudy Giuliani said Obama should have chosen Clinton instead of Joe Biden, attempts to drive Clinton supporters to the Republican side. Yesterday morning, Clinton told the New York......

The Democratic National Convention's first night in Denver was capped off by a speech by Michelle Obama, but the emotional highpoint was a speech from Senator Ted Kennedy. The ailing lion of the political dynasty surprised many by speaking, as he has been undergoing treatment for cancer. Introduced by his niece and Obama adviser Caroline Kennedy, Kennedy stirred the crowd:Nothing, nothing is going to keep me away from this special gathering tonight... I have come......

The Post reports that the Democratic National Committee will return $100,000 donated by Representative Charles Rangel, "saying it goes against a Team Obama ban on PAC money." There's debate about whether DNC chairman Howard Dean accepted the check a few weeks ago, saying it was a sign of party unity (Rangel was/is a big Clinton supporter), or if Dean didn't know the envelope contained a check. But one source told the Post that Rangel's money......

Rudy Giuliani kicked up his anti-Obama rhetoric by slamming Barack Obama's VP pick. He said, "The strong choice would have been Hillary Clinton, the obvious choice would have been Hillary Clinton...It's kind of a no-brainer that that's your ticket." Of course he'd say that: The RNC keynote speaker is continuing along John McCain's campaign strategy of touting Clinton, and why not, since, per a CNN poll, 27% of Clinton supporters are now for McCain. Clinton......

Photograph of Biden speaking while Obama listen at the rally in Springfield, IL by M. Spencer Green/AP Yesterday, the 2008 Democratic ticket appeared together for the first time in Springfield, Illinois. When Barack Obama introduced Joe Biden, he emphasized the Senator from Delware's roots, “He is still that scrappy kid from Scranton who beat the odds — the dedicated family man and committed Catholic who knows every conductor on that Amtrak train to Wilmington.”......

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has finally made his decision for his running mate and announced that he was selecting Senator Joseph Biden through a series of text messages that went out after 3:00 a.m. An e-mail--from Obama "himself"--later followed, saying, "I have some important news that I want to make official. I've chosen Joe Biden to be my running mate. Joe and I will appear for the first time as running mates this afternoon in Springfield, Illinois -- the same place this campaign began more than 19 months ago."...

Barack Obama has made his choice for his running mate, but told reporters, "I won't comment on anything else until I introduce our running mate to the world. That's all you're going to get out of me." Obama plans to kick off the VP announcement with a rally in Springfield, IL tomorrow afternoon. CNN reports that Obama did call "some people on his shortlist for the vice presidential slot Thursday night to tell them he......

As various national polls show Senator John McCain cutting Senator Barack Obama's lead for the presidential race, the Obama camp has unveiled an ad reminding voters that McCain has more than just one or two houses. Politico reported that when it asked how many homes McCain and his wife owned, McCain said, "I think — I'll have my staff get to you...It's condominiums where — I'll have them get to you." When his staff......

Billionaire Tom Golisano's seven-figure donation next week's DNC in Denver has, according to the NY Times, worried some Republicans that he may be leaning towards Barack Obama for president. Though Golisano is a registered Republican, he did run for Governor as an independent twice (losing both times to George Pataki). Golisano, who made his fortune with payroll processing company, formed a political action committee and plans to supports candidates who share his views; he has......

Gawker looks at much of the the stupid stuff said by Joe Biden, Senator from Delaware and allegedly on Demcratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's shortlist. But this classic moment (video above) of Biden breaking down our former mayor almost makes up for it! And, yes, Biden has had a history of many unfortunate gaffes--like saying Obama was clean and articulate. But that doesn't seem to bother Obama too much--when speaking about the conflict in......

After earlier reports that Senator Barack Obama would be ready to announce his vice presidential running mate this week, now it seems that he may do so as soon as Wednesday. According to the NY Times, the focus is "mainly on three candidates: Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana, Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware," (though there are hopes Obama will choose a female running mate, like Senator Hillary......

In an effort to unify Democrats after a bitter, hard-fought primary season, presumptive Democratic nominee Senator Barack Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton issued a joint statement announcing Clinton's name will also be placed in nomination at the convention. Obama said, “I am convinced that honoring Senator Clinton's historic campaign in this way will help us celebrate this defining moment in our history and bring the party together in a strong united fashion," while Clinton said,......

Former president Bill Clinton will speak on the third night of the Democratic National Convention later this month. The AP reports his address will precede one by Barack Obama's TBD running mate. Obama is confident that his constituents and those of Hillary Clinton will get along, and the Senator from NY herself told supporters she and her former rival were "working together to make sure it's a big success." However, there's the possibility she make......

The Daily News reports Hillary Clinton will not "file a formal request to the convention asking to be nominated along with Barack Obama" at the Democratic National Convention next month. The source said though "People are still circulating petitions on her behalf...this is a done deal" (the News points out that delegates can still vote for whomever they want). In other news, a Clinton-for-VP group says Clinton is not on the VP shortlist and the......