ABC News' The Note: First Source for Political News
B O S T O N, July 28, 2004—<br> -- NOTED NOW
TODAY SCHEDULE (all times ET)
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Morning Show Wrap
Evening Newscasts Wrap
The Democratic convention continues33 days until the Republican convention97 days until election day
NEWS SUMMARY
"What did you think?"
If we had an extra Googling monkey for every time we were asked that last night and this morning, The Note could be published by 7:30 am each day.
Without seeming ungrateful for your interest in our views, what WE think doesn't matter.
What does matter is what persuadable voters in Ohio, Wisconsin, Florida, Pennsylvania, and other battleground states think about Boston — and so far, we have seen no data on that.
We bet some corporate interests and unions are gathering such research, but at this writing, no one has come by our Fleet digs to drop it off.
With all due respect to Graham, Kucinich (!), Sharpton, Rendell, Richardson, O'Malley, and Granholm, what matters today is John Edwards' acceptance speech — everything else is just under card.
Although we decry the game of expectations setting, it is a mortal lock that Edwards won't fail tonight.
Loved by the delegates; articulate; a high wattage smile; adorable family; so ready for this fight; cuter every time we see him; and with a great personal story to tell — really the only question is will Johnny Reid Edwards be outstanding or revelatory.
DNC secretary Alice Germond will begin the roll call of the states and territories shortly after 11:00 pm ET. That's after Sen. John Edwards speaks.
The states and territories will be called in alphabetical order.
It is traditional for the nominee's home state delegation to put him over the top officially delivering the nomination. (In this case that takes 2,162 votes.)
If you missed ABC News Now yesterday, you missed a lot, including gavel-to-gavel coverage of the convention, hot music, Peter Jennings, and ABC News coverage of politics and news 24/7.
Lots of AOL viewers are watching (see: LINK) — so why aren't you?: LINK
Can't figure out this new-fangled technology? Let Robert Krulwich explain. LINK
And if you want the best, up-to-the-minute convention news, tidbits, and insight, log on to Noted Now: LINKSenator John Kerry attends a noon rally at the Charlestown Navy Yard in Charlestown, Mass. To top off the evening, Sens. Kerry and Edwards, along with their wives, attend the 11:30pm "Pops on the Bay" concert.
President Bush is at the family ranch in Crawford, Texas, with no scheduled public events. Michael Moore screens Fahrenheit 9/11 at a football stadium nearby. Vice President Cheney visits Salt Lake City to attend a 2:30 pm luncheon for congressional candidate John Swallow.
The morning shows:Elizabeth and Cate Edwards appeared on the three network morning shows. They made no real news, but Elizabeth Edwards responded in a few ways to Teresa Heinz Kerry's telling a writer from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review to "shove it."
"Sometimes the press can be pretty annoying, and sometimes they can get under your skin," she said on Good Morning America, thereby (re)joining the national left-right coaliton that taps into public disdain for we the media.
Asked on CBS' Early Show whether Heinz Kerry was being unfairly scrutinized, Elizabeth Edwards said "It must have been kind of a slow news day for that to have gotten the kind of attention it did. It's the normal frustration that somebody feels when somebody won't let up on their preconceived notion."
On "Today," Elizabeth Edwards criticized the media, saying if Heinz Kerry's work for the people around her received "the same kind of play" as the "shove it" comment, "I'll be very pleased."
The Bush campaign's Nicolle Devenish and the Kerry campaign's Stephanie Cutter were interviewed by ABC's Charlie Gibson about women in campaigns. Asked about George Stephanopoulos' observation that Heinz Kerry's speech last night was the most feminist speech he's ever heard at a convention, Cutter said, "Oh, I don't know if it was that."
Democratic National Convention: tonight:Tonight beginning at 9 pm, the campaign will unveil 12 flag officers of the U.S. military who have endorsed Kerry and Edwards, including Ret. Gen. John Shalikashvili, who will speak to the delegates. Other general and admirals will appear in a video. They include: Ret. Gen. Wesley Clark, Ret. Adm. William Crowe, Ret. Gen. Joseph Hoar, Lt. Gen. Claudia Kennedy, and Ret. Gen. Johnnie Wilson. Some will appear on stage after Gen. Shalikashvili speaks.
ABC's Mark Halperin reports: Steven Spielberg was an adviser on John Kerry's convention biographical video that will be shown Thursday night. Spielberg made recommendations to James Moll, who produced the film. Spielberg, who had been contemplating producing the biopic himself, screened a rough cut recently and offered up his ideas.
If you weren't in the hall post-gavel last night to see Senator and Mrs. Edwards do their podium walk through, you missed quite a show.
There's surprisingly little newspaper curtain raising for tonight's star turn for the Man from Robbins.
What little there is:
Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Rick Lyman look at the top-of-the-ticket confidence Senator Edwards projects. LINK USA Today 's Joan Biskupic reports "Wednesday night in Boston, as he accepts the Democratic nomination for vice president in a nationally televised speech, Edwards and his velvet hammer will embark on what will amount to a 14-week closing argument for a different type of client: Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry." LINKThe paper's ed board writes that his "speech is likely to sound a bit like a Charles Dickens novel." LINKThe Washington Post 's Lois Romano and Dale Russakoff write a complementary bio of Senator Edwards. LINKWalter Shapiro writes, "For all the emotion, the cheers and the breathless analysis of the opening days of the convention, everything here — even John Edwards' speech tonight — is merely prelude to that moment when John Kerry will be crowned by a balloon-and-confetti drop." LINKFrom the St. Petersburg Times: "'Officials from John Kerry's campaign and the Democratic Party got an advance look at the speech Senator Bob Graham will deliver tonight and gave him some advice: Tone it down.' They said Graham's speech was too critical of the Bush administration. 'They don't want it to be very confrontational, so we've had to make a few adjustments,' Graham said Tuesday." LINK
