Rangel Denied Chance to Speak in Denver

Hillary would end voting for her with call to back Obama unanimously

(NEWSER) - Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are close to a deal to allow symbolic voting during Wednesday’s Democratic roll call, the AP reports, which Clinton herself might stop by asking for unanimous backing for Obama from the convention floor. While Clinton says she plans to vote for Obama, she wouldn’t demand the same of her delegates who “feel an obligation to the people who sent them here that they were elected to represent.” More»

Favorite phrase—'Let me be clear'—now signals grim determination

(NEWSER) - One of President Obama's longest-running, most-used rhetorical standbys is the earnest phrase "let me be clear." It cropped up in his national debut speech at the 2004 convention, was deployed throughout the campaign, and continues. But let me be clear—Obama's use of the phrase has changed. During the campaign, he used it to cut through his sometimes heady rhetoric and drive a point home: his opposition to the Iraq war, his faith that America was "ready" for a black president. More»

Powerful congressman sorry for screw-up

(NEWSER) - Rep. Charles Rangel blamed his failure to pay taxes on his rental income from a Caribbean villa to “cultural and language barriers,” reports the New York Times. “Every time I thought I was getting somewhere, they’d start speaking Spanish,” Rangel said of his attempts to sort out his paperwork. The congressman admitted responsibility for his errors and submitted materials for an ethics investigation. More»

Palin pick may have canceled bounce

(NEWSER) - The Democratic National Convention and Barack Obama’s acceptance speech failed to boost his ratings despite their favorable reception, reports CNN. Obama and John McCain were in a dead heat a week ago, and remain virtually tied, according to a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey. McCain’s well-timed announcement of Sarah Palin as his running mate—which was also favorably received—may have canceled out Obama’s bounce, said a pollster. More»

It was the right speech ... the speech Dem had to give ... a mashup of speeches ...

(NEWSER) - The chattering class saw strength—even Rovian aggression—in Barack Obama’s acceptance speech, for better or worse. A sampling of what observers are saying:

• The Democratic nominee managed to be about voters, not himself, magnificently deflecting John McCain’s entire “celebrity” narrative, Michael Tomasky writes in the Guardian.
• This speech is exactly what Democrats have been calling for: a bare-knuckled attack on McCain, challenging the Republican "not to stoop to questioning his motives," Dan Balz writes in the Washington Post.