Bob_Tarlau's Blog

DENVER -- Saturday night/early Sunday in Denver... and it seemed like every cafe we passed at about 12:30AM had a roof top or patio party going... some folks we spotted with campaign buttons so it's clear the big local business bonanza that always goes with a major party political convention is in full steam.

Reporter John Schwada, photographer Darryl Kim and I blazed through the California delegation's HQ at the Sheraton in early evening... with many willing to talk about how much they thought Joe Biden was a fine choice as Barack Obama's #2.   One die-heart Hillary Clinton delegate from San Francisco, however, fears a floor fight of some kind generated by some of her fellow Hillary lovers.  Personally, Rachelle Franklin says she's all for party unity... but she's convinced that has yet to happen.

A 15 year old from San Diego wearing an Obama '08 vest was in the Sheraton lobby with her aunt—who was wearing Clinton buttons.  They've now come together on Obama, they insist.

Last night, John did live reports (which those Californians and others on tape) into our 10P News on KTTV Fox 11 and KCOP My 13 from the roof of our Fox Denver friends at KDVR.  A public thanks for their hospitality... especially long time friend and assistant news director Linda Hunter.

Fairly small protest marches are snaking their way through pre-assigned parade routes today (Sunday).  Security is getting tighter and tighter around the Pepsi Center (Convention Central).  After casing the town a bit this morning, we'll move our small mountain of gear into our workspace so that we can start reporting live from this week's political ground zero.

The star of the show isn't here yet, of course.  Barack Obama – his vice presidential running mate selection sealed, with the formal announcement yesterday of Senator Joe Biden – is on the campaign trail... a winding road to Denver that is taking him through Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri and Montana before the nomination becomes his on Wednesday night.

Obviously one reason Biden was picked is that the loquacious Delaware senator brings more than verbiage to Obama's side. Biden is a foreign policy heavyweight with a decade longer in the Senate than the seasoned John McCain. That's almost three more decades of experience than his new boss, Obama.
 
A new poll finds McCain, who has not announced his running mate, holds a 2-1 lead over Obama as more knowledgeable on world affairs and as better suited to be commander in chief.   So will Biden really help with that?  Maybe not.  This same poll – from ABC News and the Washington Post -- does give Obama a slight 49 percent to 43 percent overall lead.  But it also finds that 75 per cent of those responding feel Biden will make no difference in their vote. 

Meanwhile the McCain campaign is doing what it can to fan the fervor of jilted Hillary fans.  A new ad says Obama snubbed her as a running mate because of her criticism of him.   The ad features clips of Clinton during the primary battle saying critical things about Obama, including, "Senator Obama's campaign has become increasingly negative."   A voiceover announcer says, "She won millions of votes but isn't on the ticket. Why? For speaking the truth."

The Obama and Clinton PR machines here rushed into action... trying to assure us all once again that Clinton strongly supports Obama now... and that the McCain ad is just making mischief.

This will certainly be a week of nasty-grams.