Azi Paybarah

John McCain's V.P. pick, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, said the job of running mate is "unproductive" in an interview last month.

She was endorsed by Ted Stevens when she ran for governor.

She's conservative, has only been governor for two years, and is three years younger than Obama.

Here's an op-ed about polar bears Palin wrote for The New York Times last January.

Here's the biographical video shown at Invesco Field before Barack Obama spoke last night.

Al Gore spoke, and said voters face essentially the same choice they did in 2000.

Obama's speech last night took aim at McCain and George W. Bush.

Here's that  read more »

No slave to trends, he.

Barack Obama's campaign not only made its candidate a rock star, but it turned a few ordinary people into minor celebrities.

And here's one.

It's Greg Smith, a Manhattan doorman who donated $25 to Obama's campaign and got a pesonal response from the candidate. That got Smith considerable media attention, including an interview on CNN.

I first met Smith at a party in New York City the night Obama won the Ohio caucus. In the hallway at Invesco Field just now, Smith recalled "I cried like a baby."

I just ran into City Councilman Hiram Monserrate in a hallway at Invesco Field.

"I've never seen people waiting on lines for hours" so that they "could hear a presidential candidate speak."

"Democrats," he said, this is our year."

Which is one way to look at the long lines of people snaking around the stadium. Several reporters I was standing with on the fourth floor were stunned at their length, wondering aloud whether those people currently on line would be in the stadium when Barack Obama is scheduled to speak later tonight.

I walked over to Invesco Field with Obama delegate Richie Fife of the Upper West Side, who said he spent most of the day fielding requests from New Yorkers who flew out to Denver, hoping to score tickets or credentials for events this week.

"They're coming out of the wood-work," he said at one point during the walk. And from the looks of it, the requests are still coming in.

I guess I got to Invesco Field a little too early. I'm sure all the seats in the New York delegation will get filled up later.

Here's 20-year-old Arthur Leopold, a Barack Obama delegate from New York, on the floor of the Invesco Field.

"This is the most exciting day of my life. Can you believe this!" 

DENVER—Hanging out on the 16th Street Mall earlier today I saw City Councilman James Sanders of Queens, an early Obama supporter.

When I asked if he was boasting to his New York colleagues about backing the winner in the primary, Sanders laughed heartily and said no. He added, jokingly, that the official word from the Obama campaign to supporters like him is: "No smugness."

The good government group Citizens Union declined to endorse Sheldon Silver or either of the candidates challenging him in the Democratic primary this fall.

In explaining the decision, C.U. wrote, “[Silver] needed to embrace and advance a broader agenda of reform issues that included a nonpartisan redistricting commission, greater transparency in, and public scrutiny of, the decisions that are made by the Assembly, and strengthening state legislative ethics rules in the areas of financial disclosure and conflicts of interest.”

Oddly, C.U.’s reason for not endorsing Paul Newell was electability.

“One of his challengers was a compelling candidate, Paul Newell, who had a good grasp of the issues, but had not been able to demonstrate that he had broad community support for his election,” the release says.  read more »

DENVER—I'm on the floor of Invesco Field right now, where Barack Obama is giving his speech tonight, hanging with the New York delegation and talking about (what else?) term limits.

C. Virginia Fields, former Manhattan borough president told me, "I don't support any legislation akin to that change."

She said that in light of disputed election results in recent presidential elections in Florida and Ohio, "Democrats can't afford any move that is perceived as overruling the will of the voters."

Fields said she does support putting the issue on the ballot for voters because term limits have not worked well in New York City.

DENVER--The after-party for the New York delegation at the Museum of Contemporary Art last night got a little funny.

First, George Gresham, the president of 1199 SEIU, the powerful labor union, was denied access to the party because he did not have a delegation pin. (He is, in fact, an at-large member of the delegation. But rules are rules when it comes to these things sometimes.)

Then somebody knocked over and broke a big frozen “M” in an ice sculpture outside that spelled out the word Democracy.

Later, Andrew Cuomo decided to get angry at Steve Richman. Cuomo was leaving the party to go to his waiting car, when he took his jacket off, walked back, and starting waving his finger at Richman, who has been showing up to work New York Democratic events forever and has a day job as counsel for the New York City Board of Elections.  read more »

Here's the Assembly speaker on the floor of the convention last night, looking decidedly more animated than usual.

This is 26-year-old Simcha Eichenstein, a Brooklyn-based Democratic operative who seems to be always wandering around the Pepsi Center, despite lacking a formal role at the convention.

I ran into him after all the speeches last night, holding signs for Montana and Arizona. He explained that he "just had to settle for these two" because two Council members and one Congress member were before him in line, and took the New York signs.

Perhaps wisely, he wouldn't name the culprits.

This morning, I was showing Hiram Monserrate some photos I took from the convention floor, when he saw one he liked (of himself) and asked me to email it to him.

What's the address?

He gave his private one, which began with the title "Councilman."

I suggested he might have to change it soon, since he is going to win a State Senate seat this fall.

"Maybe. Maybe not," he said. When I asked if that was a subtle reference to extending term limits, he laughed. 

I got inside the CNN Grill last night (no easy task!), where I ran into Obama delegate and uber-operative Corey Johnson of Manhattan, who said that over at the Sheraton, where the New York delegation is staying, there's barely any talk about presidential politics.

“Term limits. Term Limits. Term Limits. That’s all anybody is talking about,” he said. Later he added, “All politics is local, I guess.”

David Paterson had only been at the podium for a few moments when the cheers faded and a woman yelled out, “We love you David!”

Paterson replied, “Once again, my past is catching up with me,” likely a reference to the extramarital affairs he's admitted to having, although moments later he said he thought his mother was in the audience.

Paterson emphasized the importance of recognizing Hillary Clinton’s accomplishments.

The governor recalled how his father, who ran for lieutenant governor in the 1970s, was treated.

“They told him he was an asset on that ticket," Paterson said. "When they got to the general election, they never even mentioned his name in the paid television campaign ads.  read more »

DENVER--The message for the last New York delegation breakfast is clear.

Paterson was supposed to speak to the delegation the same day as Hillary Clinton, but, according to organizers, was mistakenly overlooked.

DENVER—Here's billionaire and State Senate crusader Tom Golisano, who was hanging out at Andrew Cuomo's reception in the Sheraton Hotel this afternoon.

When I asked him why he, a Republican, is here, Golisano said, "I'm an American."

Also, as Cuomo was leaving the event, I asked him how he would vote in the roll call. Cuomo told me he would be voting for Barack Obama.

DENVER—Christine Quinn this morning refused to definitely rule out a City Council vote on legislation to abolish or extend term limits for city lawmakers.

The term-limits issue, fueled by rumors that Michael Bloomberg will seek another four years as mayor, has been a hot topic of conversation among New Yorkers at the convention.

“You answer questions about what will or will not go to the floor for a vote when you have legislation—and a request," Quinn told me this morning after breakfast at the Sheraton Hotel, referring to the fact that despite speculation, no legislator has said they are working on a bill.  read more »

Here’s Paul Newell, the Democratic challenger who Assembly Speaker Sheldon conveniently can’t remember.

Newell is in Denver (he's an Obama delegate) and has a message about Silver's apparent amnesia.

Something else Silver might be interested in: Newell is being followed by a guy with a camera, Justin Sullivan, who told me he's making an independent documentary about the race.

Representative Carolyn Maloney said “it’s been the best of times and the worst of times” for women in American politics because although she did well, Hillary Clinton’s candidacy showed the “dark underbelly of sexism” here.

I asked her whether Clinton's pioneering never-give-up glass-ceiling-shattering near-win might have a carry-over effect for local female candidates like Council Speaker and mayoral contender Christine Quinn. The answer: not really.

"I think someone’s vote is individual and tied to each race and each candidate. I don’t really believe a candidate can transfer their votes to another candidate," she said.

Assemblyman Danny O’Donnell of Manhattan: "She knocked it out of the park" and her call for party unity was “as clear as she can make it.”

City Councilwoman Melissa Mark Viverito of Manhattan: “It was inspiring. What she was doing was giving us a charge” and “telling us we've got a job to do.”

City Councilman Diana Reyna of Brooklyn: "It was the most powerful performance."

Assemblyman Karim Camara of Brooklyn: “Hopefully, she silenced a lot of the dissenters by showing that she is passionate about Obama’s candidacy.”

Here’s State Senator Bill Perkins of Harlem praising David Paterson’s speech yesterday.

At the end, I asked Perkins, an early Obama supporter, if he’s bragging to any of his colleagues who backed Clinton in the primary.

He said no.

(He was later spotted on the convention floor, pointedly chanting for "unity" during Clinton's appearance as the rest of the New York delegation made noise for their home-state senator.)

Hillary Clinton pleaded for party unity while leaving the door open to a future presidential run, writes Patrick Healy.

Charles Hurt writes that Clinton didn’t endorse Obama as much as “she gave a firm endorsement only of Democratic principles and values.”

The Daily News disagrees, saying she moved “forcefully but gracefully to tamp down,” the split in the party.

Kirsten Powers explains why Clinton isn’t Obama’s running mate. (Also: we knew Steve Kornacki wasn't nuts!)

John Avlon notes that the “wounds from which Barack Obama is now bleeding - the charges that he's an inexperienced, liberal elitist - were inflicted by the Clinton campaign in the later primaries.  read more »

Assemblyman Michael Benjamin, an early Obama supporter from the Bronx, thinks the media is perpetuating a storyline about conflict between the Obama camp and the Clintons. It doesn't really exist, he told me earlier today in the Pepsi Center.

Later, I got an email from Benjamin about Hillary Clinton's speech, which he thinks should put to rest any question about a divided party.

Sen. Clinton delivered a knockout blow to those sought to foment dissension and disunity. She outdid Sen. Kennedy and she showed greater statesmanship and party loyalty than he did in 1980. Her speech will go down as the greatest seconding speech in American political history. Hillary, you go girl!

Here's uber-liberal Representative Jerry Nadler of Manhattan's West Side on "radio row" in the Pepsi Center, giving a lengthy interview to Air America.

City Councilman Robert Jackson has a metaphor.

Here's Assemblyman William Boyland of Brooklyn supported Hillary Clinton during the primary talking about the disadvantages of having her name up during the roll call vote.

DENVER—I chatted with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver on the floor of the convention center just after David Paterson's speech, which he said he liked.

When I asked whether Paterson should have mentioned Hillary Clinton, Silver said, “Hillary will have, you know, her spotlight tonight.”

DENVER—In a scrum with reporters after his speech at the Democratic National Convention, David Paterson, who supported Hillary Clinton in the primary was asked how he felt about the news that Hillary Clinton wasn’t on Barack Obama’s short list for running mates.

“Well, I think that Hillary is an outstanding Senator who gave a tremendous effort in this race,” he said. He added, “I never lost the fact that I was very proud of her through the whole campaign, and I’m still proud of her today.”

Here's Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver earlier this afternoon during David Paterson's convention speech, during which the governor praised Barack Obama as the best candidate for disabled Americans and offered sharp criticism of John McCain.

“Wages are declining while inflation is at a 17-year high,” Paterson said, adding that the “promise of America has also diminished for people with disabilities.”

“Which of the candidates will make the change that will restore the promise of America? Well, let see. Is it John McCain?” he asked. After the crowd shouted, “No!,” Paterson said, “No? I’m shocked.” He went on, “In 2007, John McCain voted with the administration 95 percent of the time.  read more »

“As an African-American, and I said it to somebody I saw earlier today, I didn’t think I would live to see this moment in my lifetime,” City Comptroller Bill Thompson told me last night. “I hoped that my daughter would. I didn’t think I would.”

Thompson was referring to Barack Obama getting the Democratic Party’s nomination for president. We were standing inside the Sheraton Denver, with a roomful of New York political people floating in and out of two receptions there last night.

“Around the nation, in our history, there have only been, what, three African-American governors, maybe four?” he asked. “David [Paterson].  read more »

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is having a closed-door reception for New York State Assembly members at (where else?) the East Side Kosher Deli in Denver.

“Even the name sounds like we never left home,” said one New Yorker.

Reverend Al Sharpton doesn't only want church-goers to vote, he wants churches to be part of an effort to make sure that every vote is counted.

“Imagine if every pastor had their members sign up so we can check to make sure their vote has not been miscounted," Sharpton said, speaking to reporters during a reception in his honor in Denver yesterday. "We can’t wait till they show up that day and they’re not on the books. We need to do it now.”

Sharpton said he will focus his efforts on seven key states: Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama.  read more »

DENVER—I ran into Roger Toussaint, president of the powerful Transport Workers Union, by the elevators in the Sheraton Hotel, and I asked him what he thought of the idea of extending term limits.

"I'm not in support of what I'm hearing about extending term limits," he said.

Mark Green, former public advocate, told me there would be a big, loud, and powerful backlash if there's an effort to extend term limits, but declined to say who exactly would be part of that effort.

Here's what it looked like yesterday outside the Sheraton Denver, where the New York delegation is staying and where protesters confronted a bunch of heavily up-armored police.

It looks maybe a little more dramatic and meaningful than it actually was.

After I spent a while watching the conflict unfold -- young people taunt cops and make a display of forceful disorderliness, cops make arrests, eventually -- and conducted interviews with participants, I still didn't know what it was about.

The real victims, of course, were the delegates who couldn't get into the locked-down hotel for Tom DiNapoli's ice cream party.

DENVER—It's ultimately about Barack Obama (and Hillary too!), but for New Yorkers here for the convention, it’s hard not to think about next year’s mayor’s race. too. All three major candidates for mayor—Christine Quinn, Bill Thompson and Anthony Weiner, are in town, and were at this morning’s New York delegation breakfast at the Sheraton.

“All we’ve done is move New York City to Denver,” said Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, who is also entertaining the idea of running for a citywide office next year. (His 2009 plans have become a source of considerable speculation). “It’s not like we’re shocked to see them in our midst.  read more »

DENVER—The First Lady of New York, Michelle Paige Paterson, said this morning that media inquiries about whether she would quit her job when her husband unexpectedly became governor earlier this year struck her as "a little bit out of touch.”

Speaking to the New York delegation at a breakfast at the Sheraton Hotel, Paterson said, "Like so many of you, I have a daughter in college and a son not far behind." She added that beyond economics, "I love my job and I have worked hard to get where I am.”

“I am proud of the work I do everyday,” Paterson said. "If I was the one serving as governor, nobody would be asking David he would quit his job.”

Paterson is the the Director of Community and Government Affairs at North General Hospital in Harlem.

DENVER—Speaking to reporters just before a breakfast at the Sheraton Hotel, Representative Charlie Rangel commented on the reported effort of some city politicians to change the laws that govern term limits before the 2009 election.

Referring to the next mayoral election, in which Bloomberg would likely run if term limits were extended, Rangel said, "If I didn't have a candidate in the race, which I do, which is our comptroller [Bill Thomson], I would really say term limits suck."

Then he added,"But this is a hell of a time to do it." (To put the issue before voters a referendum would have to go on the ballot this November).  read more »

In this “Behind the Scenes” video with Hillary Clinton, she says she is glad “to do what is traditionally is done and that is to have a nominating process and a roll call and then we all join behind Senator Obama.”

The controversy about Clinton's name being placed in nomination continues, with a deal in the works.

The New York Times editorial board said placing Clinton’s name in nomination is “a pointless distraction.”

Jerry Zremski reports that Clinton “stressed that she would vote for Obama during the roll call vote and freed her delegates to do the same, while refusing to instruct them to do so.”

In short, Obama is still dealing with the “Clinton factor.”

The Wall Street Journal takes a very long look at the weather that Denver might get for Obama's outdoor speech on Thursday.

The police used tear gas on protesters in Denver last night, and arrested about 50.

Mitt Romney is in Denver!

Michael Goodwin writes of the convention yesterday, “That so many of those speakers were white underscored the depth of concern."

Charlie Rangel and the Obama campaign had no comment on the $100,000 donation the D.N.C. is returning to Rangel’s P.A.C.

David Paterson said state leaders mistakenly believe presidential candidates have coattails.

Bill Hammond wishes Paterson had a prime-time speaking slot, and called him “one of the most fiscally conservative elected officials of either party in New York.”

Marty Markowitz wants to end term limits.

Another guilty plea in the case related to Eliot Spitzer's call girl.

Retiring Representative Vito Fossella won’t go to trial for drunk driving until October.

Tom Golisano is backing 39 incumbent State Senators for re-election, but did not endorse in some key races, like Joe Addabbo's challenge to Serf Maltese.

Clyde Haberman coins the term for Michael Bloomberg’s effort to extend term limits: “Giulianiosis,”

And Bob Herbert worries about the race issue.

DENVER—City Councilwoman Inez Dickens of Harlem supported Hillary Clinton during the primaries, and even though she said she plans to vote for Barack Obama in the roll call this week, she thinks Clinton’s candidacy was historic, especially in the context of other women who have succeeded in politics.

At the Sheraton Hotel last night, Dickens told me she is glad Clinton achieved what she did "because we’ve [now] had the first woman—not to run for president—but the first viable candidate that got this far. That, in of itself, is an amazing thing," she said.

"Because America has not been receptive," Dickens went on.  read more »

DENVER—I was hanging out at Al Sharpton’s reception on Larimer Street, when I heard a familiar voice.

It was Tucker Carlson, the conservative television commentator, and I was surprised to see him. He told me he went to Africa with Sharpton in 2003 and considers him “a friend.”

And Sharpton’s people apparently feel likewise. Democratic Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples of Buffalo said seeing Carlson at the event “makes me think we have a friend in the media."

When I asked Carlson if Barack Obama’s rise in national politics has diminished Sharpton’s role at all, Carlson said, “Not in my heart.”

DENVER—I just ran into City Councilman Hiram Monserrate at the Sheraton. Before he spoke to me, I he introduced himself to the person next me.

"Hi," he said. "I'm Hiram Monserrate. I'm going to be mayor one day."

Terry McAuliffe, Hillary Clinton's former campaign chairman, has some harsh words for Barack Obama's campaign.

"You're nominated to be president. It's your campaign. At some point, quit talking about the Clintons and move on," McAuliffe said in an interview with NY1 News, according to a transcript they just emailed.

When asked about the placing her name in nomination during the roll call vote, McAuliffe said, "We don't need to go through all the states."

McAuliffe also said the way the media urged Clinton to leave the race was a "disgrace."
A clip of the interview is here.

DENVER—This morning, The New York Post reported that a $100,000 donation from Charlie Rangel's political action committee to the Democratic National Committee was returned because Barack Obama does not want the organization to take money from P.A.C.s.

Rangel says he doesn't know anything about it.

As the congressman left a closed-door lunch at the Sheraton this afternoon, I asked him about the story--and mentioned the source.

He turned to one of his aides and asked, “Did you hear anything like that?”

The aide shrugged.

Walking away, Rangel turned to me and said, “So much for the New York Post.”

Sheldon Silver will get another chance to remember Paul Newell when the challenger arrives in Denver.

Newell, a community organizer, is also an elected Obama delegate, but has been missing from the convention events so far. I called to inquire and he replied via text message (so fancy!), saying he’ll be here tomorrow.

Silver is also facing challenger Luke Henry, an attorney, in the Democratic primary next month.

DENVER—David Paterson, Speaker Sheldon Silver and other members of the New York delegation are right now in a closed-door “chairman’s” luncheon at the Sheraton Hotel--basically to thank the sponsors providing the free breakfasts all week, according to someone guarding the entrance.

When I stood outside trying to listen to State Democratic Party Chairwoman June O’Neill give her opening remarks, they closed the door on me.

Sigh.

One person who tried to get in, thinking this was another free meal, was told, "We don't do lunches. Lunches, you're on your own."

DENVER—Matthew Silverstein, president of the New York State Young Democrats, is not totally satisfied with his organization's presence at this year's convention.

Of the 361 delegates and alternates in the New York delegation, only 14 members are below 30 years old, and the average age is 53. In addition, Silverstein told me last night, members under 30 comprise only three percent of New York's delegation, compared to 16 percent nationally.

Silverstein sees a lot of room for improvement.

But, he added, "on the bright side," a number of Young Democrats from New York won positions in the group’s national parent organization.

“We hope this sends a message that Young Democrats in New York are here in force and will continue to be a strong voice in New York politics for years to come," he said.  read more »

DENVER—Last night, Bronx Democratic County Chairman Jose Rivera ran into Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver at the Sheraton Hotel, and, for the benefit of my camera, endorsed Silver for re-election.

When I asked why he's supporting Silver instead of one of the speaker's two challengers, Rivera said, “Because I’ve known him for over 25 years and he has not changed.”

Change is pretty much the theme out here in Denver, and of Barack Obama's campaign, of course, and even the driving force behind a number of challengers seeking office in Albany this year. When I pointed this out, Rivera threw his arm around Silver and said, “We’re doing great in the State of New York.”

Later, Rivera suggested the slogan for Silver's re-election campaign be "Hi-Ho Silver, All the Way!"