McCain Camp Didn't Search Palin's Hometown Paper Archives  —  The McCain campaign has gone to great lengths to present the selection of Sarah Palin as one made after a careful, meticulous vetting process.  But evidence continues to suggest that the Arizona Republican made his VP choice with surprising haste.

McCain chief hits Obama for playing politics as Gustav looms  —  John McCain's campaign manager today accused Barack Obama of practicing politics as Hurricane Gustav bears down on the Gulf Coast.  —  Rick Davis, in a brief interview following a pep talk he gave to convention volunteers in St. Paul …

Trig Paxson Van Palin  —  I meant to post this the other day (so please don't take it as a response to Rick—in fact it might constitute pleading guilty as charged!), but I got sidetracked.  I found the Palin event Friday incredibly moving.  Partly because of Trig.

Palin touts stance on ‘Bridge to Nowhere,’ doesn't note flip-flop  —  When John McCain introduced Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate Friday, her reputation as a tough-minded budget-cutter was front and center.  —  “I told Congress, thanks but no thanks on that bridge to nowhere,” …

McCain talks Palin on Fox News Sunday  —  As Democrats slam his new runningmate as unprepared for the Oval Office, Sen. McCain defended Palin's experience and readiness during his interview with Fox News Sunday.  Referring to her as a “soulmate,” McCain argued that her executive experience makes …

The Palin effect: crowd size  —  17,000+ today for the McCain-Palin rally outside of St. Louis, according to a Secret Service magnetometer count provided by the campaign.  —  As one veteran of Missouri politics said, that's the sort of crowd usually seen in October for a president — not in August for a candidate.

CNN Poll: Obama 49, McCain 48  —  ST. PAUL, Minnesota (CNN) — On the eve of the Republican convention, a new national poll suggests the race for the White House remains dead even.  —  A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll released Sunday night shows the Obama-Biden ticket leading the McCain-Palin ticket …

G.O.P. Rallies in Support of McCain, Poll Shows  —  ST. PAUL — Senator John McCain this week will officially claim the presidential nomination from a convention here that is united behind him, and confident of keeping the White House.  —  Just four years ago, at the Republican convention in New York …

Police at Republican National Convention: links  —  The police at the Republican Convention have been beefed up with federal money, and they've already made preemptive arrests of protest leaders.  I have no special sources or independent information, but I've gathered some links so I can keep …

The National Security Defense  —  Even Jonah Goldberg realizes the commander-in-chief of Alaska's National Guard line is “really lame” for the party of Eisenhower.  But the “Alaska-Is-Close-To-Russia” argument by Cindy McCain.  This is what the GOP's national security analysis now is!