Before Speech, Running Mate Gets Some Coaching  —  Since Sunday night, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has been holed up in her suite in the Hilton Minneapolis while a parade of Sen. John McCain's top advisers have briefed her on the nuances of his policy positions, national politics and, above all …

GOP Tightens Image Control As Palin Prepares for Debut  —  ST. PAUL, Minn. — The McCain campaign scrambled to take control of the public debate over vice-presidential pick Sarah Palin, canceling her public appearances and teaming her with high-powered Republican operatives as she prepared …

The Beltway Boys  —  Even as the Obama camp ponders how best to handle John McCain's veep pick of Sarah Palin, the high priests and priestesses of the media have marked her as an apostate.  The Beltway class is in full-throated rebellion against a nondomesticated conservative who might pose …

Are the Attacks on Palin Sexist?  —  As criticism around the Sarah Palin pick grows, Republicans and their allies have launched a concerted counter-offensive designed to delegitimize attacks against her.  —  What's fair?  —  Carly Fiorina's attack on the Obama campaign for raising questions …

McCain: Palin more qualified than Obama  —  Mounting a ferocious defense of his embattled running mate, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said he is buying a TV ad arguing that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has more experience than the Democratic presidential nominee, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).

Aides Say Team Interviewed Palin Late in the Process  —  Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was not subjected to a lengthy in-person background interview with the head of Sen. John McCain's vice presidential vetting team until last Wednesday in Arizona, the day before McCain asked her to be his running mate …

MCCAIN CREATES A DISASTER STORY FOR THE NEWS-STARVED PRESS.  —  The news abhors a vacuum.  Politicians, public-relations disinformers, media consultants, and other spin artists may think it's wise to suppress the elemental force that is the news.  But when the news breaches the container it's been stuffed into, mayhem results.

Bristol Palin's boyfriend heads to convention  —  WASILLA - The boyfriend of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's unwed, pregnant daughter will join the family of the Republican vice presidential candidate at the GOP convention in St. Paul, Minn.  —  Levi Johnston's mother said her 18-year-old son left Alaska …

McCain's McGovern Moment  —  ONE of the most bizarre political events I ever attended was the second Democratic nominating convention of 1972.  It was held in August at a Washington hotel ballroom, not in a big arena like the Miami Beach Convention Center, where the party had nominated George McGovern for president four weeks earlier.

Obama to Appear on Fox on Thursday Night  —  CHICAGO — Before Senator John McCain delivers his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention on Thursday, Senator Barack Obama will make a marquee appearance of his own.  —  Call it counter-intuitive.  He will appear on “The O'Reilly Factor” on Fox News Channel.