Ford...

Just an observation... there are U.S. citizens that do live overseas, and have every right to make donations. Thus, the simple fact of receiving a donation from Sydney does not mean that you are getting money from an Australian.

I would be interested to see the results of a similar investigation of Clinton's and McCains contributions.

This is where the bias is coming through. Hillary is doing what all presidential candidates in a close race have done. Think Ted Kennedy, Jesse Jackson. Come on talk about a double standard.

Report on the history of conventions and then decide if Hillary is not doing what she deserves and many in the democratic party want.

dear Nancy;
Didn't none other than the Democratic party under Howard Dean, a Clinton loyalist, come up with these rules to keep the sates in line? So that Hillary would win the nomination with little or no competition from those southern states that might have voted and given Edwards an early boost??

Nancy- Yes, a real path to better elections is the US is through cleaning up the party system AND getting more parties involved, like through IRV.
In the end, the electoral college madness and popular vote problem is what it is, but if we can't get good parties representing more faces, then we are an anemic democracy at best.

lololololol Crash and burn Dems... way to go. Someone summed it up well above "Our country can survive John McCain. I’m not sure it can survive Barack Obama."

I was supporting Ron Paul, and right now I don't think I'm voting for anyone. McCain is a RINO and Obama is a Socialist. I just think this drama is hilarious because the DNC was saying it wouldn't happen... and yet it is!!!!

XD

Surely Sen. Barack Obama can afford to be gracious, even to you, since he’ll leave Denver with the only prize that counts.

I can't wait for his acceptance speech. It should be one for the ages. It's destined to be one of those "remember where you were when it happened" moments. What a joy it will be to watch history being made. I'll make darn certain my two little children are watching too.

Mr. Ford...
Can you do some reserch on Clintons and McCain too. It seems that you are very good at such research. Dont tell me those two does not have such record. I can be gracious enough to supply some more self inflecting document to you that you will be stop doing this kind of hatred so call research and spend your time on some more constructing research America will be benifitted.

I think, Obama, by inviting and allowing Clinton to speak at the Convention and having a roll call vote, shows his weakness. Clinton will headline Tuesday night with Chelsea, Bill Clinton headlines Wednesday night, and the roll call vote for Clinton is Thursday night. Call what you want, but this Convention is about Hillary Clinton. I don't see the party unified, but actually, more divided. The Clinton supporters will take this and run with it and will never vote for Obama. This shows extreme weakness on Obama's part and will hurt him in the GE. I don't see Obama becoming the next POTUS.

It is up to the Super Delegates to do their only job and nominate the "most electable" candidate.......Hillary is not only the "most electable" candidate, she is the only electable candidate. Super Delegates will be watching out for their own behinds with this nomination. I expect that those Super Delegates whom are elected with the help of many black voters will
vote Obama for fear of losing their own voters but most Super Delegates are elected by whites and hispanics and they will by majority lose their seats if they fail to nominate Hillary......and that is exactly as it should be. Watch John Kerry lose his Senate seat this year because he refused to follow the voters of MA and instead endorsed Obama. We voted Hillary overwhelmingly and we will vote NO JOHN KERRY over whelmingly.

The quote worth repeating, " Evil triumphs when good men do nothing"

HILLARY 2008 and if she is not on the ballot then I and every one I know will be voting McCain

I think it was wise of Obama's people to insist on a vote. Nominating conventions typically do have a vote... it is the best way to make sure everybody gets a chance to voice their opinion.

Of course, it is sad that the media is desperate to find controversy on the Democrats' side and Republicans are anxious to shift the focus away from McCain's lackluster performance in polling when voters are asked to think about issues...

It's kind of gross, especially when you can see that the manufactured negative coverage is a result of the McVain perpetual hissyfit over Obama's charisma.

But, what do you expect. The Republicans and big business execs are worried that the economic troubles might spoil the free ride they have been getting on the back of the American middle class. If Obama is elected, privileges for the superrich will probably be reduced a small fraction. Instead of making like 500 billion dollars a day, Chevron will have to settle on 499 billion. Better stop Obama now, before this gets out of hand.

There is a great point made in the note today. With the roll call, Hillary is put in a position where she is going to vote for Obama at the Convention. (Or seem like a bad loser and further split the party by voting for herslef.) The risk for Obama is slight, given that you would assume that most Super-Ds would now vote for Obama, I think if Clinton wants to make a fuss then fine, I think that the few Hillary delegates who want to make a fuss may well end up drowned out by Obama delegates (who everyone seems to have forgotten about in the fuss over Hillary!)

By all means there should be a roll call. To often as of late the democratic party is doing all in their power to run through their ideas without a vote, both Congress and the presidential race. This is a democracy based on the idea that people debate and vote, even if your idea or position has no chance of winning a vote should be allowed.

Nevada -- fair enough. If this going to get them to shut up, let's them vote and waste the people's time on something that is pointless.

You know my grandfather told me once that: "Democracy is five wolves and two sheep debating over what is for dinner".

jodi, since when does the popular vote determine the nominee. Besides the votes were split. Both received 18 million. So I see you're dismissing those 18 mil that voted for Obama.

I cannot help but think that all of this anti-Democratic rhetoric coming from the GOP these days did not play a role in the horrible attacks that happened in Tennesee and Arkansas.

At some point, the GOP needs to get its spin under control. I'm for free speech. But I do think that all these haters need to take responsibility for the climate of fear and violence they are creating.

Or, rather, it did. Sorry about the typo.

annie - actually not split exactly evenly. Obama got more popular vote. And that's not even counting the caucus states that didn't report popular vote tallies.

It amazes how some people think that young people don't have a clue about what's going on in this country or the world. And that they are somehow being used. They really have a lot of gall to think that they are somehow more informed and knowledgable just because they are older and presumably wiser. Thank god our future generation is getting involved.

Observer,
I don't think "being liked" is the essence of leadership. Making good decisions and policy on behalf of the people is more to the point. He has nearly singlehandedly run the country into recession and is living out his tenure as Prime Minister having thoroughly botched financial policy for his years as Chancellor. Mr. Brown from all I can tell is not liked by anyone. He is only "less disliked" than Bush because he stands for nothing, except perhaps financial and political disaster.

Oh,and the other apparent thing here is that civilised debate must dead in America. Of which apparently this abortive election storey is emminently demonstrative. Observer, my friend, neither of us likes Mr. Brown, and we can agree on this and also strongly disagree on other matters. I glad that at least in Britain we can discuss matters without calling names, pulling hair out of each other and suggesting prescriptions of medicine, therapy,and etc. What has happened to debate in America? It's a series of unfortunate bumper stickers. Sad really.