Convention Wrap

Dotty Lynch, Beth Lester, Clothilde Ewing, Cody Kucharczyk and Dan Furman of the CBS News Political Unit have the latest from the Democratic convention.

* Kerry in Boston

* Edwards Night

* Here Comes Cate

* RNC Uses Kerry in 11 Minute Video

* What Conventions Are Really About

* Guess Who Supports Stem Cell Research

* Some Politics Is Local: Coburn wins Oklahoma Republican senate primary

Kerry in Boston: John Kerry arrived in Boston on Wednesday accompanied by a group of crewmates from Vietnam. This time their ship was a "water taxi," which took them across Boston Harbor.

CBS News' Steve Chaggaris reports how Kerry spent his last night on the road:

Trail Byte: As the clock ticks down to Kerry's speech Thursday night, the candidate spent last night watching the Democratic National Convention in a Philadelphia hotel room, with the highlight being his wife Teresa's big speech.

"She looks great," Kerry said twice about Teresa as she walked out on stage wearing a red suit. Later, during her remarks, he said, "Good for you, Teresa," according to a source close to Kerry.

Surrounded by aides, including Trip Director Setti Warren, National Press Secretary David Wade, Senior Adviser David Morehouse, and personal assistant Marvin Nicholson, and also surrounded by a copy of his own speech, a bowl of gummy bears and a remote control, Kerry took in most of the night's speakers, including Teresa's introducer - her son Christopher Heinz.

A Kerry source said that he was visibly touched by Chris' introduction, which included references to his late father Sen. John Heinz, R-Pennsylvania, and said "Thanks a lot Chris, really well done," at the conclusion of his remarks.

Prior to the Chris/Teresa speeches, Kerry was ecstatic about keynote speaker and Illinois U.S. Senate candidate Barack Obama, calling his speech "electric" and "authentic" and bragged that Obama is the "new face of the party" and "much more than charismatic," according to a Kerry source.

In addition, he called Ron Reagan "gutsy" and "smart" after his address on stem cell research.

As for Kerry's own speech, an aide said that he's pretty much done with the writing portion, although he's still tweaking it and as of Tuesday he hadn't rehearsed it using a teleprompter, though he will "probably do so once or twice" before Thursday night.

Edwards Night: John Edwards and his wife Elizabeth visited the grave of their son Wade on Tuesday before leaving Raleigh, N.C., to fly to Boston to accept the Democratic vice presidential nomination, the AP reported. He also said he had essentially finished his speech. Here's CBS News' Bonney Kapp on Edwards evening in Boston:

Trail Byte: "Edwards dodges reporters."

This according to the candidate himself. With a laugh, he made it clear he was only joking to reporters, continuing, "I don't have a headline."

Since it was the day before his d acceptance speech at the Democratic Convention, much of the discussion was on the speech. "I feel like it's finished," he revealed after ensuring his voice was in "fine" condition to deliver the speech. The candidate said he woke up at 4 am to fine tune the speech and practice reading it aloud—apparently without an audience. "[Elizabeth] wasn't in the room when I was practicing—she was asleep when I working early this morning." And though she hasn't heard the final version of the speech, Edwards assured the press "she likes it."

So what can we expect tonight other than an optimistic message? "I think first of all I think the important part for me is to talk to those people listening to me tomorrow night the same way I did to those 8 [people] in living rooms in Iowa. I want them to see who I am and what I believe and why I believe John Kerry should be president," Edwards said.

Late Tuesday night Edwards' traveling press corps was assembled for a Secret Service sweep for an off the schedule event. Although we weren't told where we were going, we were assured it would be "fun." If anyone thought John Edwards was a 'GQ' convention party kind of guy, think again. Around 20 minutes after midnight Senator and Mrs. Edwards had their podium fitting in front of a mob of reporters and cameras.

For about 10 minutes, Edwards addressed issues with staff and technicians such as podium height, the lighting situation, and where the North Carolina delegation was sectioned. The teleprompter was powered up and could be read by reporters looking for a sneak preview of Elizabeth's introduction speech, which just may begin, "Thank you. Hello Democrats and hello America."

Cate Edwards Hits the Campaign Trail: In a campaign season where Emma Claire and Jack Edwards say the cutest things and the Bush twins appear on the cover of Vogue magazine, the often "reserved" older daughter of John Edwards, Cate, is beginning to make her mark on the campaign trail, according to The Charlotte Observer.

Edwards, 22, will begin her foray into political campaigning in earnest this week, when she introduces her mother in a prime-time spot at the Democratic National Convention Wednesday night. A relative newcomer to the campaign scene, Edwards is "still struggling to find something to say" during her introductions and speeches to organizations like Rock the Vote. Her address to this group on Sunday was less than a minute in length, ending when the Democratic Party Chairman Terry McAuliffe had to "swoop in to rescue" her in a scene the L.A. Times dubbed "endearing."

Thrust into the spotlight, Edwards had planned to begin work at Vanity Fair on August 2. However, she now plans to spend the fall making the rounds at college campuses across the nation campaigning for her father. "The day before Kerry picked her father to be his running mate, she moved into a New York City apartment with three college friends. Her belongings still sit in boxes, and she says she fears there's a pile of laundry cluttering the apartment floor," reported the Observer.

"People are going to fall in love with Cate," said David Kirby, a family friend. "She is the best of both of her parents."

Cate Edwards was two years younger than Wade, who died at age 16. After her brother's death, she slept in her parents' bedroom for a period. During her college years, she spent summers at home so she could spend time with her younger brother and sister.

"People ask me if I feel like a baby sitter or like a parent to them sometimes. I definitely do not feel like that," she said. "It's not your normal sibling relationship, but I definitely feel like a sister, not an aunt. When they are misbehaving, I run away."

She's still learning how to speak before large crowds, and trying to get used to her family's recent celebrity. She's also trying to keep her sense of humor: When People magazine named her father the sexiest politician in the country several years ago, she responded with a tart "You're kidding, right?"

"This whole thing is still sort of surreal," she said Tuesday. "As great as he is, he's still just my dad to me."

On Wednesday night when she introduces her mother at the convention, her fans predict she will find her voice.

Want More Kerry? Ask the RNC : As John Kerry continues his efforts to introduce himself to voters, Republicans sought to do the same on Wednesday as they released an 11-minute video that they believe illustrates Kerry's evolving position on the war in Iraq.

In the video clips, Kerry gradually shifts from harsh anti-Saddam Hussein rhetoric in 2001 and 2002 to more cautious comments about Iraq in late 2003 and then to anti-war comments by early 2004, the AP reports. And, the RNC contends that this had to do with his efforts to become the presumptive nominee of the Democratic Party. With Ed Gillespie saying, "Kerry's changing views had more to do with what was happening on the ground in Iowa than in Iraq."

Ed Gillespie, Chairman of the RNC, released the video along with Sens. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., and Mitch Mcconnell; Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory;
and former New York Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik in their war room just blocks away from the Democratic convention in the Fleet Center.

Gillespie said they plan to release the video to the approximately 8 million supporters on their list and that they've also asked Mirimax to consider airing it as "true" documentary. Possibly even as a trailer to Fahrenheit 9/11.

The DNC, meanwhile released a new internet ad to counter the RNC video, which they say highlights "the statements George W. Bush has made that have most eroded his credibility with the American people."
The ad, entitled "Word", was distributed outside the Republican counter-convention in Boston and was posted on the DNC website.
And, in the video department, the Kerry campaign will release on of several Generals including Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Shalikashvili talking about why they are supporting "fellow vet" John Kerry.

What Conventions Are Really About: After all the speeches, balloons and confetti, the conventions are really all about…lobbying! Because of a loophole in the campaign finance laws, conventions are the "one place where corporations and labor unions can still spend with abandon to influence holders of high office," reports the Washington Post. As a result, lobbying has become the "only real work going on at the convention -- the nonstop currying of favor of elected officials by the most powerful interests in the country."

This lobbying is not going on in smoke-filled back rooms, it is going on at posh parties all over town. The Post reports, "These events range from a simple breakfast meeting with coffee, fruit and bagels in a downtown hotel to the rental of a cruise ship docked at Boston Harbor or a golf tournament on the outskirts of Boston." These events, as your intrepid CBS News reporters have learned, often include copious amounts of free food and alcohol as well as freebies like t-shirts, lollipops, books, pens, stickers and hats. Not to mention fireworks, which was Time Warner's contribution to its salute to Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi.

And for the very well connected, these lobbying interactions result in tickets to more hot events around town. As Heather Podesta, a well-connected lobbyist with Blank Rome LLP who is married to uber-lobbyist Toby Podesta, told the Post, "That's the difference between a good lobbyist and a great lobbyist -- concierge service."

Beyond the lavish parties, groups have also ponied up to show their appreciation to the Boston Host Committee. "Fifteen corporations, unions and foundations have each given at least $1 million to the Boston host committee, including Bank of America Corp., International Business Machines Corp., Gillette Co., Verizon Communications Inc. and the Service Employees International Union. Another 15 have given from $500,000 to $1 million. In 1992, the Democrats did not accept more than $100,000 from any single donor."

Some watchdog groups question the practice. Fred Wertheimer of Democracy 21 calls conventions the "last oasis" of soft money. But the hospitality shows no signs of going away. As the Post explains, "Lobbying critics may disapprove, but the Podestas' methods clearly work. At the Connecticut delegation's breakfast Monday -- an event sponsored by Genzyme Corp., a PodestaMattoon client -- Heather Podesta got a hug from Sen. Christopher J. Dodd and Tony Podesta got a big compliment from Clarine Nardi Riddle, chief of staff to the state's other U.S. senator, Joseph I. Lieberman. 'He's close to Joe,' she said. What more could a lobbyist hope to hear?"

Guess Who Supports Stem Cell Research: The Bush-Cheney campaign spent a lot of their war room time on Tuesday trying to dispel the notion that the Bush administration is against stem cell research. In a "Policy memorandum" they pointed out that Bush was actually the first to fund Embryonic Stem Cell research actually increased the funding to $25 million dollars in the 2003 budget.

That may confuse Ron Reagan, the Pope and many who remember the president's speech in 2001. The distinction is that President Bush said in 2001 that he would favor funding research on stem cells already collected but that there would be no funding for any new cell lines.

Manure in Crawford: President Bush is still in Crawford Texas. He didn't go to the movies and some others in Crawford might think twice about going as well. CBS News' Mark Knoller has a nugget from Crawford.
Tonight's screening of the bush-bashing moving 'Fahrenheit 9/11' has triggered some visible irritation here in the president's hometown. One person staged a personal protest and delivered 20 bags of cow manure addressed to Michael Moore - with a message - one pile of (manure) deserves another - only the protester used a barnyard epithet instead of the word manure.

Carson v. Coburn: Brad Carson, current congressman for the second district of Oklahoma and current U.S. senate candidate, finally has Republican opposition for November. The Oklahoman reports that former Rep. Tim Coburn defeated former mayor Kirk Humphreys, Corporation Commissioner Bob Anthony and Jay Richard Hunt. Coburn received 61% of the vote in the primary held Tuesday. Carson was expected to easily win his Democratic primary and captured it with 79%.

The Republican primary had been a particularly expensive one. More than $2 million spent during the ten-month campaign by Humphreys even though he failed to attract the level of enthusiasm that Coburn generated immediately after entering the race in March. He outspent Coburn 4 to 1. Coburn is an extremely conservative former congressman who used to represent Carson's second district. Tim Coburn's pledge to lower taxes and reduce federal spending attracted the help of the conservative PAC club for growth. They spent 700,000 dollars in ad buys in Oklahoma to get Coburn elected. Carson didn't have serious opposition. This allowed him to save his money for the general election and reintroduce himself.

Coburn seized the nomination in opposition to the Republican establishment who supported Humphreys. Sen. Don Nickels, the retiring majority whip who is vacating the contested seat, junior Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe and other prominent Republicans endorsed Humphreys. Despite his endorsements Humphreys had a hard time defining himself during the campaign to voters. He said, "I didn't get just Tom. I got Bob Anthony, who played the role of the tire slasher, and this left Tom free to be Mr. Nice Guy. I was kind of caught in-between."

This race will be a close one. This seat held by the conservative Nickels was thought to be safe for the GOP but now the race is up for grabs.

Quote of the Day: "We worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don't like federal agents poking around our libraries in the Red States. We coach Little League in the Blue States and have yes, we have some gay friends in the Red States." --Democratic Keynote Speaker Barak Obama (muliple sources)