All Blog Posts from From The Road

From CBS News' John Bentley:

(ST. PAUL) Ceding the role of attack dog to his running mate, John McCain accepted the nomination of the Republican Party tonight by talking extensively about his military experience and criticizing Barack Obama’s policy positions. “I will keep taxes low and cut them where I can. My opponent will raise them. I will open new markets to our goods and services. My opponent will close them,” McCain said. “I will cut government spending. He will increase it.”

But in an attempt to bolster his maverick image, he criticized Republicans as well. “We lost the trust of the American people when some Republicans gave in to the temptations of corruption,” he said. “We're going to change that. We're going to recover the people's trust by standing up again for the values Americans admire.”

McCain spoke of his years as a POW in Vietnam and the appreciation it instilled in him for the United States. His record of service, he argued, uniquely qualifies him for his presidency. “I've worked with members of both parties to fix problems that need to be fixed. That's how I will govern as President,” he said. “I have that record and the scars to prove it. Sen. Obama does not.”

From CBS News' John Bentley:

(ST. PAUL) Ceding the role of attack dog to his running mate, John McCain accepted the nomination of the Republican Party tonight by talking extensively about his military experience and criticizing Barack Obama’s policy positions. “I will keep taxes low and cut them where I can. My opponent will raise them. I will open new markets to our goods and services. My opponent will close them,” McCain said. “I will cut government spending. He will increase it.”

But in an attempt to bolster his maverick image, he criticized Republicans as well. “We lost the trust of the American people when some Republicans gave in to the temptations of corruption,” he said. “We're going to change that. We're going to recover the people's trust by standing up again for the values Americans admire.”

McCain spoke of his years as a POW in Vietnam and the appreciation it instilled in him for the United States. His record of service, he argued, uniquely qualifies him for his presidency. “I've worked with members of both parties to fix problems that need to be fixed. That's how I will govern as President,” he said. “I have that record and the scars to prove it. Sen. Obama does not.”

From CBS News' Allison O'Keefe:

(ST. PAUL, MINN) - As all eyes turn to coverage of Hurricane Gustav, Republicans are scrambling as try to adjust their convention from a "festive occasion" to a tamped-down affair.

Meantine, television networks are redirecting resources; convention speakers and delegates are cancelling appearances.

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From CBS News' Allison O'Keefe:

ST. PAUL, MINN. - At an undisclosed location outside of St. Paul, the press received a briefing on the security measures and communications center prepared to handle all range of security problems that might arise during next week's Republican National Convention.

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From CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic:

(DENVER) Oprah Winfrey, arguably Barack Obama’s most famous supporter, was on hand last night to celebrate her friend’s big night. Watching the speech from a sky box at Invesco Field, Winfrey was seen hugging friends and smiling during the acceptance speech. “I’ve never experienced anything like that,” she later said, “I think it was anything anyone could ever expect.”

Winfrey said she “googled” the Martin Luther King, “I Have A Dream” speech yesterday morning, and re-read portions of it. “He talks about the promise of democracy,” she said, “And I think today that promise was fulfilled in a way that I never imagined.”

Winfrey was visibly moved by Obama’s speech, calling it “transcendent” and “transformational,” but she expressed concern that voters may not feel the same. “I only pray in the deepest part of my being that America will rise to this moment.”

She added that Obama’s presidential race and quick rise in the Democratic Party is “the most powerful thing I’ve ever experienced.”

Despite being the “Queen of Talk,” Winfrey had to wrap her short conversation with reporters because the Secret Service threatened to lock in her motorcade if she did not leave.

From CBS News' Dean Reynolds:

(DENVER) One of the enduring questions about Barack Obama is whether he is tough enough to get elected.

In the primaries, Hillary Clinton was the tough one. She even got introduced once as having the "testicular fortitude" to be president.

The John McCain camp has picked up where the primaries left off. Not so much playing the race card as playing the gender card. How else to explain their characterization of Obama as "fussy" or "hysterical."

As McCain's camp muscled onto the playing field this summer, Obama's lead vanished in a sea of questions about why he wasn't fighting back.

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From CBS News’ Allison O’Keefe:

(ST. PAUL, Minn.) As reporters start to arrive in this twin city, Republicans have the handouts ready and waiting. Today it was a color copy of the New York Post’s front page. “O My God: Dems erect Obama temple” reads the cover over a picture of the stage at Invesco Field.

Today the finishing touches were put on the Republican National Convention stage and the plain, brown podium, which resembles one a college professor might used, was unveiled. Convention President and CEO, Maria Cino told reporters that the stage will be a sharp contrast to the Democratic convention in Denver. “I think what you see is a very simplistic stage. A stage that is much lower than it has been in the past. A stage that John McCain has used throughout his campaign where he is talking directly to his audience not standing above his audience.”

Behind the podium is an enormous screen that stands 30 feet high and 50 feet wide, which will show biography videos and other forms of media. According to Cino, it is the first HD screen to be used at a convention.

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From CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic:

(DENVER) Barack Obama played basketball with his “bodyman,” Reggie Love and longtime Chicago friend, Eric Whitacker this morning as he tries to keep his energy up and mind clear for tonight's speech. Obama and friends went to the Denver Athletic Club just after 8:00 a.m., and played basketball for over an hour. No stats were provided from the game.

Obama turns to the court for good luck on every Election Day - and even though voters are not going to the polls today, millions will be listening to him tonight as he accepts the Democratic nomination. He may need a little extra luck for that.

From CBS News' Fernando Suarez:

MILWAUKEE -- At this stage in the campaign, all eyes are fixed on Wisconsin on Tuesday, followed by Texas and Ohio on Mar. 4. But behind the scenes, the Hillary Clinton campaign is gearing up for what could be a nasty fight over the nomination at the Democratic National Convention in August.

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