t could have been a shining moment for Senate candidate Jack E. Robinson, who is fighting for attention and respect this week from in- and out-of-state Republicans. What better sign of establishment support than an appearance on the convention podium?
And Robinson said he almost got it yesterday. The candidate, who has a convention pass as a Republican donor, said he learned that five Senate challengers were scheduled to appear on the big stage during the morning session. He said he asked to join them and nearly got his wish: He was standing behind the curtain, sixth in line, when logistics got in the way; there didn't seem to be enough time.
''I was 10 feet from going on the podium,'' said Robinson, who spent yesterday afternoon doing radio interviews. ''They tried to fit us in, but they couldn't.''
Several spokesmen with the Republican National Convention said they had no knowledge of the chain of events.
Running mate hopefuls eyed in rebuttal strategy
Democratic sources say Al Gore's short list will be on display in living color Thursday night. Democratic officials hope to have the vice president's potential running mates give rebuttals to Bush's convention acceptance speech on each of the network news shows.
Democrats say they would like their panel of retorters to include Senator John F. Kerry, said to be ''the most asked for'' by the networks, but are unsure whether he will be available because his father died last weekend.
Other spin surrogates: Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana, Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, Senator John Edwards of North Carolina, Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa, House Minority Leader Richard A. Gephardt, Governor Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Representative Robert Menendez of New Jersey, and Senator Richard J. Durbin of Illinois.
On the other hand, maybe it's a long list.
Defying ban, protesters march peacefully for poor
It started as a fierce battle of wills between Philadelphia police and welfare rights advocates. It ended yesterday with thousands of protesters celebrating a victory at a park near the GOP convention.
Last month, the police rejected the protesters' request to march down one of the busiest streets in the city during the convention and vowed they'd never make it close to First Union Center. But 2,000 to 3,000 advocates for the homeless and the poor walked 4 miles down Broad Street.
Cheri Honakla, protest leader and director of the Kensington Welfare Rights Union, called the march a victory for the poor. ''Today, we learned don't tell someone who is not in the boxing ring how to punch,'' Honakla said.
Democratic `truth squad' lies in wait at convention
About as popular as skunks at a lawn party, the Democrats are crashing the Republican National Convention with a truth squad.
Michael Meehan, former press secretary to Senator John F. Kerry of Massachusetts, and Jennifer Backus, communications director for the Democratic National Committee, stood between the media pavillions and an entrance to First Union Center yesterday getting incredulous looks and chuckles from reporters who realized their moxie.
''We've been waiting for the engagement part of the campaign and it starts today,'' said Meehan, now political director for the Senate minority leader, Tom Daschle, Democrat of South Dakota. Referring to a recent newspaper interview with the Republican presdential candidate, Meehan said: ''Governor Bush said he plans to `needle' our nominee. Well, we plan to be the thread that ties it all together.''
