Howard Dean

Check back next week to view my Convention Sketchpads from the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis.

The fourth and final day of the Democratic National Convention will be called to order at 5:00 PM EST on Thursday, with a theme of "Change You Can Believe In."

The final day's events will take place at INVESCO Field at Mile High, where over 70,000 people are expected to attend.

Featured speakers will include Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter (D), former Vermont Gov. and Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean (D), New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D), U.S. Rep. and U.S. Senate candidate Mark Udall (D-Colo.), Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine (D), former Vice President Al Gore (D) and U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D).

U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), the Democratic presidential nominee, is scheduled to address the convention at 10 p.m. EST.

The full schedule is below.

DENVER -- Sarah Rosen, the former communications director of the Arizona Democratic Party who was killed in a car accident in 2005, was honored at the breakfast of Arizona's Democratic National Convention delegation Tuesday morning.

Her father, Sam Rosen, once came close to breaking down as he spoke about his daughter to the delegates, and made a pitch for the fund that was started in her name.

He recalled how he collaborated with Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean to establish the memorial fund in her memory. The Sarah Rosen Fund provides living stipends that allow summer interns working for the DNC to afford housing.

DNC Chair Howard DeanDENVER -- The Arizona Democratic Party received high praise from Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, who addressed Arizona's Democratic National Convention delegates Monday. He also discussed strategy, saying the party was going to compete for rural votes and imploring Arizona Democrats to "develop relationships" with voters instead of simply pushing candidates.

Dean spoke glowingly of how the Arizona Democratic Party had flourished under former chairman Jim Pederson, calling the job he did "incredible."

"The state parties were in bad shape," recalled Dean of his impression when he took over leadership of the Democratic Party, "but there were three that were in really good shape, and one was Arizona, thanks to Pederson."

U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Phoenix) is opening the Southwest Regional Headquarters for his presidential bid in Phoenix on Friday, according to Politico Mafioso. U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Phoenix), who chairs McCain's Arizona campaign, will be appearing to commence the celebration. A celebration of that sort is a long way off for U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), however, according to his campaign.

"We're still hiring staff" was the response from the Obama press office, which told PolitickerAZ.com that there are no plans in the immediate future for an Obama Arizona office. "It's still early, though," said the media contact.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean came to Phoenix Tuesday to strategize with Democratic volunteers, bolster the belief that Sen. John McCain is beatable in Arizona and discuss downticket races.

Now the Arizona Democratic Party has released the podcast of Dean's talk with the party's new media communications manager, Jeff Goodman. In it, Dean discusses McCain's weaknesses, touts Democratic congressional candidates and finally reveals which candidate he DNC chair supports... on American Idol.

When Howard Dean says "50 state strategy," he means it.

The Chairman of the Democratic National Committee was in Phoenix today, home turf of the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, to assert that, even in Sen. John McCain's front yard, the Democrats will come to play.

Dean addressed a group of Democratic volunteers who will be organizing on behalf of the party's eventual presidential nominee, who will most likely be Barack Obama. All indications are that, despite obvious disadvantages, the Democratic Party is not excusing itself from a fight in Arizona.

U.S. Sen. John McCainOn the fifth anniversary of Bush's "Mission Accomplished" speech aboard the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln, Democrats are taking the opportunity to once again throw Sen. John McCain's words on Iraq back in his face.

Despite complaints that McCain's remarks to the effect that it would be acceptable for U.S. troops to stay in Iraq for 100 years were taken out of context, Democrats are not letting up on the issue. Moreover, they are trying to paint McCain as a "flip-flopper" for having previously advanced a position at odds with his current view on Iraq.

"They have about as much hope of winning in Arizona in 2008 as a snowman does in Phoenix in August," said Arizona Republican Party Chairman Randy Pullen today, regarding the Democrats' hopes of an AZ victory in the presidential contest. "If Mr.  read more »

“It’s not a question of, ‘if’, it’s a question of, ‘by how much?’”  

Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Republican Party Chairman Randy Pullen said DNC Chairman Howard Dean was better off screaming wildly into microphones.  “If Mr.  read more »