The American Spectator

Washington Prowler

(Page 2 of 2)

After Kerry's speech, the delegates would vote for a recess of the convention, with a motion to reconvene the state delegations on or about September 1 for a national nomination vote. Critical to this motion to reconvene would be stipulations about how the formal voting would occur, most likely via the Internet.

Then, on an agreed upon date set in Boston, the nomination vote would take place.

Apparently McAuliffe thought he hit upon a big reason to scuttle the idea of a delayed nomination process. According to a DNC source, McAuliffe had lawyers over the weekend looking into whether or not a Democratic gathering such as the one that would take place in Boston would require TV networks to provide Republicans with so-called "equal time" for responses.

"Conventions are considered news events and special events that do not require the same kind of equal time considerations that other political events require," says a DNC source. "If the Boston convention was no longer a nominating convention, and just a big rally, the old rules might no longer apply. Basically, we're looking for anything that will kill this plan before it really takes off."

Other options to kill Kerry's plan included a threat to suspend joint DNC/Kerry fundraising events, which have proved successful for the candidate.

"This argument just confirms what a lot of people have thought about Kerry and his people," says the DNC source. "That they think they are bigger than the party. They think they have the stature of the Clinton crowd. They have no idea how wrong they are."

p> THE NEW PATRIOTISM br> Candidate Kerry had no plans for a direct response to President Bush's Monday evening national address on Iraq, though he will be spending the week focusing on national security issues, according to campaign advance staffers. /p>

The big event to watch may come on Thursday, when the candidate is expected to make a major speech about counter-terrorism tactics and national security.

p>According to a campaign source, the speech is also intended to further muddy Kerry's position on the USA PATRIOT Act. For months, Kerry has claimed he opposed the PATRIOT Act in all forms. But after polling revealed that most Americans support the act, Kerry has since been attempting to align himself with the law, now claiming that as president he would make only "minor" adjustments to it. br> /p>

topics:
Law, Iraq, NATO, Unions