NEWS SUMMARY

Tonight's the night.

Senate testimony is not a speech.

Debating (Bill Weld) is not a speech.

Even if you have followed the career of John Kerry as closely as, say, Tom Oliphant or Glen Johnson, we defy you to recall the Massachusetts Senator ever giving a drop-dead, inarguably fantabulissimo public address.

Recent history suggests that people who win the White House and/or the popular vote give awesome speeches as they accept their parties' nomination.

Not just awesome, actually, but the speech of their lives.

Here are some representative reviews of the acceptance speeches of 41, 42, 43A and 43B, from the best in the/our business.

George H.W. Bush, 1988:
"The nominee radiated confidence." (David Broder, Washington Post )

Bill Clinton, 1992:
"They cheered Mr. Clinton to the rafters as the balloons dropped at the end." (R. W. Apple, New York Times )

Al Gore, 2000:
"He came across as determined, forceful and maybe even unstoppable. He wouldn't even let roaring ovations get in the way of delivering his message to the American people." (Tom Shales, Washington Post )

George W. Bush, 2000:
"Bush's speech, delivered in strong, forceful language, repeatedly brought the delegates to their feet with applause, and he used it to issue a call to arms for the election battle ahead." (Dan Balz, Washington Post)

There has been the normal inside baseball whispering in advance of Kerry's speech — too much Shrum influence; too little Shrum influence; the speech had 12 or more kitchen sink contributors; Kerry didn't practice enough; editing was taking place until the last minute.

We have no idea whether any of that stuff is true (OK: we actually DO know that some of it is true … ), and/but we don't think it matters even if it were.

John Kerry is famous for finishing strong at the end of tough campaigns in order to win.

So one way to think about tonight is — does John Kerry's internal clock and mystical biorhythms recognize that with fewer than 100 days to go, this IS the homestretch?

Presumably, the prepared text won't have any "so I say to you"s, "if it would please the chair"s, or (especially) "who among us does not love NASCAR?"s.

But it won't be the writing that matters.

It is all about the delivery.

Says ABC News' Dan Harris, the best reporter on the Kerry beat: "Campaign advisers are calling it a 'positive' speech — not an 'attack' speech. It will, however, contain contrasts."

"Kerry will, per the campaign, communicate to the nation 'what's in his heart.' It will be 'very personal'; he will talk about personal experiences from his life, including Vietnam. He will talk about how those personal experiences have shaped the message of his campaign: 'Stronger at home, respected in the world.' There will be light moments, too."

"The speech will run 55 minutes. When pressed on whether this is a wise move, given Kerry's reputation for being a less-than-riveting speaker, Communications Director Stephanie Cutter bristled."

(Note Note: we have a hard time imagining Ms. Cutter bristling, but Dan is, as we suggested, a great reporter.)

"'He is a riveting speaker,' she said. Furthermore, she argued, it's a 'really good speech' and one that he wrote (longhand, on yellow legal pads) — so he will 'knock it out of the park.'"

Thus, in a city and a nation that loves their sports metaphors as much as they love their sports, the bar has been set.

The Boston Globe's too-good-to-be-true Pat Healy secured some information on tonight's speech content as well: "But while Kerry plans to devote nearly half of his remarks tonight to national security, his advisers say he does not plan to unveil an exit strategy or ambitious, detailed plans to replace the Iraq policy being followed by President Bush." LINK

"Campaign officials, who offered a rough outline yesterday of the themes in Kerry's planned 50-minute nomination speech, said Kerry hopes to burnish his credentials as commander in chief by devoting roughly half of his remarks to national security. He plans to use tonight's introduction by fellow Vietnam veterans — including one whose life he saved in battle — to cast himself as a strong, unflinching leader in a time of war."

(Note Note: 50 or 55????? Network programmers can't wait to see, because 5 minutes make a BIG difference … .)

USA Today's Jill Lawrence writes that Kerry has "approached it in the most personal way possible: reflecting on his parents and his service in Vietnam, rereading his father's letters to his mother and his own writing at pivotal moments in his life." LINK

More: "History also will infuse Kerry's address. He has reread speeches by Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt and other orators. He has thought about people and moments in Massachusetts history, including John Adams and the battles of Lexington and Concord."

And more: "Kerry says he'll talk in broad terms about what he wants to do. That's the part political analysts say Americans most want to hear."

And still more: "Advisers say the speech — in which Kerry is expected to argue he has a better approach to defeating al-Qaeda — will help voters see Kerry as a viable alternative on terrorism."

Ron Brownstein, who writes for the Los Angeles Times when he isn't appearing on CNN, says, "Revealing a more personal side of himself, showing a continuity between his military heroism and his political career, and providing voters a clearer sense of his domestic and foreign policy plans are some of the challenges that remain for Kerry, even after all the speakers who preceded him." LINK

Also tonight, the Democratic Party formally nominates Sen. Edwards as its candidate for vice president — and he accepts.

ABC News' David Chalian reminds us that there will NOT be a roll call for Edwards' nomination tonight.

"Although the presumptive vice presidential nominee delivered an 'acceptance' speech on Wednesday, he won't be formally nominated until this evening. His name will be placed in nomination by former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt (N.C.), Rep. Raul Grijalva (Ariz.), and Sen. John Breaux (La.), but the convention will quickly suspend with the roll call, and Edwards will be nominated by voice vote."

"It is then likely that he will take to the stage tomorrow night (at some point in the evening prior to Sen. Max Cleland's introduction of John Kerry) to formally accept the nomination with a quick 'I accept … ' type of speech to make it official."

After the Senators John accept their nominations, the biodegradable fun begins. From the FleetCenter rafters 85 feet in the air will drop 100,000 air-filled red, white, and blue eco-friendly balloons, and 1,000 pounds of red, white, and blue paper confetti.

It may be the last day of the Democratic National Convention, but ABC News Now will keep on truckin' all the way to election day on Nov. 2.

But keeping our eyes on the short term, don't miss the gavel-to-gavel coverage of the convention, featuring Peter Jennings and ABC News reporting on politics and news 24/7.

Lots of AOL viewers are watching — don't let them know something you don't! LINK

And if you want the best, up-to-the-minute convention news, tidbits, and insight, log on to Noted Now: LINK

Morning Show Wrap:

In terms of bar setting for Kerry, the morning shows had ABC's George Stephanopoulos saying Kerry needs to "convince every American that if another attack is on the way, he is going to find them and get them"; NBC's Tim Russert saying Kerry has to offer specifics about what he would do differently in Iraq and in the war on terror; and CBS' Bob Schieffer warning that Kerry has to worry about finishing fourth in a speechmaking contest behind Clinton, Obama and Edwards (despite the lack of evidence that real voters view his speech that way).

Edwards' won positive reviews from the pundits on ABC, NBC and CBS for giving a positive, specific speech that connected with his audience.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, the GOP's star surrogate today, harshly criticized Edwards' convention speech in his conversation with NBC's Katie Couric, calling it the politics of disunity operating "under the guise of unity."

Escape to New York: a preview and some requests

Dear Bill Harris, Kevin Sheekey, and Leonardo Alcivar:

Boston's press logistics have actually been pretty excellent.

But we all know you aspire to put to shame this sleepy little provincial New England town from which we write.

Here's what you can make happen in the Big Apple to cause us all to love you:

1. Lots of hot, accessible, delicious coffee — available all the time.

2. Lots of hot, accessible, delicious, and healthy food — available all the time.

3. Have someone as talented as Christine Anderson pulling everything together who understands that it is perfectly possible to run a seamless communications organization that results in boffo news coverage for you, while still serving the legitimate interests — and picayune needs — of the press.

4. Tell the hotels housing the media that we are not normal guests. We have needs. You must have competent and extra staffers who aim to please.

5. Tell those same hotels that if you inform a guest the hotel restaurant opens at 6:00 am ET, have it open 6:00 am ET.

6. Lots of well-staffed mags. And if you tell the press the security gates open at 6:00 am ET, have them open at 6:00 am ET.

7. Wash out with soap the mouth of any journalist who uses the following words or phrases: "overshadow," "expectations," "did what he had to do," or "how can one slice of pizza cost so much?"

8. Set up a speech text distribution system so the embargoed speech texts arrive BEFORE the speeches are given. (It makes a mockery of the concept of "embargo" if they arrive, for instance, the next day.)

9. Figure out a way to get lots of cabs where and when they are needed.

10. Remember the President's noble rule: late is rude.

Sincerely,

The Political Press Corps

Democratic National Convention: Sen. John Kerry:

The Balz lede in the Washington Post: "John F. Kerry was nominated as the Democratic Party's presidential candidate Wednesday night after running mate John Edwards praised the Massachusetts senator as a decisive and battle-tested leader and urged voters to embrace the politics of hope over what he called a low-road campaign by the Republicans." LINK

Ron Brownstein looks ahead to this evening, sets the bar high, and buries his three Noteworthy graphs: LINK

"And as he prepares for his speech, Kerry may wonder if the ground is shifting a bit under his campaign. As the focus has shifted onto the Democrats with the convention and the selection of Edwards this month, most surveys have shown Kerry narrowly leading Bush. By a variety of measures, most polls have also shown a majority of Americans open to changing direction."

"But several recent surveys have shown Bush's job approval rating slightly improving as Iraq slips more from the front pages; among persuadable voters in the Annenberg survey, Bush's approval rating rose from 44% last month to 50% now, placing him right at the level that has historically separated winning, from losing, incumbents."

"Kerry probably will strengthen his position at this convention, but if these trends continue, Bush could soon look stronger as well. Even after this enthusiastic send-off, Kerry faces a long march through difficult terrain. And with all of this week's testimonials behind him, he must now cross that ground largely alone, starting the moment he steps onto the podium tonight."

The Washington Post's John Harris Notes "if the Democratic nominee is still missing a slogan, he has gradually revealed a message. His candidacy stands for The Restoration." LINK

The Los Angeles Times takes a front page look at John Kerry's nuanced arrival at his position on the Iraq war. LINK

"The concerns that apparently haunted him — the questions he asked at public hearings, the caveats and reservations he voiced on the Senate floor before casting his vote — reflected his ambivalence as well as his ambition."

USA Today's Martin Kasindorf reports that Shrum "was among contributors but wasn't dominant" in Kerry's speech writing. LINK

Walter Shapiro writes about how Kerry must have a healthy dose of Edwards' optimism too. LINK

Todd Purdum and David Halbfinger of the New York Times profile Kerry The Man, laying out his "conspicuous gifts of leadership," coupled with his "complicated personality," and how both have developed throughout his life and career. LINK

Halbfinger looks at all the cooks in the kitchen of Kerry's speech. LINK

The San Francisco Chronicle's Marc Sandalow writes that in his nomination speech, Kerry must show he's the man for the job of the presidency in a time of war, and that Kerry is less vulnerable to charges that he's indecisive on national security than his predecessors on the Democratic presidential ticket. LINK

The Washington Post's Laura Blumenfeld examines the effect Vietnam may have had on Sen. Kerry's character. LINK

The Washington Post's Howard Kurtz previews the 9 ½-minute film with which "John Kerry hopes to win hearts and minds Thursday night." LINK

The Washington Post's David Maraniss previews former Sen. Max Cleland's introduction of Sen. Kerry at the convention tonight, which "promises to be the most emotional scene of the convention." LINK

The Washington Post's Hanna Rosin looks at the involvement of the Kerry girls in their father's campaign. LINK

USA Today 's Jill Lawrence observes that "Massachusetts Senator John Kerry revels in complexity. Whether he's choosing a vice president, replacing a campaign manager or formulating health care and tax plans, the Democratic presidential candidate collects data and viewpoints from as many people as he can. And then he plays devil's advocate." LINK

George Will calls Kerry's vision "unremarkable." LINK

"Historians may say history is made as much by the pepper trade or scullery maids as by presidents, but Kerry's biography matters greatly because presidents do. His biography suggests more banality than menace, although banality in high office can be its own kind of menace."

The New York Times ' Adam Nagourney casts a look forward at the fundraising issues and toe-to-toe slugfest awaiting John Kerry as he wraps up his convention and reaps some of his best press coverage thus far. LINK

Todd Purdum of the New York Times describes the "sly slap" of convention speakers against the Bush Administration — the fine art of criticizing without beating the drum so loudly as to cause deafness. LINK

Democratic National Convention: Wednesday:

Delegates from Missouri tell the Associated Press, "Kerry's great, but send Edwards to battlegrounds." LINK

Morning show headlines:

ABC: "Center stage. Edwards fires up the Democrats, saying hope is on the way.

NBC: Edwards "fired up the crowd."

CBS: Edwards "wowed the crowd" even though it "felt a bit rushed at times, when Edwards spoke of hope being on the way … . he scored."

Anne Kornblut of the Boston Globe accuses John Edwards of copying President Bush's money line from 2000. LINK

Z. Barabak: LINK

Mishra: LINK

Kiely: LINK

Toner and Seelye: LINK

Marinucci and Wildermuth: LINK

Democratic National Convention: opinion pieces and editorials:

Douglas Pike, a speechwriter for the late Paul Tsongas, asks: "Will it be the guy whose convoluted, comma-riddled lectures nearly killed his chances last year? Or will it be the 2004 Kerry, who punched up his message and touched people's hearts?" LINK

The Washington Post 's Jim Hoagland opines that "Bush's continuing defense of preemption — see his July 12 speech on Iraq — and the Democrats' equivocation in their platform, which condemns "unilateral" preemption but not any other kind, both skirt a more complex reality." LINK

The Journal 's ed board also applauds the Kerry campaign's seemingly more distant stance toward Joe Wilson. LINK

Democratic National Convention: the Democrats:

The Wall Street Journal 's John Harwood takes a look at the continued kingmaking power of SEIU president Andy Stern — and his statements clarifying interviews earlier this week questioning John Kerry's loyalty to labor.

Bob Novak believes Democratic unity is a fiction. LINK

And the the Washington Post 's David Broder posits: "The Democrats have convinced most of the journalists covering their convention here that their party has eliminated most of its internal differences. That is true, unless you count the gap between the party's head and its heart." LINK

A major swing demographic has some critical delegates who say there has not been enough representation of them during the convention ceremonies and festivities. LINK

Democratic National Convention: the money:

Have you ever wondered what Steve Bing looks like? And with whom he has associated? Brian Ross has your answers. LINK

The New York Times is on the money trail of its own, looking at Harold Ickes' close ties to all constituencies, and repeats many details first reported this week by … ABC's Brian Ross. LINK

The Wall Street Journal 's Shailagh Murray and Jeanne Cummings take an interesting look at the swath of rich, young, well-connected backers that Senator Jon Corzine has tapped to give cash to the Democrats, and the alignment of circumstances that "has set off a new gusher of money for Democrats."

Cummings takes a second look at donors through the parties and perks of this week's festivities.

In a two-fer, Bob Novak writes that McCain-Feingold hasn't even put a crimp in the soft money fueling the Democratic convention, Noting that Senator Russ Feingold's contribution to the legislative and political lexicon has gone uncelebrated by convention organizers and the party. LINK

Democratic National Convention: outside the hall:

The Washington Post 's Mark Leibovich Notes "this is the first political convention to double as a trade show for the security industry." LINK

The New Democratic Network holds a briefing today in which it launches two new ads as part of its national media campaign to reach out to Hispanic voters, and releases a poll suggesting that efforts to improve the Democratic brand in the Hispanic community might be gaining traction — "the image of the Democratic Party is up by 25 to 30 points compared with the Republicans," according to NDN's release. The $3 million media campaign has been up since March in Arizona, Florida, New Mexico and Nevada, and recently in Colorado — and will remain on the air until November.

Democratic National Convention: the media:

The Washington Post 's Howard Kurtz looks at the reaction to Teresa Heinz Kerry's speech Tuesday night. LINK

The Big Four: Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin:

The Columbus Dispatch's Alan Johnson reports that Bush-Cheney Campaign Manager Ken Mehlman was in Columbus Wednesday, "shaping the message Ohio voters are likely to hear throughout the fall." LINK

The Columbus Dispatch's Catherine Candisky's fourth paragraph reads: "After Edwards' speech, Ohio — ground zero in this year's presidential race — was the state that clinched the nomination for the third time in the past four Democratic conventions." LINK

The Toledo Blade's Fritz Wenzel and Jim Provance write, "Ohio put John Kerry over the top late last night. And John Kerry is counting on the Buckeye State to put him over the top again on Nov. 2." LINK

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Katherine Skiba's headline reads: "Edwards promises to lift up Americans." LINK

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Craig Gilbert writes, "The Kerry argument, heard day after day here, can be boiled down to two short sentences: Like Bush, he'll be strong. Unlike Bush, he'll be smart." LINK

The Philadelphia Inquirer on John Kerry, the four-leaf clover carrying, dog tags and rosary wearing candidate who "bet everything — including, literally, his house" to get where he'll be tonight. LINK

Gov. Rendell's forgettable speech. LINK

ABC News Vote 2004: Bush-Cheney v. Kerry-Edwards:

USA Today 's Susan Page writes about how this election truly is different, Noting that "the 2004 campaign has been unexpected, surprising, even unprecedented in historic ways." LINK

Page then gives the ways that the election is different:

— a polarizing President LINK

— a gridlocked government LINK

— Internet fundraising LINK

— more decideds than undecideds LINK

— war LINK

ABC News Vote 2004: Bush-Cheney re-elect:

At a fundraiser in Salt Lake City yesterday, congressional candidate John Swallow thanked Vice President Cheney for stopping by and presented him with his own customized Utah Jazz basketball jersey — with "CHENEY" and "04" on the back.

The Vice President, in a rare off-the-cuff moment on the stump, remarked, "I am not sure I should put that on. I might look like John Kerry did yesterday in that suit down at Cape Canaveral," reports ABC News' Cheney ace reporter Karen Travers.

The New York Times ' David Kirkpatrick looks at Vice President Cheney's week on the road, breaking "the tradition of lying low during the opposing party's convention by heading out on a four-day tour through the West." LINK

Kirkpatrick Notes "Aides to the vice president said the Bush re-election campaign sent him out in part because of his role as the foremost proponent of the administration's case for invading Iraq, a signal that the president's campaign is not backing away from its arguments for the war."

The Salt Lake City write-up of Cheney's visit focuses on the speech and does not mention the jersey comment from Cheney. LINK

The Washington Post 's Mike Allen and Dan Eggen report "President Bush is preparing executive orders and a speech detailing his initial plans for revamping the nation's intelligence services" and is "likely to begin his announcements within days." LINK

Dana Milbank looks at the White House role in a battle between two elements of the president's political base: "business interests who favor freer commerce and religious conservatives concerned about minors buying wine." LINK

President Bush's get-tough policy on Cuba may backfire on him this November, reports Christopher Marquis of the New York Times . LINK

Obamania:

USA Today 's Richard Benedetto reports, "Obama's book had ranked 676th on the Barnes & Noble.com list on Tuesday afternoon [sic], but jumped to No. 59 by the next morning, boosted by preorders for a paperback edition with a new preface by Obama that is being rushed to bookstores by Aug. 10."

ABC News Vote 2004: casting and counting:

An amazing story in the St. Petersburg Times: "While Gov. Jeb Bush reassures Floridians that touch screen voting machines are reliable, the Republican Party is sending the opposite message to some voters." LINK

"The GOP urged some Miami voters to use absentee ballots because touch screens lack a paper trail and cannot 'verify your vote.'"

"That's the same argument Democrats have made but which Bush, his elections director and Republican legislators have repeatedly rejected."

"Voting rights lawyers are in Tallahassee, one of the epicenters of the 2000 presidential election convulsions, arguing about recounts. Florida civil rights advocates are seething about restoring the voting rights of felons," reports the Washington Post 's Manuel Roig-Franzia. LINK

Theresa LePore tells the Los Angeles Times, "I don't have a clue who will win … But I hope it's by big margins." LINK

ABC News Vote 2004: the Senate:

"U.S. Senate candidate Ken Salazar may be considered soft-spoken, low-key, even humble, but Latino leaders in Boston are loudly touting him as the future of the Democratic Party," writes the Denver Post. LINK

ABC News Vote 2004: battleground states:

Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware assured Granite State Democrats yesterday that, regarding the future of their first-in-the-nation primary status, they had nothing to worry about. LINK

A new Iowa poll examining personal traits people look for in a president finds that while the vote in this swing state is going to be close, the president holds a lead in many respects. LINK

David Yepsen of the Des Moines Register reveals the Democratic Party's strategy to win rural votes, "thereby cracking the backbone of GOP strength in presidential elections." LINK

And in another column, Yepsen praises Edwards and his positive message. LINK

For what would be his third trip to Iowa in a month's time, Kerry plans to return to the state next week on a campaign trip through the Mississippi River valley. (And no, he won't be arriving by boat.) LINK

The latest sales figures for Nevada are out, and they seem to confirm what the Governor — and the President — have been saying all along: "Nevada's economy is back on the right track." LINK

The Republican Party recently "unearthed six instances between 1987 through 1997 in which Kerry" did not vote "correctly" on the Yucca Mountain issue, and that's making some Nevada voters look twice at Sen. Kerry. LINK

How is Sen. Kerry's planned announcement tonight of a "$10-billion plan to dramatically reduce America's dependence on Middle Eastern oil" going over in Detroit, a place where this is a "topic that typically angers automakers"? Surprisingly well, judging by the headlines in the Detroit Free Press:

"Kerry: Billions for car industry; Plan's goal: Cut dependence on oil; keep U.S. jobs" LINK

Editorial: "Kerry risks votes in sensible push for fuel efficiency" LINK

Reinvest in America is planning an all-day concert and anti-Bush bash in Charleston, W. Va. for Labor Day, which will feature Rev. Jesse Jackson, Willie Nelson, the Indigo Girls, and maybe even Michael Moore. LINK

"Kerry lavishes attention on mountain state," says the Huntington Herald-Dispatch. LINK

TODAY'S CONVENTION SCHEDULE (all times ET):

Beginning at 4:00 pm ET:
— Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-Calif.) addresses the convention.
— John Sweeney, president of the AFL-CIO, addresses the convention.
— Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) addresses the convention.
— D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton addresses the convention.
— Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) addresses the convention. Slaughter will be joined on stage by all of the women House Democrats.
— Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.), ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, addresses the convention.
— Former Secretary of State Madeline Albright addresses the convention.
— Gen. Wesley Clark, a 2004 presidential candidate, addresses the convention.
— Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) addresses the convention.
— Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.), a 2004 Democratic presidential candidate, addresses the convention.
— Former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt, Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Sen. John Breaux (D-La.) will nominate Sen. John Edwards as the Democratic candidate for vice president on Thursday evening.
— Gov. Mark Warner (D-Va.) addresses the convention.
— Several of Kerry's Vietnam swift boat crewmates appear before the convention and discuss "Kerry's ability to lead America during difficult times and to make America stronger at home and respected in the world."
— Former Green Beret Jim Rassman, whose life was saved by Kerry during a Vietnam War firefight addresses the convention on "John Kerry's tested leadership, strength of character and lifetime of service to the nation."
— House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) addresses the convention on "the strength of the Democratic Party and its vision for an America that lifts up working families and is respected in the world."
— Kerry's daughters — Alexandra and Vanessa Kerry — address the convention on "John Kerry as a father and role model."
— Former Sen. Max Cleland (D-Ga.) introduces John Kerry and discusses "his friend John Kerry, as a commander in chief that has been tested on the battlefield and that can be trusted to lead America to safer and stronger times."
— Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) formally accepts the Democratic nomination for president and addresses the convention.

TODAY'S CANDIDATE SCHEDULE (all times ET):

— 9:00 am: Sen. John Edwards visits the North Carolina State Delegation at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Boston, Mass.
— 9:30 am: Sen. Edwards visits state delegations at the Sheraton Boston Hotel, Boston, Mass.
— 6:30 pm: President Bush and Mrs. Bush arrive back at The White House from Crawford, Texas
— 8:30 pm: Sen. John Kerry departs for the Fleet Center.
— 8:30 pm: Sen. Edwards arrives at the Fleet Center to hear Sen. Kerry's speech to the convention, Boston, Mass.
— 8:45 pm: Sen. Kerry arrives at the Fleet Center.
— 10:00 pm: Sen. Kerry addresses the Democratic Convention at the Fleet Center, Boston, Mass.
— 12:00 am: Sens. Kerry and Edwards attend the "Pops on the Bay Concert" at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, Mass.
— 1:15 am: Sen. Edwards speaks at a "Rock The Vote" concert at the Roxy, Boston, Mass.

TODAY'S EVENTS SCHEDULE (all times ET):

— 8:30 am: The Labor Department releases the weekly jobless claims statistics.
— 9:30 am: Daily DNC Convention press briefing is held at the Sheraton Boston Hotel, Boston, Mass.
— 9:30 am: Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), former Gov. Howard Dean (D-Vt.), House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi
(D-Calif.), among other attend a Families USA and Americans for Health Care forum on health issues, Boston, Mass.
— 10:30 am: RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie, former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and other Republican leaders hold a news conference to discuss the opening day of the Democrat convention, Boston, Mass.
— 11:30 am: Teresa Heinz Kerry visits a meeting of the Women's Caucus, Boston, Mass.
— 12:00 pm: Environmental groups hold a rally on the Bush administration's environmental policy and announce a voter mobilization effort, Boston, Mass.
— 12:00 pm: Teresa Heinz Kerry and Sean "P. Diddy" Combs attend the Democratic National Committee's Youth Caucus, Boston, Mass.
— 12:30 pm: The Black Tea Society holds a rally and march in Copley Square, Boston, Mass.
— 12:30 pm: Former President Bill Clinton attends a book signing at "That Bookstore," Blytheville, Ark.
— 2:00 pm: Former Vice President Al Gore, Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., Gov. Bill Richardson (D-N.M.), SEIU President Andy Stern and others attend an event by Take Back America, Boston, Mass.
— 4:00 pm: United for Peace and Justice holds an anti-war rally "to urge John Kerry to call for an end to occupation of Iraq," Boston, Mass.
— 7:00 pm: Ambassador Joseph Wilson hosts a discussion at the Harvard Book Store, Cambridge, Mass.
— 7:00 pm: Veterans against Kerry holds a march beginning in Bowdoin Square, Boston, Mass.
— 8:00 pm: Time Warner and Rock the Vote hold a nomination night concert featuring Maroon 5 and other entertainers at the Roxy, Boston, Mass.
— 8:00 pm: Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) hosts a campaign gala, Boston, Mass.
— 10:00 pm: The DNC's finance folks host a post-gavel reception with Sen. Kerry with a special performance by Jon Bon Jovi, Boston, Mass.