Le Templar: Vice President Joe Biden is in Arizona this morning, trying to build support for the White House economic stimulus efforts and attending a fundraiser for some Democrats in the state’s delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives. Biden’s visit coincides with a growing national consensus that Reps. Harry Mitchell and Gabrielle Giffords could be especially at risk to a national shift in voter sentiment back to the Republican Party.  Blog  |  More

KABUL, Afghanistan - Vice President-elect Joe Biden pledged long-term American support for Afghanistan during a visit Saturday, and the commander of NATO-led forces told him that thousands of new American troops expected this year will need more support against surging Taliban violence.

TOPEKA, Kan. - The vice presidential sweeps are in full buzz, and there’s increasing chatter surrounding two rising Democratic stars — Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano and Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, two potential running mates who could help expected Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama woo women voters.

NEW YORK - PBS journalist Gwen Ifill, moderator of the upcoming vice presidential debate, dismissed conservative questions about her impartiality because she is writing a book that includes material on Barack Obama.

Republican Sarah Palin and Democrat Joe Biden sparred over taxes, energy policy and the Iraq war in a high-profile debate in which Palin sought to reclaim her identity as a feisty reformer and Biden tried to undercut the maverick image of GOP presidential hopeful John McCain.

The good news for Republicans from the vice presidential debate Thursday night was that Gov. Sarah Palin provided solid answers and went toe-to-toe with Democratic Sen. Joe Biden in verbal exchanges that she peppered with folksy colloquialisms and campaign talking points. Comfort the base? Mission accomplished.

WASHINGTON - Likely Democratic nominee Barack Obama has begun a top-secret search for a running mate, fresh signs that the general election campaign is well under way and the primary race against Hillary Rodham Clinton is basically over.

Both the John McCain and Barack Obama campaigns are planning debate watching parties at their respective state headquarters for tonight’s vice presidential debate between Sarah Palin and Joe Biden.

NEW YORK - It's starting to feel like Tina Fey is running for vice president.

When will they stop asking Republicans like me about our party’s choice for vice president?

It is completely disingenuous for Iowa tea party founder Ryan Rhodes to challenge President Barack Obama about VP Joe Biden allegedly referring to tea party members of Congress as "terrorists." Besides the fact that Biden did not say this, please let us not forget that it is the tea party that has continuously referred to Obama as a socialist; a fraud since they claim he was born in Kenya; a liar including a tea party Congressman shouting that accusation during Obama's State of the Union address; a communist who wants to take away citizens' freedoms; and who is depicted on posters at tea party rallies in the most vulgar and insulting manner possible, the nicest of which portrays Obama as a witch doctor with a bone in his nose.

OK, so who got the bounce from the conventions? Obama-Biden did. Initially, they received a national ratings bump of about 4 percent. As of a week later, the bounce had increased to the high single digits.

“Two things stand in the way of what Liberals truly want: citizens with guns and the Constitution, and we shall use the First to defend the Second!”

U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl, one of the most influential Republicans on the national scene, is making plans to attend the Democratic political convention in Denver next week.

OK, so who got the bounce from the conventions? Obama-Biden did. Initially, they received a national ratings bump of about 4 percent. As of a week later, the bounce had increased to the high single digits.

“Who is Russell Pearce to blame for Tuesday’s loss? How about lying people like Randy Parraz, Jerry Lewis ... and the Rino he ran against, to name a few! These people encourage Sheeple to get on the bandwagon with these predicted results. I am very surprised the Mormons would turn into Sheeple and vote against Pearce and with Parraz. I always thought you were independent voters; boy was I wrong, big time!”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Barack Obama's newly minted running mate will join the Democratic hopeful onstage Saturday at a rally in this capital city where Obama launched his White House bid, a campaign official said.

“To the person who keeps stealing my ‘Yes for Prop. 102’ signs out of my front yard, say ‘cheese’ for my new surveillance camera.”

What a week it's been in Denver! I'm inclined to call it "the contradiction convention."

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