The Associated Press is reporting that Democrats have suspended their “War room” operations in the wake of Republicans decision to curtail politics at tomorrow’s opening of the convention. Because of Hurricane Gustav John McCain suspended all non-essential convention functions. Democrats had been planning on countering the partisan attacks during the convention.

John McCain gives a 4:00PM Eastern update and cancels all major non-essential convention activities for Monday.

Check out this video of Hillary Clinton denying her husband a kiss and instead turning to Obama.

Everything you want or need to know about the Democratic Convention can be found here! Meanwhile the Republican Convention begins next week. Find out who is speaking, what the themes of the night will be and make sure to keep this link bookmarked to get all the Convention information as it happens.

During an appearance on Countdown with Keith Olbermann Michael Moore, who has been relatively quiet this election season, remarked that Hurrican Gustav hitting during the Republican convention is “proof there is a God in heaven.” A remark that many on the left will argue is an attempt at an ironic joke and undoubtedly many on the right will claim outrage over.

When news of the Palin pick broke today the Obama campaign was quick to release the following statement:

“Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency. Governor Palin shares John McCain’s commitment to overturning Roe v. Wade, the agenda of Big Oil and continuing George Bush’s failed economic policies — that’s not the change we need, it’s just more of the same,” said Bill Burton, Obama Campaign Spokesman.

However McCain and Biden, who both called to congratulate the Governor of Alaska, put out a much softer statement later on with the Illinois Senator saying his campaign was on “hair trigger response” seemingly regretting the campaigns initial reaction.

Here is the new statement:

“We send our congratulations to Governor Sarah Palin and her family on her designation as the republican nominee for Vice President. It is yet another encouraging sign that old barriers are falling in our politics. While we obviously have differences over how best to lead this country forward Governor Palin is an admirable person and will add a compelling new voice to this campaign,” said Senator Barack Obama and Senator Joe Biden.

PEOPLE’ EXCLUSIVE: PHOTOS & FIRST INTERVIEW WITH JOHN MCCAIN & SARAH PALIN — ALONG WITH THEIR FAMILIES

(NEW YORK) — In an exclusive interview, PEOPLE went backstage with the new Republican ticket, Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin, and their families to talk about Palin’s readiness for the job, the challenges of juggling a high-powered job with the needs of five children — including an infant with Down Syndrome and a son in the Army about to head off to war in Iraq — and the campaign’s attempt to give Hillary Clinton voters one more chance to shatter the glass ceiling.

“It’s Girl Power!” enthused Meghan McCain, who learned of her father’s top-secret pick only a few hours before the rest of the nation on Friday morning. “It’s my dream choice,” she told PEOPLE.
Below is an excerpt from the interview. You can find full story on People.com shortly.

On appealing to Hillary Clinton supporters: “Certainly in this election cycle, women are not finished yet. And women can shatter that glass ceiling once and for all,” says Gov. Palin.

Sen. McCain: “I think that Sarah appeals to a lot of voters—I think because of her independence, because of her reform agenda and her record of balancing both family and service, is motivation to not just Clinton voters but to lots of voters.”

On what some are calling Gov. Palin’s “short” resume, relative youth and readiness to be president, compared with Sen. Barack Obama:

“I don’t think it’s a short resume. She first ran for office back in 1992. I don’t know what Senator Obama was doing then, but the first time she ran was 1992. That’s 16 years. I think that’s a pretty, pretty event-filled and record-filled resume.

Interjects Gov. Palin: “I haven’t had too many years other than that to fill up yet.”

So does she feel ready to be a heartbeat away from the presidency? “Absolutely. Yup, yup. Especially with a good team around us.”

On whether she’ll be able to balance the vice-presidency with her family’s needs: “She’s heard that her whole life—the challenges of being a female mother in the work force,” says the governor’s husband, Todd Palin. “I remember the first time she ran for mayor on of her fellow council members told her you can’t run for mayor because you’ve got three negatives: Track, Bristol and Willow. Those are the three kids we had at the time. So, when you tell her that kind of stuff, she just gets fired up. We’re an Alaska family that adapts.”

Gov. Palin, who is still nursing her son, tells PEOPLE she’s used to multi-tasking: “What I’ve had to do, though, is in the middle of the night, put down the Blackberries and pick up the breast pump. Do a couple of things different and still get it all done.”

Adds Sen. McCain’s wife, Cindy: “Any woman who’s been in a situation where they’re working and have children know that you give 300 percent; no one will be slighted in any of this, least of all her baby. She has a lot of energy, she’s a woman with great drive and great vision and I think no one’s going to suffer in this process. We will all get it done.”

The McCain camp claims over $3 million was raised before 6PM EST, a massive response to his Vice Presidential announcement. Found via The Page.

ALASKA GOV. SARAH PALIN: Thank you so much.

And I thank you, Senator McCain and Mrs. McCain, for the confidence that you have placed in me. Senator, I am honored to be chosen as your running mate. I will be honored to serve next to the next president of the United States.

I know that when Senator McCain gave me this opportunity, he had a short list of highly qualified men and women. And to have made that list at all, it was a privilege. And to have been chosen brings a great challenge.

I know that it will demand the best that I have to give, and I promise nothing less.

First — first, there are a few people whom I would like you to meet. I want to start with my husband, Todd. And Todd and I are actually celebrating our 20th anniversary today. And I promised him … I had promised Todd a little surprise for the anniversary present, and hopefully he knows that I did deliver.

And then we have as — after my husband, who is a lifelong commercial fisherman, lifetime Alaskan. He’s a production operator. Todd is a production operator in the oil fields up on Alaska’s North Slope. And he’s a proud member of the United Steelworkers union. And he’s a world-champion snow machine racer.

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Barack Obama succeeded in creating one of the most powerful tools of persuasion last night, he created a spectacle. A speech can be given by almost anyone at any time or place but a spectacle, a dazzling moment in time when an audience transcends their own self and becomes one with the collective whole to receive a message can be timeless. It is also powerful and dare I say dangerous.

I watched last night as an independent observer, a critic who was looking for substance over style. The giant crowd, the blinding lights, the history lost on me, the music and the fireworks, the tightly choreographed display were all kept outside of my mind.

I heard a good speech that was light on specifics and made major claims like “every dime has been accounted for” when Obama spoke of his economic policy. It was a claim Clinton attacked; McCain will too. I heard a claim that received much applause, that McCain was unwilling to take the fight to bin Laden’s cave let alone the gates of hell. I didn’t know what it meant or how Obama would be different. That was most of his foreign policy section.

Yet to those who were in attendance, including the parade of media hosts and pundits, the spectacle transcended.

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