Rove tried to kill Lieberman VP pick  —  Republican strategist Karl Rove called Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) late last week and urged him to contact Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to withdraw his name from vice presidential consideration, according to three sources familiar with the conversation.

Live from DNC: Bill Get His Digs In  —  Biden's speech?  Surprisingly good.  Bill Clinton's?  Read between the lines and you see what he thinks of Obama...  I've never been called a man of few words, but let me say this as short as I can — yes, yes, yes I accept the nomination.

Obama camp blasts National Review writer as “slimy character assassin”  —  Barack Obama's campaign hasn't advertised this a great deal this week, but the campaign's “Action Wire” has been waging large-scale campaigns against critics.  That includes tens of thousands of e-mails …

A Clinton Masterpiece  —  Readers know my personal disdain for Bill Clinton.  But longtime readers will also know I have always defended his solid centrist, smart record in office and defended him against his most over-reaching enemies.  Tonight, I think, was one of the best speeches he has ever given.

Dems nervous over Invesco risks  —  DENVER - Senior Democratic officials are expressing serious concerns about the political risks posed by Barack Obama's acceptance speech at Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium Thursday evening.  —  From the elaborate stagecraft to the teeming crowd …

JOHN KERRY — WOW!  —  Most of the nets aren't showing it.  But John Kerry's giving a really good speech on the foreign policy front.  Knocking McCain for standing on an aircraft three months after 9/11 and calling out ‘next stop Baghdad.’ He's going through the list of McCain's foreign policy goofs …

MSNBC prez defends convention team  —  DENVER — Amid a spate of awkward on-air conflicts among MNSBC anchors at this week's Democratic convention, some staff members say there are sharp internal disputes at the cable network over whether its opinion and personality-driven political coverage has crossed the line.

The Master Has Arrived  —  In the time-honored tradition of the notebook dump, some thoughts and observations on the Democratic convention so far:  —  As for Bill Clinton's speech, halfway through I thought: The Master has arrived.  Crazy Bill, the red-faced Rageaholic, was somewhere else.

McCain's Prickly TIME Interview  —  For years, John McCain's marathon bull sessions with reporters were more than a means of delivering a message; they were the message.  McCain proudly, flagrantly refused direction from handlers, rarely dodged tough questions and considered those who did wimps and frauds.

The Devils in His Details  —  DENVER — When Barack Obama feeds rhetorical fishes and loaves to the multitudes in the football stadium Thursday night, he should deliver a message of sufficient particularity that it seems particularly suited to Americans.  One more inspirational oration …