Michelle Obama

Attorney General Doug Gansler (D)DENVER - Attorney General Doug Gansler believes Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton’s speeches at the Democratic National Convention may have puts some doubts to rest.

“Together they went a long way to bridging the gap for some women who had lingering concerns,” he said “I think Michelle Obama put that to rest on the first night of the convention and Hillary Clinton really took it the rest of the way by saying ‘look this isn’t about me. It’s about what we’re trying to do here.’”

Gansler said Clinton’s address was the “best speech I’ve ever seen her deliver.”

DENVER – U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) returned to her Maryland roots Wednesday morning, calling herself the “first woman, first Marylander” Speaker of the House.

Pelosi made the remarks during a Maryland delegation reception hosted by Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon at the Renaissance Denver Hotel.

Pelosi grew up in Baltimore and her father, Thomas D’Alesandro, Jr., was a 5-term member of Congress and legendary mayor. Her brother, Thomas III, also served as Baltimore's mayor.

U.S. Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Fort Washington): Campaign PhotoDENVER - U.S. Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Fort Washington) called the first day of the Democratic National Convention a “home run opening day.”

They “hit all the right notes,” the 4th District Democrat told PolitickerMD.com during the Tuesday breakfast for the Maryland delegation at the Renaissance Denver hotel.

Edwards said it's going to be important for the Democrats “to point to the actual record of John McCain.”

Check back tomorrow morning to view my sketchpad for day two of the Democratic National Convention, and go to my national blog to follow convention coverage by cartoonists from around the country.

DENVER - U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Baltimore) doesn't think speakers at the Democratic convention need to be taking any shots at presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain. 

"It's more about setting the record straight," Cardin told PolitickerMD.com.

Cardin seemed thrilled about the first night of the Democratic National Convention. He called seeing Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) speak "just incredible" and said it "brought tears to my eyes."

The Democratic National Convention will be called to order at 5:00 PM EST today, with a theme of "One Nation."  Featured speakers include Michelle Obama, U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-Ill.), former President Jimmy Carter, and Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg, who will introduce a tribute to her uncle, U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.). 

On Winning, Life Inside Congress & Lessons From Bill Clinton

U.S. Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Fort Washington)

On Saturday, July 19, U.S. Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Fort Washington) traveled to Austin, Texas to finally speak in person with those who were among the first to listen to her and a message that would oust an entrenched incumbent less than two years later.

Edwards was the keynote speaker at ‘Netroots Nation,’ a gathering formerly known as YearlyKos, based off the popular progressive blog, DailyKos.com. Netroots Nation is an annual gathering of the left-of-center online political community and attracts a ‘who’s who’ of Democratic politics. Former Vice President Al Gore and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) also addressed the gathering in person, while U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) addressed the conference by a taped message.

But few Party leaders have the stature Edwards maintains in that community. Like 2004 presidential candidate Howard Dean and 2006 U.S. Senate candidate Ned Lamont before her, she became an online icon for her ability to channel the power of the Internet into boots-on-the-ground action.

I would like to preface this that I was not going to speak about the presidential race so soon because we have no idea who Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) will be facing, but recent events warrant the following comment. That comment is that if I were a member of the Democrat Party, I would hang my head in shame.

Here is what you have as far as choices for the Democratic ticket, simple and plain. You have a racist in Sen. Barack Obama (IL) and a snob in Sen. Hillary Clinton (NY). I normally do not call it so boldly, but that’s what I have to do.

Michelle Obama speaks at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School on Monday.BETHESDA - Michelle Obama, wife of Sen. Barack Obama, told a crowd at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School Monday evening that her husband alone among those running for president could restore a sense in the country that "we are only as great as the weakest among us."

Anna Van HollenBESTHESDA - Bethesda-Chevy Chase student Anna Van Hollen, daughter of U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen, chair of the DCCC, just announced to the crowd here that her parents taught her to be independent.