CNN Reports:

Sen. Edward Kennedy is expected to make a dramatic appearance Monday night at the start of the Democratic National Convention, his office said, marking his second public appearance since brain surgery in June. . . . Sen. Edward Kennedy, who endorsed Sen. Barack Obama in January, is "itching to go," a source says.

Good to see Kennedy is well enough to come speak. It will be a highlight tonight.

By Big Tent Democrat

Here's tonight's speaker list. While Pepsi Center speeches begin at 3pm, the prime time program is 7 to 9 pm MT. Michelle Obama is the final speaker.

The program will close with a benediction by Don Miller, described as a "Best-selling author & public speaker focusing on Christian spirituality." I'll be gone as soon as Michelle has finished speaking.

After that, I plan to attend a special cocktail reception at the Denver Art Museum celebrating the 88th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution. It's from 9pm to midnight. Sen. Hillary Clinton will be among the speakers.

Thanks to Atrios for taking and posting this photo of CNN analyst Jeffrey Toobin and me from the Salon Party Saturday night.

This is an open thread.

Ben Smith reports about Hillary's remarks to the New York delegation:

"I'm Hillary Clinton and I do not approve that message," Clinton tells the New York delegation of McCain's ad that features her old criticism of Obama.

Here is Hillary's message:

Clinton says Democrats are gathered in Denver for a "clear and specific purpose and that is to elect Barack Obama President of the United States [. . .] Now I ask each and every one of you to work as hard for Obama as you worked for me," she said.

By Big Tent Democrat

A New York Times/CBS News poll of delegates to the Democratic National Convention found:

More than half of the delegates that Mrs. Clinton won in the primaries now say they are enthusiastic supporters of Mr. Obama, and they also believe he will win the presidential election in November, the poll found. Three in 10 say they support Mr. Obama but have reservations about him or they support him only because he is the party’s nominee. Five percent say they do not support him yet.

When Hillary Clinton's name is placed in nomination: [more ...]

My sources tell me that Bruce Springsteen will close the Democratic Convention with an acoustic performance after Sen. Barack Obama finishes speaking Thursday night at Invesco Field. The Washington Post speculated about this yesterday

and the Las Vegas Review Journal reports it as fact.

The LVRJ says Bon Jovi is in negotiations to be the warmup act for Obama.

My earlier post on possible musical acts for Thursday night is here.

Hi. It's Sunday night and we just finished dinner here at Jerri's house where Lynn Goldsmith has now joined us for the week.  As the actual Convention inches closer, and I finished the final exam today for Journalism, I'm starting to feel those pangs again without Hunter. So, it's a blessing to be witnessing this (hopefully) historic DNC with two amazing women and listen to them talk, over a shared Pad Thai stir fry tonight, about their experiences at the1969 protest in Washington. [more...]

The protests in Denver began today. There was some attempt by protesters to block streets. It was peaceful with little resemblance to protests of conventions past.

What happened instead was a street-fair display of disparate causes, from anti-war fervor to climate control, immigrant rights and the legalization of marijuana. Participants paraded through the streets of downtown Denver peacefully as police — aided by the Secret Service, FBI and National Guard — kept watch from bikes, rooftops and helicopters.

Cindy Sheehan and Recreate '68 began the morning with a protest event on the steps of the state capitol in Denver. Later, there was a march from Civic Center Park to the Pepsi Center.

Cindy Sheehan spoke as did Glenn Spagnuolo of Recreate '68, Ron Kovic and the rap duo Dead Presidents. Recreate '68 had its own security guys at the base of the Capitol steps, wearing red bandannas. [More...]

Things are running very smooth today in Denver.

Jane of Firedoglake and I drove downtown, parked behind the Denver County courthouse and walked two blocks to the Sheraton where we picked up our DNCC press passes for Monday's convention events at the Pepsi Center. No lines, very speedy. Everyone has to pick up a new pass every morning. For security reasons, each day has a different pass.

Then we hopped on the 16th St. Shuttle Bus which dropped us off on the corner of the Big Tent and we picked up our passes there, also very speedy. Along the way I took a few photos:

• A Code Pink Parade
• A Denver Sheriff's bus that transports prisoners across the street from the courthouse (it was parked and empty)
• Some Denver police officers, not in riot gear like in Boston

[More...]

Dateline Denver, 1:00 am: Anita and I just returned from a party hosted by Salon.com at a very beautiful townhouse they rented for the convention.

We had a terrific time. How was it different than past convention parties? There was much more mingling of Mainstream Media with bloggers, and not only did the MSM attendees know each and every blog, they read us and, if I can be Sally Field for the moment, they like us!

It was great to see Duncan Black (aka Atrios of Eschaton), Jane of Firedoglake, Glenn Greenwald, John Amato of Crooks and Liars, Taylor Marsh to name just a few.

I had a great time talking to Jeffrey Toobin, and we reminisced about the time in 2003 when I took him to dinner at a Vegan restaurant in San Francisco with Markos of Daily Kos and his wife Elisa. Back then, Jeffrey was trying to figure out what a blog was. Now, he's reading all of us on that laptop as he's sitting on the set providing his commentary. [More...]

Update: What a difference an hour makes. The Rocky Mountain News just updated its article to say a compromise is trying to be worked out that will allow Public Enemy to play at a concert in Denver.

****

Public Enemy Won't Play at DNC Protest Event

Earlier reports that Public Enemy will play at a Recreate '68 protest event during the Denver National Convention are false. [More...]

My first video on my new Flip TV Mino is of Dr. Linda Shapiro of ProActive Health in Denver. Dr. Shapiro is an M.D. and a Ph.D, and an expert in nutrition and fitness.

The topic: How to maintain stamina and your diet while in Denver for the Democratic National Convention.

Note on the audio: My voice came out so much louder than Dr. Shapiro's. I tried to adjust the audio in editing, and was mostly successful except for the last five seconds when it sounds like I'm shouting. Oh well, hopefully I'll improve during the week to come.

This is an open thread.

Who knew what they were thinking when they built the makeshift warehouse jail cells for those arrested during the Democratic National Convention, but at least they've scrapped one bad idea.

The razor wire covering the cells is being removed. Chain link fence coverings will be used instead. Also:

Sixty people an hour can be processed at the building, where cameras are set up to take mug shots alongside computerized fingerprinting stations.

A table holds six telephones, and two portable air-conditioning units each the size of a small truck pump cool air into the building. Each cell will contain 20 chairs. A sign posted on a steel column warns: "Electric stun devices used in this facility."

Anyone arrested in East Denver, not just protesters, will be transported to "Gitmo on the Platte."