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Democrats jumped at the opportunity to frame Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) as inexperienced and unqualified minutes after John McCain announced the Alaska Republican will be his running mate.

"Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency," Barack Obama spokesman Bill Burton said.

"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."

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) also issued a statement attacking Palin's inexperience, calling the pick "troubling."

"Certainly the choice of Palin puts to rest any argument about inexperience on the Democratic team and while Palin is a fine person, her lack of experience makes the thought of her assuming the presidency troubling," Schumer said.

Schumer added, "I particularly look forward to the Biden-Palin debate in Missouri."

Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) said the pick shows "panic" on the McCain campaign's part, as well as a lack of "judgment."

"Is this really who the Republican Party wants to be one heartbeat away from the Presidency?" Emanuel said in a statement. "Given Sarah Palin's lack of experience on every front and on nearly every issue, this Vice Presidential pick doesn't show judgment: it shows political panic."

In announcing the pick the McCain campaign hailed Palin's record as a reformer, but did not call attention to her recent term as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska (population of less than 10,000) saying only that she "is ready to be president."

Howard Wolfson, the spokesman for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's (D-N.Y.) failed presidential bid, suggested that John McCain's veep pick of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) could reopen old wounds.

"If the pick is indeed Sarah Palin you are going to have a lot of women voters wondering why Senator Obama didn't tap Senator Clinton as his running mate," Wolfson wrote on The Plank.

Wolfson had earlier argued on The New Republic's blog that a woman veep selection would reestablish McCain's reputation as a maverick. Wolfson, however, had another name, former eBay CEO Meg Whitman, in mind.

With speculation swirling that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) will become John McCain's running mate, the Club for Growth sent out a release extolling the possible veep candidate.

Here's what Pat Toomey, president of the anti-tax group, said in a release:

"At a time when many Republicans are still clinging to pork-barrel politics, Governor Palin has quickly become a leader on this issue. She is a principled reformer who understands how badly wasteful spending has marred the Republican brand."

The Club also called Palin "a reformer unafraid to take on the establishment," and then noted her directions to abandon the much-derided Bridge to Nowhere project.

One issue on which McCain and Palin disagree is whether to drill for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. McCain opposes drilling there while Palin has supported oil exploration, a position that the Club has espoused.

John McCain will pick Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) as his running mate, reports the Chicago Tribune.

A Republican source told the Tribune's Jill Zuckman that McCain will announce the 44-year-old first-term governor Friday in Dayton, Ohio. The McCain campaign, however, has not confirmed the announcement.

Rahm Emanuel celebrated the end of the Democratic National Convention on the dance floor, showing off his moves at Thursday's Google/Vanity Fair party in Denver.

With his jacket and tie off, the top two buttons of his white shirt undone and the sleeves rolled up, the Illinois Democrat danced enthusiastically to a mix of '70s and '80s dance moves.

And he wasn't the only politician at this celebrity/political mix.

Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-S.D.) checked out the wiis but declined to play. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) made his way through the crowded room in a green cardigan, but admitted he was getting warm and would probably remove.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) wisely passed over the long line at the bar and helped himself to a beer from its storage case. And Sen. Claire McCaskill commandeered a booth in one of the more quiet areas of the multi-room event.

Several celebrities mingled with the ordinary folks. Actress Susan Sarandon and Anne Hathaway held court in the VIP area just off the dance floor. "Mad Men" star Jon Hamm posed for pics with female fans and said he was enjoying his first political convention. He added he took plenty of pictures of Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) during his acceptance speech.

Taking place at the Exdo Event Center on the final night of the Democratic National Convention, Obama's acceptance speech played on flat screens in the several rooms that made up the party. The main room contained bars made out of ice, lounge chairs and several choices of food. The second room contained the dance floor, while a third room contained a quiet bar area and a fourth room was filled with wiis. The party went until 2:00 a.m. and when the music stopped the crowd called "more music, more music" but alas, all good things must end.

Greetings from the Denver International Airport! This is a friendly travel update for those of you going on to St. Paul.

Arrive at the airport extra early. When The Hill arrived at Northwest for its 6:15 am flight there were only two automatic check in kiosks working.

The check in line is long and the security line is just as bad. Also going to St. Paul are all the extra security personel brought into Denver for the convention. The Hill counted six security dogs being checked on its flight and they were just as unhappy at being up so early as we were.

So get there early, be prepared to wait and don't forget about those excess baggage fees. Good luck!

Here's the response by John McCain's campaign to Barack Obama's convention speech Thursday.

"Tonight, Americans witnessed a misleading speech that was so fundamentally at odds with the meager record of Barack Obama," campaign spokesman Tucker Bounds said in a statement.
When the temple comes down, the fireworks end, and the words are over, the facts remain: Sen. Obama still has no record of bipartisanship, still opposes offshore drilling, still voted to raise taxes on those making just $42,000 per year, and still voted against funds for American troops in harm's way. The fact remains: Barack Obama is still not ready to be President."

Several members of the media were seen cheering and clapping for Barack Obama as the Illinois senator accepted the Democratic nomination Thursday.

Standing on the periphery of the football field serving as the Democratic convention floor, dozens of men and women wearing green media floor passes chanted along with the crowd.

Two members of the foreign press exchanged opportunities to take each other's pictue while wearing an Obama hat and waving a flag.

Several others nearby screamed "woo" during some of Obama's biggest applause lines.

Barack Obama will accept the Democratic nomination for president in a much-awaited address Thursday at his party's convention.

The Briefing Room will liveblog tonight's convention session at Invesco Field in Denver, starting with former Vice President Al Gore's speech. Obama will speak after 10 p.m.

Obama burst on to the national political scene with his keynote address at the 2004 Democratic convention. Read more...

Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.), speaking at Invesco Field Thursday night in Denver, introduced several "everyday Americans" to share their stories with the crowd.

Biden, the recently announced Democratic VP candidate, drew loud cheers from the audience.

The first speaker, a member of the Teamsters International Union from Michigan, told the crowd he believes Obama can help America's struggling economy.