And that's the way it is

The end of the Republican National Convention brings an end to blog that I have been writing here in New York. Thank you for your interest.

Bush tells of comforting families

Bush delivered his 62-minute convention address to an enthusiastic audience that repeatedly interrupted him with cheers and applause.

The president appeared to tear up slightly when he started talking about his personal efforts to comfort families who lost loved ones in the Sept. 11 attacks and soldiers in military operations in Afghanistan or Iraq.

“I’ve held the children of the fallen, who are told their Dad or Mom is a hero but would rather just have their Dad or Mom,” Bush said slowly with emotion in his voice.

Bush recalled families of victims offering encouragement to him as the nation’s commander-in-chief.

“Where does strength like that come from? How can people so burdened with sorrow also feel such pride?" Bush told the convention. "It is because they know their loved one was last seen doing good (and) because they know that liberty was precious to the one they lost."

At the conclusion of his remarks, first lady Laura Bush joined the president on the “island stage” amid the sea of convention delegates. Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife Lynne Cheney joined the president and first lady on the stage for the Republicans’ final celebration.

Bush asks America to “stand with me.”

Republican George W. Bush asked the American people for a second term Thursday night to build ``a more hopeful'' nation at home and pursue the ``steady, consistent, principled leadership'' required to win the world war on terrorism.

Bush told thousands of chanting, cheering delegates and guests at Madison Square Garden on the final night of the four-day Republican National Convention that he would devote a second term to changing the tax code, expanding health insurance coverage, protecting pension plans and improving worker re-training.

“We are making progress and there is more to do,'' Bush said. ``And tonight, my fellow Americans, I ask you to stand with me.''

Bush came as close as he has ever come to acknowledging ``shortcomings.'' He told his audience that people “may have noticed I have a few flaws,” including a tendency to mangle sentences, ``a certain swagger'' and sometimes coming across ``a little too blunt.''

``You and I have come to know each other,'' Bush said. ``Even when we don't agree, at least you know what I believe and where I stand.''

But Bush made his credentials on national security the cornerstone of his re-election appeal one night after Vice President Dick Cheney and Democratic Sen. Zell Miller of Georgia claimed Democratic presidential challenger John Kerry was unfit to serve as commander-in-chief.

The Nov. 2 election is the first presidential contest since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the first election since 1968 to take place with American GIs engaged in combat.

``I am running for president with a clear and positive plan to build a safer world and a more hopeful America,'' said Bush, 58, a former governor of Texas who has battled a troubled domestic economy and waged wars in Afghanistan and Iraq during 43 months in office.

``I believe this nation wants steady, consistent, principled leadership--and that is why, with your help, we will win this election,'' Bush said.

His parents, former President George Bush and former first lady Barbara Bush, looked on.

Bush also threw red meat to the conservative right -- a constituency he hopes to rally on election day. He promised to ``make a place for the unborn child,'' protect the definition of marriage between a man and woman against ``activist judges'' and promised to choose federal judges who ``know the difference between personal opinion and the strict interpretation of the law.''

Kerry hits back

It isn't taking Democratic challenger John Kerry long to counter punch after the close of the Republican convention in New York City.

In remarks scheduled for delivery at a midnight rally in Springfield, Ohio late Thursday, Kerry decries “the anger and distortion” of the GOP convention and challenges what he calls attacks on his patriotism and fitness to serve as commander-in-chief.

“We’ll, here’s my answer -- I’m not going to have my commitment to defend this country questioned by those who refused to serve when they could have and by those who have misled the nation into Iraq.”

Kerry said voters would have to decide whether five Vietnam draft deferments obtained by Vice President Dick Cheney make “someone more qualified to defend this nation than two tours of duty.”

Kerry added: “Let me tell you what I think makes someone unfit for duty – misleading our nation into war in Iraq makes you unfit to lead this nation.”

Win one for the Gipper, or was that for the Flipper?

New York Gov. George Pataki introduces President Bush tonight by repeating some of the Republicans’ favorite attacks on Democrat John Kerry.

But Pataki also gets off a couple of fresh good one-liners.

Kerry is “a candidate who has to Google his own name to find out where he stands,’’ Pataki claims in remarks prepared for delivery.

“You saw their convention a few weeks ago. They had a slogan: `Hope is on the way.' But with all their flip-flopping and zig-zagging their real slogan should be, `Hype is on the way.’”’

Pataki adds: “As Republicans we're lucky. This fall we're going to win one for the Gipper” – a reference to Ronald Reagan.

“But our opponents - they're going lose one with the Flipper.”

Florida, on my mind

White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card had barely sat down with reporters over coffee about 2:30 p.m. Thursday before he told everyone that the president was busy working to help Florida brace for inbound Hurricane Frances and clean things up from destruction inflicted by Hurricane Charley.

Card didn’t want anyone to think that Bush was forgetting that nearly 2.5 million Floridians were being told to evacuate in advance of what could be the most powerful storm to hit the state in a decade.

You may remember that the president’s father, George H.W. Bush, almost lost Florida in 1992 – partly because Floridians felt the White House didn't help quickly enough after Hurricane Andrew caused $27 billion worth of damage on the state.

Gentlemen, start your engines

Both the Bush and Kerry campaigns are trying to be first out of the starting gate after the conclusion of the Republican National Convention tonight.

Bush isn’t even overnighting here in Manhattan – he’s headed to Pennsylvania for the 34th trip of his presidency to get an early start Friday. The Keystone State will be the first of four battle ground states visited by Bush on Friday.

The Kerry campaign is staging a midnight rally in Springfield, Ohio tonight followed by separate weekend trips to battleground states by Kerry, vice presidential candidate John Edwards and the candidates’ wives.

Kerry tours Ohio by bus. Edwards has his own bus jaunt through Wisconsin. Teresa Heinz Kerry hits Iowa and Elizabeth Edwards draws Michigan.

The Kerry–Edwards campaign plans a countrywide “front porch” chat with voters in 25 states on Labor Day on Monday.

Fire when ready

Kerry campaign manager Mary Beth Cahill issued a statement criticizing Bush’s acceptance address hours before the president even delivered it.

That way the Kerry counterpoint was available well in advance for the news media’s coverage of the 10 p.m. EDT address.

“George Bush squandered our unity and our prosperity,’’ Cahill said. “This country can’t take four more years of George Bush’s callous presidency.”

Democrats relish Zell

Democratic Party chair Terry McAuliffe couldn’t say enough about Miller’s speech on Thursday.

“I was absolutely shocked about the performance last night,’’ McAuliffe told reporters in an Oscar worth performance. The swing voters at stake in the next 60 days probably turned off their television sets after five minutes of Zell, McAuliffe said.

“Whoever booked Zell Miller should not longer work in politics.”

The Democratic loyalist likened Miller’s caustic remarks about Kerry to divisive comments made by conservative Pat Buchanan at the GOP convention in Houston in 1992. Buchanan’s attacks on Democrats were blamed by some Republicans for costing President George Bush – the president’s father – victory in 1992.

“Clearly this was ‘92 Pat Buchanan redux,’’ McAuliffe said. “No question about it. I don’t know if they hadn’t read the (Miller) speech ahead of time. I don’t know if something happened to him walking up the stairs, but the manner in which he gave it (didn’t work).”

Andy, do you know Zell?

Zell Miller’s fiery speech to the Republican Convention Wednesday night was causing quite a stir here Thursday -- especially after the peppery Georgia senator and former Marine challenged MSNBC’s Chris Matthews to a duel during a contentious post-convention interview.

White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card danced the dance with reporters, choosing his words carefully, when asked about Miller’s angry manner at the podium and afterwards.

Card did not endorse or criticize the remarks or the style of the convention’s keynote speaker who had been chosen by the highest echelons of the Bush re-election campaign.

“Zell Miller’s speech was Zell Miller,” Card told reporters. “He is not known for wearing a veneer. He kind of tells it like he sees it.”