CQPolitics.com - The back-to-back Democratic and Republican extragavanzas gave both parties a chance to put their best foot forward as the general election campaign gets underway. If their competing efforts are a wash, the advantage will remains with the Democrats as far as the push to expand their congressional majorities.

AP - The Republican National Convention's dominant theme of John McCain as war hero was reinforced with a documentary-style film shown to convention delegates before the senator came to the stage to accept his party's presidential nomination.

Bloomberg - Sept. 4 (Bloomberg) -- The site of one of the worst U.S. bridge disasters served as a backdrop yesterday for House Republicans seeking more highway money over the opposition of President George W. Bush and presidential nominee John McCain.

AFP - Vice presidential pick Sarah Palin was Wednesday aiming to quell a raging personal and political storm with her high-stakes primetime speech to the Republican National Convention.

AP - A leading Democratic lawmaker has made public a secret Bush administration letter that says the U.S. has the right to immediately stop nuclear trade with India if that country conducts an atomic test.

AP - Republicans have nominated Sen. John McCain for president, handing the senator the prize that eluded him eight years ago.

AFP - Vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin breaks her silence Wednesday as a political storm rages around her, with her high stakes speech to the Republican National Convention