One of the perks of being in person at an event like the Big Tent and the DNC Convention in general is getting access to some really cool events you can't get to anywhere else.  No, I'm not talking about the after-parties; those actually tend to be fairly lame, imho.  I'm talking about the really informative morning and afternoon sessions where activists have the opportunity to learn things you can't get elsewhere.

Today, the New Leaders Council (not in any way affiliated with the odious DLC) put together a lunch meeting where a pollster from DemocracyCorps (Greenberg) presented for the first time their latest Mountain West polling data, just made available here on their site (PDF only).  It's an awesome wealth of material that confirms what most of us DFH bloggers have been saying for a long time: Obama is our best candidate with great coattails; there is no "Hispanic" problem; the best way to win swing voters is to play to progressive strengths; and John McCain has a serious uphill road to hew in the Mountain West.

"If folks were expecting any drama tonight, they'll just have to make due with the uplifting kind." Such was the bottom line of David Goldstein's blog for HorsesAss.org, entitled "A Stunning Lack of Disunity." I ran into David here at the Big Tent (the DNC mecca for new media journalists, bloggers, reporters, and non-profit leaders - erected here in Progressive Future's parking lot), and thus launched into a discussion of the disparity between the media's playing up the contention between the Obama and Clinton camps, and the actual on-the-ground unity within the Democratic Party.

This diary by Shliapnikov over at Daily Kos really burnt me up. The idea that this great American and humanitarian and liberal Democrat was barred from speaking at the Democratic convention is unbelievable?

The story goes like this:

Things have changed around a little bit in my Senate rankings. But instead of an analysis of which seats are more likely or less likely to switch from red to blue, it has simply become now just a matter of which seats are more likely to flip.

Oregon Senate candidate Jeff Merkley is one of four Senate challengers speaking at the convention today in Denver. At 6:45 eastern time Jeff Merkley will take to the stage and lay out his vision for 2009 and beyond. Jeff is very thankful to be given the opportunity to speak at the convention. Here's what he had to say:

"I am honored to have the opportunity to address the Democratic Convention and speak to my vision to partner with Senator Obama and make Washington work for working families again," said Merkley.  "Oregonians are ready for the kind of change Senator Obama will bring to Washington."

What do you do when your main story line about disunity gets crushed by a passionate speech that enraptures the entirety of the convention?

Come up with a new story line? No, that would take effort.

Let's just pretend it fits our previous story line and run with it.

(Cross-posted at Clintonistas for Obama)

Have you been watching the Democratic Convention this week? I have. I cried during Michelle Obama's speech. And of course, I was moved to my head to my feet during Hillary Clinton's speech! I really felt moved after seeing some of my favorite Democrats speak.

But you know what's also been moving me?

I thought that I would bring everyone a little mid-convention cheer today.  For what it's worth, Time has just released poll results showing Obama doing very well in Western states:

Colorado: McCain 47, Obama 46
Pennsylvania: Obama 48, McCain 43
Nevada: Obama 49, McCain 44
New Mexico: Obama 53, McCain 40

http://thepage.time.com/2008/08/27/timec nn-battleground-polls/

Additionally, word is that Plouffe is quite optimistic about our chances in November:

Barack Obama's margin among independent swing-voting women and sporadically voting Democrats are two of the main metrics his campaign is closely monitoring, Obama's election manager, David Plouffe, said today.

Plouffe, speaking to reporters, editors and executives of the Atlantic Media company in a throwback conference room in downtown Denver, said that Obama's internal polling suggests that McCain runs a double-digit deficit with this group runs into the double digits in some swing states. "And that's before they know about his position on choice and that he's against equal pay," Plouffe said.

...

Other nuggets from Plouffe:

* If McCain doesn't win Colorado, "he has a 5% chance to win the election."

* He believes that they have "a slight edge" in Virginia.

...

* Said HIllary Clinton's speech "could not have gone better."

* Said the campaign "is really pleased" with where they are in Montana.

http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/arch ives/2008/08/barack_mccains_margin_among _in.php